Busy Bees Pre-School

Inspection of Busy Bees Pre-School Village Hall, Main Road, Sutton at Hone, DARTFORD DA4 9HP

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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 are warmly welcomed by a friendly and nurturing staff team. They happily come straight into a well-organised and safe environment. New children are supported to say 'goodbye' and settle quickly to play. Children have many opportunities to freely explore the resources and join with their friends to play. Children have good relationships with staff. They enjoy engaging in and initiating conversations with them as they use their imagination in the role-play area.

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The provision is good

The manager works closely with the staff team to set clear learning intentions based on children's starting points and needs. Staff have clear expectations for all children and adjust the environment and activities to ensure they meet them. For example, they create small, quiet areas with resources to support children with sensory needs. They roll balls down tubes or explore activity boards, twisting and turning cogs. Children enjoy exploring different areas.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. Staff have clear expectations about behaviour and consistently support children to work together, take turns and use manners. For example, children take turns to use the binoculars when looking for birds in the garden. Staff offer constant praise and encouragement, which supports children's self-esteem. As a result, the pre-school is a happy place.

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need to do better?

n The manager reflects on the practice within the pre-school. She has a very good knowledge and understanding of the pre-school's strengths and areas for development. Currently, an area of focus is to extend children's communication and language skills further, such as by inviting parents to join story and song times alongside their children. The manager has established a strong staff team, and staff comment that they feel well supported. New staff members have fewer key children while they settle into the routines of the pre-school. n Staff are proactive in supporting children's literacy skills and love of books. They share the book 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' and support children to create a 'tea party' for the tiger. Staff read the story again while the children work together to prepare the tea party. They encourage children to talk about what sized chair the tiger would need, and they say, 'A big one; not small like mine,'

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need to do better?

and discuss how many cakes he would need. n Children are keen to explore outdoors and independently put on their coats. They make the most of being outside and talk together about what they can see and hear. For example, the children excitedly talk about the day they found frogs in the sandpit. The children explore textures using crayon rubbed on paper, adding 'it's bumpy' or 'it's rough'. Staff ensure that children have daily opportunities for physical development. For example, children walk on balancing

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need to do better?

13 January 2023 beams and jump through hoops. n Staff support children's communication and language skills well. They model language and narrate activities to extend children's understanding of language. Older children readily share their knowledge of the weather during 'hello time'. For example, they share what weather conditions are needed for a rainbow to form. However, at times, staff do not consistently encourage the younger children to participate so that their language and communication skills are fully enhanced throughout the day. n Children use mathematical language during their play and learning. For example, children enjoy building enclosures with large blocks. They talk about 'smaller' and 'bigger' croissants when serving their friends in the bakery and the length of the spider's legs. Staff count bugs with the younger children and sing number songs with them. As a result, children become confident to use mathematical

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need to do better?

language in their play. n The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a good knowledge of children and gives good support to staff to provide personalised plans for children. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. n Children know the routines well, and staff use visuals to help children successfully manage transitions. However, the organisation of routines is not always used effectively to keep children actively learning as part of the curriculum. For example, children spend a long time queueing and waiting to take turns to wash their hands for snack or to find their coats to go outside.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a secure understanding of how to keep children safe. Staff know the process to follow if they have a concern about a child, and they access regular training. Staff are vigilant and carry out regular risk assessments to keep children safe. There is a clear focus on teaching children to keep themselves safe, with gentle reminders to walk indoors. Safer recruitment and vetting processes are in place, and all staff who have access to children are suitable.

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should:

n strengthen staff support and help them understand how to encourage younger children's participation in group activities to help develop their communication and language n review the organisation of routine activities so that children are consistently engaged in meaningful learning and do not spend extended periods of time waiting.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127070 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10234132 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 35 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Marchant, Lisa Suzanne

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reference number

Telephone number 07891 282353 Date of previous inspection 27 March 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Busy Bees Pre-School registered in 1999. It is located in Dartford, in Kent. The pre- school opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am until 12.15pm. The pre-school also has a lunch club twice a week. The pre- school employs five staff. Of these, two hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 4, one holds a level 3 qualification and two hold qualifications at level 2. The pre-school provides funded nursery education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken this into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The SENCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The manager and the inspector carried out joint observations during 'hello time' and snack time. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having 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

13 January 2023 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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