Busy Bees Day Nursery at Rothamsted Lodge

Busy Bees Day Nursery at Rothamsted Lodge Rothamsted Lodge, Hatching Green, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 June 2016 4 November 2013

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3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 Staff are not deployed well enough. This limits their ability to support children’s learning effectively and, on occasion, monitor security procedures.  Assessment of children’s learning is not accurate. The identification of next steps in children's learning is not sufficiently focused on helping every child make the best possible progress in their learning.  Variability in the quality of teaching means that staff do not consistently promote children's learning and development.

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It has the following strengths

 The nursery environment is bright and inviting. Children have a wide range of activities to play with on a daily basis.  Children are learning to be independent and meet their own personal needs. For example, young children access drinking water by themselves when they are thirsty.  Children are given plenty of opportunities to play outside and develop their physical skills, for example, when riding scooters in the well-equipped garden.  Staff support children who have special educational needs or disability well. For example, they communicate with other professionals and parents and use appropriate strategies to help children become familiar with going to school.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 review the deployment of staff so that children’s learning needs are met and to ensure that the door security procedures are followed at all times 29/07/2016

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Due Date

 strengthen procedures to ensure precise and consistent assessment of children’s learning accurately identifies appropriate next steps for children. 29/07/2016

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Due Date

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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Due Date

 improve the quality of teaching so that interactions between staff and children allow children to express their creative thoughts.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed general play and routines in the base rooms of the nursery. She talked with the staff, parents and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at evidence of the suitability of staff members, and a range of other documentation. First-aid and safeguarding training certificates were viewed.  The inspector held joint discussions with the manager, area manager and childcare and curriculum advisor in relation to observations of the children's play, learning and progress  The inspector reviewed the provider’s self-evaluation.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

A change in staffing means that not all adults are able to spend enough time with their key children. Therefore, children’s learning needs and next steps are not well-known to their key person. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff can identify the signs and symptoms of abuse and know what action to take should they have a concern. Robust staff recruitment and induction procedures are in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children and know their roles and responsibilities. The manager has a good understanding of how to improve the quality of teaching and is beginning to use supervision meetings and staff observations to support this. Staff are aware of their own individual targets and there are plans to train staff in the new electronic record keeping system. The management team regularly seeks the views of parents, staff, children and other professionals to help improve outcomes for children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Children experience a mixture of good and weak teaching. For example, during the inspection, while staff set up a sticking activity, children simply watched and sucked their thumbs. When they do engage in the activities, some staff ask questions that children already know the answer to. At other times, staff extend the children's learning effectively. For example, when encouraging children to express their ideas about a wordless book, they asked the children questions with many possible answers. Assessment is not rigorous enough to build on children’s interests and extend their learning at every opportunity. Children have a variety of mathematical opportunities. They match shapes and count accurately during play. Children use resources imaginatively such as washing a tricycle in the garden, pretending it is at the car wash.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

The deployment of staff on the day of inspection meant that parent let in an unknown adult unchallenged. Despite this all children were safe. Management immediately reviewed procedures and reminded parents of their responsibilities. Staff support children to feel comfortable in the setting. Staff act as suitable role models as they encourage children to take turns and be polite. There are satisfactory range of activities to play with in the indoor and outdoor areas. These promotes children’s positive behaviour. Children are learning what contributes to a healthy lifestyle. For example, they joined in a physical activity and discussed why they were ‘puffed out’ afterwards. Children enjoy freshly cooked meals each day and children's allergies and intolerances are carefully managed. Parents receive information about their child's day when they pick up their child and through the electronic system.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children make steady progress in their learning. Due to the variability of the quality of teaching, not all children make the best possible progress from their starting points. As children play, they are taught new skills that will help them when they move on to school. They are able to dress themselves and listen to adults to follow instructions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 123606 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1053520 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 70 Number of children on roll 79 Name of registered person Busy Bees Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 4 November 2013 Telephone number 01582 462533

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reference number

Busy Bees at Rothamsted Lodge has been registered since 1993 and is on the Early Years Register. It is managed by Busy Bees Nurseries Limited. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.15am to 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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reference number

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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reference number

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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reference number

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reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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