Busy Bees Aspsley

Inspection of Busy Bees Aspsley Two Waters Methodist Church, Mill Street, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, Hertfordshire HP3 9RG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Overall, the quality of teaching requires improvement. The interactions between staff and children are variable. Staff play with babies and children, but they do not promote children's communication and language skills well enough to help children make good progress.

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The provision requires improvement

Children arrive happy and excited for their day to begin. They are met at the door by warm and welcoming staff, which supports children to feel safe and secure. Children quickly settle into the daily routine. Babies snuggle with staff and older children know where to put their belongings. They have fun in the pre-school room as they explore a wide range of activities and toys. Children play with a range of resources at this attractive, welcoming nursery. Older children balance on beams and babies pull themselves to standing to develop their core muscle strength. Babies and children look at books. Babies crawl into cosy corners and handle the books with care. Older children listen as staff join in and read the stories. This helps children to develop a love of reading.

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The provision requires improvement

Children's behaviour is good. Staff promote children's independence skills as they encourage children to take off their own coats and bags and hang these on their pegs. Children learn to recognise and talk about their emotions, and how this makes them feel. For example, they describe the changing emotions of the 'Colour Monster' and use new words to express their own feelings.

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need to do better?

n The leadership team has an accurate evaluation of the nursery's strengths and areas for development. The recent changes in staffing mean that less- experienced staff have not benefited from embedding practice. There are a range of learning opportunities for staff to undertake. However, there is not yet a sharp focus on the interactions between staff and children to help progress children's learning. n Staff do not plan activities well enough to engage children in purposeful learning. They have an overall awareness of children's interests and provide a range of activities that children enjoy participating in. Staff begin activities but the children quickly lose interest. Sometimes, routine parts of the day become chaotic because staff do not engage all children well enough to move to the next task, such as preparing for lunch. In addition, staff do not always provide sufficient resources for children to successfully complete the planned activity,

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need to do better?

such as having paper for painting on. n The quality of staff interaction with children is inconsistent. Some staff do not have a good knowledge of how to engage children and challenge and extend their learning. At times, staff do not ask questions to involve children, make

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need to do better?

12 January 2022 them think or allow them to express their own thoughts. For example, during story time, staff do not always provide opportunities for children to become more involved in the story. Consequently, children become bored and fidgety. n Staff do not take opportunities to promote children's communication and language skills well enough. Staff sit with babies but do not help them to hear a range of words while they play. Staff ask older children mundane questions that they know the answers to, without extending their vocabulary further. n Children use the resources appropriately and sometimes experiment with their uses. Babies concentrate as they successfully put lids back on chunky felt-tip pens. Older children discover that they can use water to make outdoor building blocks stick together. n Children dance to music and songs. Staff sing familiar nursery rhymes with toddlers. Older children swirl ribbons and pom-poms, moving the whole of their

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need to do better?

bodies creatively. n Children are learning what contributes to a healthy lifestyle. They eat freshly cooked, nutritious meals. Staff talk to older children about why they wash their hands. Outdoors, toddlers run about in the fresh air to exercise. n Parents are happy and satisfied with the care their children receive. They receive regular information about their child from staff face to face and through the online system. They talk about how quickly their children have settled with the caring staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are knowledgeable about the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. They understand the company procedures to report concerns and if that fails, they know how to report to local agencies to help keep children safe. Leaders take all concerns seriously. They notify the relevant agencies, when required, to ensure the correct procedures are followed. Staff receive regular refresher training about a range of child protection issues to help them maintain awareness of current issues.

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Due date

target staff development more sharply to develop high-quality interactions between staff and children during play 25/03/2022

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Due date

help staff to plan challenging experiences to meet children's individual learning needs and make good progress 25/03/2022

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Due date

12 January 2022 ensure that staff give children a language-rich experience to build on their communication skills and vocabulary. 25/03/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY364529 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10219456 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 88 Number of children on roll 98 Name of registered person Busy Bees Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01442266119 Date of previous inspection 18 April 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Busy Bees Apsley registered in 2017. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, six members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3. The nursery opens from 7.30am to 6.15pm all year round, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays. The nursery 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 nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors observed the quality of education being provided indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager carried out a joint observation of a planned activity with each of the inspectors. n The inspectors spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The operations director, area manager and manager held a meeting with the

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Inspection activities

inspectors. This included a review of relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff working in 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

12 January 2022 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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