Busy Bees Day Nursery at St Albans Bernard Street

Inspection of Busy Bees Day Nursery at St Albans Bernard Street 52 Bernard Street, St. Albans, Hertfordshire AL3 5QN

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children arrive eagerly and receive a warm welcome when they arrive at nursery. They are confident, settle quickly and begin to explore a wide range of activities and toys. It is clear that staff have friendly and caring relationships with children and know them well. This means children are happy and secure to learn.

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The provision is good

Children become deeply engaged and have fun making lemon shortcake biscuits. Their communication and language skills are enhanced as they learn new words, such as 'grating, squeezing' and 'juicing' when mixing the ingredients. They use different physical skills as they master how to press, push down, and turn a lemon to grate and make juice. Children focus and concentrate during a sand-play activity. They take turns to count items and negotiate who will hide them in the sand. Their friends enthusiastically search for the items, counting them into a bucket and calculating how many they still must find. Younger children enjoy exploring technical toys, pressing buttons, and anticipating what might pop up next. Children of all ages enjoy being active and benefit from the well-resourced outdoor areas. They become motivated and creative learners, supported by staff to use their interests and imagination as they water paint the fencing. Children involve

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The provision is good

each other in their ideas and chatter happily.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff get to know children and families well. They gather important information from parents when children first start to attend. This helps them organise a curriculum that promotes children's individual learning from the start. Staff know the skills and knowledge they expect children to learn and develop over time. They regularly assess children's progress, which helps them to plan for what children need to learn next. Additional funding is used appropriately to provide resources that support children's progress. n Staff follow children's interests. Overall, the activities staff provide support children to develop skills in different areas of learning. However, sometimes, staff do not recognise when children loose interest and become bored with an activity. For example, younger children do not understand the connection between a storybook and the planned activity. n Children are well behaved. Staff support children's behaviour well and act as

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need to do better?

excellent role models. They speak clearly, so children understand what is expected of them. For example, they encourage children to take turns and to be patient and polite to each other. Children follow instructions and receive an abundance of praise and encouragement from staff. As a result, children display positive levels of confidence and self-esteem. n The manager supervises and supports staff effectively through regular supervision and team meetings, and observations of staff practice. Staff are able

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need to do better?

9 December 2021 to build on their knowledge and can access bespoke online training, which enhances their practice and supports children's learning. n Staff promote children's independence, well-being and healthy living. Children, including toddlers, know the daily routines and put on their coats before going to play outdoors. Staff gently remind children to wash their hands before meals and after using the toilet. Although children learn about their self-care, there are times when staff do not remind children about spreading germs, such as blowing over food that others will eat. The cook prepares well-planned, nourishing meals and snacks in line with children's dietary needs. During lunch time, children confidently cut up their food using a knife and fork. However, staff serve the food and do not consistently allow children opportunities to further develop their independence skills. n Partnerships with parents are effective. Staff use an online application and face-

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need to do better?

to-face communication to keep parents informed about children's progress and their care. Parents speak highly of the manager and staff. They comment how happy their children are. Parents value the regular information and ideas for them to help with their children's learning at home. n Children enjoy quiet times to listen to stories and develop their love of books. They are captivated as staff read familiar stories. Children gain literacy skills as they recognise and repeat familiar rhyming words, and anticipate what happens next.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a clear understanding of their safeguarding roles. They know the signs and symptoms that could mean a child is at risk of harm and understand how to report any concerns to the relevant agency in a timely manner. Staff complete regular training to update their child protection knowledge. This includes the wider safeguarding issues, such as extremism and radicalisation. Directors and area managers have a rigorous recruitment and induction process in place. This ensures safeguarding procedures and information is securely embedded in staff's knowledge from the start.

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should:

n improve the planning of adult-led activities to support and develop children's learning n enhance learning opportunities for children to consistently develop their independence skills and extend their knowledge about health and hygiene routines.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 123546 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10216712 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 61 Number of children on roll 49 Name of registered person Busy Bees Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01727 860542 Date of previous inspection 2 March 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Busy Bees Day Nursery at St Albans Bernard Street registered in 1991 and is part of a large group of nurseries managed by Busy Bees Nurseries Ltd. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, from 7.15am until 6.45pm. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n A learning walk was completed with the manager to discuss the curriculum intent and how the provision is organised. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n A joint evaluation of an activity was completed with the manager. n The evidence for staff suitability and qualifications was checked by the inspector. She looked at a range of documents including qualifications, first-aid certificates and policies. n The inspector observed interactions between staff and children during activities and assessed the impact of teaching on children's learning.

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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

9 December 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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