Honeybear House Day Nursery

Inspection of Honeybear House Day Nursery Conrad Road, Witham, Essex CM8 2SD

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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 and parents arrive at the setting and are greeted by enthusiastic staff. Children are motivated to learn and enjoy a good range of exciting experiences. Babies have fun taking part in activities that encourage them to use their senses. They laugh and babble as they explore the texture of paint with their hands and bare feet. Toddlers show curiosity as they mix red and white paint together to create the colour pink. Older children are encouraged to make choices and become independent learners. For example, they carefully choose their own resources to make a 'friendship card'. They cut, colour, stick and print to create their card and proudly write their names on the back when they have finished.

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The provision is good

Children develop close relationships with their key person and the other staff in their rooms. They are supported effectively when they reach the age or stage of development to move to the next room. Children behave well. They share the resources and readily listen and respond to staff requests. Children learn to use good manners and respect other people. For example, during circle time, they are encouraged to listen when others are speaking. Children are confident to talk to visitors and demonstrate mature language, such as 'awesome', to describe the staff.

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need to do better?

n Leadership is strong. The manager has a good overview of the curriculum and knows exactly what she wants children to learn. The curriculum is understood clearly by staff and embedded throughout the nursery. The manager works with the staff team to ensure children are provided with a range of activities that focus on their interests and next steps in learning. She monitors children's progress to help identify any possible gaps in their learning and development. n Staff know their children well. They talk in detail about what children are able to do and how they plan to help them make progress. Staff communicate with parents about their child's care routines, experiences and development. However, they do not yet consistently ensure that parents are provided with information that gives them the opportunity to further support and extend their child's learning at home. n Staff support children's communication and language skills well. They engage

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need to do better?

with children in back-and-forth conversations and encourage them to talk about their interests and experiences. Staff speak clearly and model words for children to repeat. Throughout the day, children of all ages enjoy sharing books with adults and listen attentively. n Staff take every opportunity for children to develop their early mathematics skills. Across the nursery, they support children to develop an understanding of number through regular careful counting of objects, such as the plates and

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need to do better?

15 February 2023 bowls at mealtimes. Older children count the bricks in the towers they make, and staff challenge their addition and subtraction skills by asking them to take away and add bricks. n Staff plan exciting and challenging activities. However, occasionally, despite group activities being interesting, some children do not remain fully engaged. For example, as children make dough, they take turns to write the number of cups of flour they use on a recipe card. As there are only two cards for the whole group, children have to wait a while before it is their turn and they become distracted. n The nursery cook provides healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. Independence is encouraged from a young age. Older children serve their own food and pour their own drinks, and babies and young children are encouraged to feed themselves. Staff support older children to wipe their own faces and brush their teeth after mealtimes.

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need to do better?

n The manager evaluates the provision and is committed to making improvements to raise the quality of care and learning to the highest level. She observes staff practice and provides feedback to help improve the quality of their teaching. Staff talk positively about the support they receive from the manager. n Parents speak highly of the nursery. They comment that staff are very friendly and know their children well. Parents advise that their children settle quickly, enjoy spending time at the nursery and make good progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a secure understanding of the possible signs and behaviours that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They are clear about how to refer any concerns, both within the nursery and to relevant external agencies. Staff understand how to respond to any concerns they may have about another member of staff's behaviour. Staff attend safeguarding training, including wider aspects of safeguarding, such as radicalisation. A thorough recruitment and induction procedure is in place to ensure children are cared for by staff who are suitable to do so.

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should:

n extend the good communication with parents, to provide information about how they can support and extend their child's learning at home n review the organisation of group activities to ensure the needs of all children are consistently met.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY276157 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10276584 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 56 Number of children on roll 71 Name of registered person Honeybear House Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01376 521510 Date of previous inspection 24 July 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Honeybear House Day Nursery registered in 2004. It is owned by a private company. The nursery provider employs 12 members of childcare staff, of whom 8 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery provider employs a cook and cleaner. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6.30pm, all year around. The nursery staff 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 provider 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 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 spoke to children and several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual and the manager about the

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Inspection activities

leadership and management of the setting. They provided the inspector with relevant documentation, including 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

15 February 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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