Busy Bees Day Nursery at Stevenage Great Ashby

Inspection of Busy Bees Day Nursery at Stevenage Great Ashby Whitehorse Lane, Great Ashby Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 6NH

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Management and staff warmly welcome children on their arrival. Settling-in procedures are effective. This supports all children to develop a sense of belonging and enables them to quickly establish relationships with their designated key person. Staff are responsive to the children's care needs and actively support their development. For example, staff working with the younger children show them how to prepare 'food' at the pretend cooker. Children copy, become engaged in their play and eagerly proceed to prepare and serve food for their friends. Staff provide a good range of opportunities for children to practise their small muscle and coordination skills in readiness for early writing. For example, during string painting activities, staff show younger children how to use their pincer grip to hold the string before dipping it into the paint.

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The provision is good

Staff offer children daily opportunities to implement and practise the skills and knowledge they have been learning. For example, older children draw around their feet and count the number of feet, comparing this to the number of children in the room. Additionally, children further demonstrate their knowledge of size by finding smaller and larger objects. Staff support children to be active in the fresh air, making obstacle courses, which enhances children's physical skills. Younger children practise their developing climbing skills as they learn to climb the steps of the wooden bridge. They are praised for their achievements, which encourages them to persist.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, the management team has worked hard to improve staff deployment across the nursery. A revised 'Bee Curious' curriculum has also been introduced and staff have been supported by the management team to improve their teaching skills. This is having a positive impact on the learning experiences provided for the children, including the development of their speech and language skills. n Staff know the children well and ensure daily routines reflect their needs. They complete ongoing observations of the children to monitor their progress and well-being. This assists staff to understand each child's personality, interests and learning needs. Staff support the children in their chosen activities. However, on occasions, they do not give children sufficient time to think, problem solve and respond to the questions they are asked. n Children enjoy using the outdoor play areas, for example, to play organised

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need to do better?

group games. However, staff do not always ensure there are additional resources and play opportunities for children who do not want to join in the organised activities. This means that children who prefer to play and learn in an outdoor environment sometimes have limited opportunities.

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need to do better?

7 January 2025 n Staff use their knowledge of the children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to inform the use of additional funding. They offer additional resources and activities that meet children's needs and help extend their development. n Staff introduce new language to babies and younger children during games, such as 'What's in the bag?'. They encourage children to make associated animals and vehicle sounds as they play. For example, children enthusiastically 'hiss' like a snake when they reveal a hidden snake within a story book and make 'choo, choo' sounds as they move trains around the train track. n Staff use ongoing discussions and specific activities to support children to manage their feelings and emotions. For example, older children enjoy associating colours with the different emotions. They talk competently about these, using their good language skills to describe what makes them feel sad,

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need to do better?

giving perceptive examples of being sad if they do not share and take turns. n The nursery chefs provide children with healthy, freshly cooked meals and snacks. Children learn good hygiene practice, such as washing their hands before eating. They are encouraged from a young age to feed themselves with cutlery, helping to develop their independence. n Staff recognise the importance of story telling and singing songs to promote children's language and recall skills. Staff regularly read familiar stories to the children and plan a range of activities connected to the story. This supports children to use that developing language to talk about the sequence of the story, including the illustrations within the story. n Parents praise the nursery and note the good progress their children make, for example, in developing their speech and communication skills. They report that staff communicate well with them, enabling them to understand what their

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need to do better?

children have been learning and continue to build on this at home. Parents highlight how well staff help to prepare children for school and feel that the nursery is 'safe and welcoming'.

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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 support staff to consistently use their interactions with the children to promote the children's development to the highest level n offer a wider range of play and learning opportunities in the outdoor environment to support children who prefer to learn outdoors.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY239818 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10377496 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 112 Number of children on roll 111 Name of registered person Busy Bees Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01438 365692 Date of previous inspection 17 January 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Busy Bees Day Nursery at Stevenage Great Ashby registered in 2002 and is part of a national chain. The nursery employs 28 members of staff. Of these, 22 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions run from 7.30am to 6.30pm. The nursery offers funded places for childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspectors completed a learning walk across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years curriculum is organised. n The inspectors viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitabity of the premises. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation in the room for children aged two to three years. n The area support directors, divisional quality adviser, area director, centre director, staff and children engaged in discussions with the inspectors at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspectors looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working at the nursery. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

7 January 2025 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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