Bees Knees Day Nursery and Pre-School

Inspection of Bees Knees Day Nursery and Pre-School 97 Connaught Road, Reading, Berkshire RG30 2UE

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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 Good

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The provision is inadequate

Weaknesses in safeguarding have a negative impact on children's health and safety. Children are sometimes not supervised adequately, especially when eating. This does not promote their health and well-being or keep them safe. The key- person approach is ineffective. It fails to meet the needs of all children. This includes new children and those who may need additional support. For example, some staff lack awareness of their key children's learning needs and so do not know how to support them. In addition, newer babies do not have their key person working in the room with them. This does not enable babies to build close secure relationships with their key person. As a result, babies do not receive consistent comfort and support to help them settle.

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The provision is inadequate

Children have a range of toys and resources available to them. Some staff in the older children's rooms rotate these to support their interests. However, the quality of teaching is poor. Some staff just sit with the children and do not engage or support them in play and learning. Many activities they provide lack purpose and fail to engage children. This results in children wandering around bored with little to do. Despite these weaknesses, some children benefit from appropriate support. For example, babies are provided with opportunities to develop new physical skills, such as standing on blocks to watch the building work outside. Children show that they are at ease in the nursery. Older children separate from their parents and confidently go into their room. Younger children drift peacefully to sleep at their rest times. Overall, children behave well, share, and take turns.

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need to do better?

n Breaches to the safeguarding requirements compromise children's safety and welfare. Staff do not supervise children effectively at mealtimes. Children of all ages are left unsupervised while they eat their snack or main meals. Due to this, staff fail to notice children pouring their leftover snack back into the sharing bowl for others to eat. Furthermore, babies are given food that is not appropriately cut up. This puts them at risk of potential choking incidents. This compromises the children's health, well-being, and safety. n All children are assigned a key person. However, children's key persons are not working in the rooms where they are based. This means the key person is unable to provide stability and security. Furthermore, some key persons do not know and understand their key children's development and learning needs. This means that some children's learning is not as securely supported as others.

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need to do better?

n Overall, children demonstrate appropriate behaviour towards each other. Staff generally know the aim behind an activity and can link this to the curriculum intent. They provide children with some activities that interest them. For instance, older children explore with sand and dough and babies and younger

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need to do better?

12 July 2023 children enjoy sensory experiences with paint. However, the quality of teaching is not inspiring to engage all children and keep them motivated. Some staff fail to engage with children to support their learning. This results in older children wandering from one activity to another with no purpose. n Not all staff support children's developing communication skills well. Although some interact and communicate with the children accordingly, this is not consistent to build on what they already know. Additionally, some staff sit with the children and offer no interaction at all. Other staff ignore and dismiss the answers children give to the questions asked during group times. Additionally, staff do not do enough to build on children's vocabulary. For instance, they repeat phases and words children say but do not introduce new language. This does not extend children's knowledge and understanding or widen their

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need to do better?

vocabulary. n Parents comment that they are satisfied with the care provided and that their children are happy to attend. Relationships with local schools are positive and support children's transition to full-time education. n Overall, staff comment that they feel well supported. The recently appointed manager has put supervision and appraisal systems in place. However, these are in their infancy and are not yet identifying and tackling the weaknesses in the quality of teaching and staff's practice. As a result, staff are not developing their skills and practice to provide a good quality of care and learning to children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Weaknesses in staff's supervision of children compromise their welfare, particularly when children are eating. Despite this, staff are aware of the possible signs and symptoms that might indicate a child is at risk of abuse. Additionally, staff know the procedures to take if they are concerned about the welfare of a child or a colleague's conduct. The management team have effective recruitment procedures to check the suitability of staff working with children. The manager ensures that the required adult to child ratios, including qualifications are in place. The management team review accident and incident records. This helps to identify and address potential hazards in the environment, furnishings, or activities.

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Due date

12 July 2023 ensure staff are deployed effectively, particularly at mealtimes, to minimise risks and hazards to children's health and well-being, and keep them safe 14/08/2023

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Due date

strengthen the arrangements for the key-person approach to ensure that children's care needs are met, and that learning is tailored to meet their individual needs 14/08/2023

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Due date

provide staff with effective supervision and coaching to ensure they can fulfil their roles and responsibilities, particularly in regards to engaging with children and supporting their communication and language skills 14/08/2023

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Due date

implement an ambitious education programme that inspires, challenges and fully supports children in their individual learning. 14/08/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY260405 Local authority Reading Inspection number 10300829 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 41 Number of children on roll 41 Name of registered person Kingsclere Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01189 590364 Date of previous inspection 10 January 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Bees Knees Day Nursery and Pre-School registered in 2010. It is one of a number of nurseries owned by Kingsclere Nurseries Limited and is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 14 members of staff working with the children. Of these, 10 staff hold early years qualifications.

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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 inspection was carried out following the risk assessment process. n The manager explained the nursery curriculum during a learning walk with the inspector. n The manager and the inspector completed a joint observation of an activity together and discussed the quality of teaching and learning afterwards. n Children spoke to the inspector about the activities they took part in. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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 July 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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