Busy Bears (Durham) Ltd

Inspection of Busy Bears (Durham) Ltd Field View, Bearpark, DURHAM DH7 7AA

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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 thrive in this high-quality nursery. Leaders plan and create a bespoke curriculum for children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have a secure understanding of children's development from the baby room through to the older pre-school room. This helps them support each child to learn key skills to help them be ready for school.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy a wide range of experiences that they are keen to take part in. Babies are eager to explore the exciting range of wooden and metallic play materials. Toddlers rapidly develop confidence to pour their own drinks and dress themselves as they prepare for toilet training. Older children are highly motivated in their play. For example, they persevere to use scissors to cut sticky tape to make a paper boat.

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The provision is good

Children are very well behaved and learn good manners. Staff are lovely role models and take every opportunity to praise children's positive behaviour. Children learn to share, take turns and to help others. For instance, when younger children fight over bean bags in an outdoor target game, older children collect the bean bags for staff as they talk to the children about taking turns and understanding other's feelings. Staff help children learn about differences and how to respect and care for one another and their environment.

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need to do better?

n Staff support children's communication and language skills well. For example, they adapt the organisation of group times when younger children are present. Staff support children's growing vocabulary through stimulating storytelling, along with many songs and rhymes. They introduce unfamiliar words to support their emerging language, checking that they understand the meaning of the word. n The caring staff use very effective settling-in procedures to help children and babies feel safe and secure. Babies are treated with loving care and warmth and are given all the reassurance they need to explore and learn. As children move up through the rooms, transition documents and information shared between parents and new key workers mean children settle very quickly and their individual needs are met. Children's emotional well-being is managed sensitively. Staff work with new teachers and parents when children move on to school.

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need to do better?

n Partnerships with parents and other professionals are very effective. For example, staff quickly identify when children may need additional support. They work closely with parents and other agencies to put in place interventions to help children. Children who receive extra funding make good progress from their unique starting points. For instance, they benefit from 'Mighty Monster' classes,

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need to do better?

25 July 2024 a multi-sports activity programme to help build physical development. n Parents confirm they can see their child's development progressing very well through an app, where they exchange photos and updates on how children have been. Parents appreciate the 'home bags' and ideas for supporting their children's learning at home. They comment they feel the management and staff are friendly, caring and very sensitive to the whole family's needs. n Leaders are committed to ensuring children receive the best care and learning and maintain all documentation highly effectively. They are proactive in making adjustments to the very effective risk assessments, as necessary to ensure all children's safety and well-being. n All staff are vigilant in ensuring high levels of cleanliness and hygiene are maintained in the nursery. Policies and procedures to ensure children's individual health needs, including the management of allergies and medications are robust.

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need to do better?

However, not all staff consistently use their commentary and discussions to support children to learn about healthy lifestyles and how to make good food and drink choices. n Leaders use precise and well-targeted plans for the ongoing development of the nursery. These are identified with the managers and staff working with all age groups, particularly in relation to extending the outdoor play opportunities they provide for children. Additionally, recent staff training to boost language, listening skills and talking is being undertaken to benefit all children's communications skills. n Managers recognise that on occasions, some staff interactions have less successful engagement with children to build on what they already know, in particular to think and solve problems. This means staff do not consistently extend children's learning fully and children are not always suitably challenged to help them make even better progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n maximise learning opportunities throughout routines, to provide children with consistent messages about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, including how to have a healthy diet n improve staff skills to consider the individual needs and development of each child to bring more challenging and enjoyable experiences to extend the learning of each child, in particular for problem-solving and mathematical development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY548339 Local authority Durham Inspection number 10358483 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 172 Number of children on roll 193 Name of registered person Busy Bears (Durham) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01913735500 Date of previous inspection 25 September 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Busy Bears (Durham) Ltd registered in 2017. The nursery employs 52 members of childcare staff. Of these, 34 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including six with early years professional status or early years teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. 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 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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request, including medication, allergy and accidents records and policies and procedures. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to/communicated with the inspector during the inspection. 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.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out joint observations of group and routine activities with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. She considered parents' written feedback. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff. The inspector viewed and discussed the complaint record.

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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

25 July 2024 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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