Busy Bees Day Nursery at Plymouth

Inspection of Busy Bees Day Nursery at Plymouth Seaton Court, 2 William Prance Road, Plymouth, Devon PL6 5WS

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is inadequate

The manager and staff do not meet the needs of some children. Those with lead safeguarding roles do not always know when staff have concerns about children's welfare, because some staff do not share this important information. Therefore, leaders are unable to take necessary action. Some pre-school children who have joined since the COVID-19 pandemic began have not been allocated a key person. Staff do not know enough about these children and focus their attention on the children they know better instead. As a result, some children do nothing for long periods because staff do not help them to become involved in activities or interact with others. This is detrimental to their learning, particularly for the children who need additional targeted support to help them catch up.

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The provision is inadequate

Although parents are not currently able to enter the setting due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), children demonstrate they feel safe and secure when they arrive confidently at the start of the session. In particular, babies are settled and have very close bonds with staff. The staff working with these youngest children know them well. They identify what they want the babies to learn next and provide effective support to help them make progress. For example, staff place the toys they know the babies enjoy playing with on the floor around them, to encourage them to try to reach for them and move.

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need to do better?

n This inspection was carried out to look into concerns around meeting children's needs and staff ratios and deployment. There has recently been a large number of staff changes in a very short period of time, including the appointment of a new manager. For example, staff do not know some children well enough and, consequently, are unable to meet their needs or provide detailed information to parents about their experiences at the nursery. The new manager has identified some appropriate areas for development and started to implement plans to support staff to focus more on children's learning. However, these are not yet embedded in practice and have not yet been effective for some groups of children. n The manager does not have a good enough understanding of the organisation in the pre-school room and did not know that some children do not have an allocated key person. Systems for sharing information are ineffective. New staff

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need to do better?

are not provided with the information they need to enable them to understand children's care and learning needs. Consequently, some pre-school children do not receive appropriate support for their learning and development. n Staff do not implement plans for children who need additional support. For example, children needing extra help with their communication and language development do not receive enough interactions from staff and, consequently,

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need to do better?

27 May 2021 spend much of their time alone watching others play and learn. Children with delayed development and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are at risk of falling further behind in their education. n The manager does not ensure that all staff have a good understanding of the nursery safeguarding procedures. Some staff lack knowledge of how to recognise if a child is at risk of harm. They do not consistently share their concerns about children with those who have lead safeguarding responsibilities. This means the team are unable to work together successfully to protect children from potential harm. n Staff working in the baby room understand what children need to learn next and how to help them achieve this. They plan some stimulating activities and set out enjoyable resources. Staff encourage babies to use their fingers to explore paint and to observe the marks this makes on paper, which the babies enjoy. Staff

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need to do better?

support toddlers' communication skills effectively. They repeat what children say and respond clearly to their questions. In addition, toddlers are learning to use sign language as a means of communication. n Some pre-school children are confident and independent. They excitedly call out the rules as they begin their forest school activities and make decisions in their play to keep themselves safe. For example, they consider whether they feel able to climb and run down steep slopes, and if they fall over, they brush themselves off and continue playing. n Staff praise children's efforts and achievements to help them understand the rules and behave well. Pre-school children learn to use good manners. For example, they kindly offer to pour drinks for others. n Some parents say they are happy with the nursery. However, others report they know very little about their children's experiences at the nursery or their

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need to do better?

progress. The lack of an effective key-person system for some children and a period of frequent staff changes has negatively affected communication with some parents. Parents are not well enough informed about what their child is learning or how they can help them improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Although the manager ensures staff receive relevant training, she does not check that all staff have a secure knowledge of safeguarding. Some staff are not able to identify the signs that a child may be at risk of harm. They also do not have sufficient understanding of how to recognise concerns that children may be vulnerable to wider safeguarding matters, such as extremist views. When staff identify potential concerns, some do not consistently follow the nursery's procedures to share this information with the relevant staff. As a result, steps are not put in place to keep these children safe.

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Due date

provide support and coaching for the manager to help them fulfil their role and responsibilities, with particular regard to making sure all children's needs are met and safeguarding procedures are implemented 18/06/2021

p.4

Due date

ensure all staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the signs that might indicate children are at risk of harm, including from wider safeguarding matters 18/06/2021

p.4

Due date

improve staff's understanding of the safeguarding procedures to ensure all concerns about children are reported appropriately and promptly 18/06/2021

p.4

Due date

ensure all children are allocated a key person and ensure staff get to know them well and plan for their individual needs 18/06/2021

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Due date

improve the quality of teaching to ensure children who need additional support, including those with SEND, receive the help they need so that all children make good progress in their learning 18/06/2021

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Due date

improve information sharing with parents to ensure they all receive detailed information about their children's care and learning. 18/06/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY435253 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 10126029 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 83 Number of children on roll 157 Name of registered person Busy Bees Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01752767411 Date of previous inspection 11 November 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Busy Bees Day Nursery at Plymouth registered in 2011. It is one of a chain of nurseries run by Busy Bees Nurseries Limited. The nursery is open from 7am to 6pm each weekday, all year round. The nursery employs 23 staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least level 2. Five staff hold degree level qualifications and a further two hold early years professional status. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors Sarah Madge Michelle Heimsoth

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n This inspection was carried out following the risk assessment process to look in to concerns that were raised to Ofsted about the nursery. n The inspectors viewed the premises and considered staffing arrangements. n The new manager and inspectors carried out a learning walk together to discuss what they want the children to learn. n Children spoke to the inspectors about their experiences at the nursery and their parents also provided feedback. n The inspectors carried out joint observations with the manager to consider the quality of teaching and learning. n A meeting was held between the inspectors and senior leaders, including the manager, to discuss the running of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

27 May 2021 regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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