Busy Bees Day Nursery at St Albans Hospital

Inspection of Busy Bees Day Nursery at St Albans Hospital St. Albans City Hospital, Waverley Road, ST. ALBANS, Hertfordshire AL3 5PN

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children at this nursery arrive happy and excited to be there. They wave through the window at staff waiting to greet them. Staff provide a variety of activities and experiences for the children to choose from. For example, babies smile and laugh while playing peek-a-boo in a mirror, and toddlers pour lentils from one container to another as they practise their fine motor skills in preparation for learning how to pour their own drinks. Older children develop their larger muscles as they learn to balance on the beams in an obstacle course.

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The provision is good

The provider's curriculum is well designed to support children's personal, social and emotional development. Older children work collaboratively with a variety of bricks and materials to build their ideal home. When children show disappointment that their ideas were not chosen, staff support them to regulate their emotions and talk through how they are feeling.

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The provision is good

Staff support children to have a love of books and early reading. Babies crawl onto the laps of staff to look at books. Younger children explore their favourite story while searching for the fruit and insects hidden in the sand tray. Staff encourage the children to repeat the familiar words from the story, which helps them to build their vocabulary.

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need to do better?

n The provider has a clear focus on developing children's communication and language skills. Staff encourage children to practise words that they already know as well as introducing new vocabulary. For example, while playing at an activity with props from the story of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar,' children are encouraged to identify and name 'butterfly' and 'caterpillar'. Staff then introduce the word 'chrysalis' to children, giving them the time to repeat the more complicated word. n Staff have a good understanding of what their key children already know and what they need to do next. They plan activities that they know children will enjoy. However, staff are not always clear about exactly what they want children to learn from them. This means at times children lose interest and move on to something else. n Interactions between staff and children are strong. Staff ask questions to encourage children's critical thinking. For example, older children discuss the

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need to do better?

similarities and differences between the stones they find in a treasure chest. n Staff prioritise children's physical development. Babies are encouraged to pull themselves up to reach for the bricks that are just out of reach, which encourages core strength. Toddlers are encouraged to turn the pages of a book, and older children use an obstacle course outside, which helps them learn to

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need to do better?

25 March 2025 balance. n In general, children's behaviour is good. Older children share and take turns without adult support, and younger children sit alongside each other sharing a book. However, at times, staff do not manage children's behaviour in a consistent way, so children do not always understand what is expected of them. n All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress from their starting points. Leaders are persistent in getting support for children who need it. They work well with outside agencies and other professionals. n Parents are very happy with the care their children receive at the nursery. They appreciate the settling-in process that considers both the children and the needs of the parents. They feel well informed, know what their children have been doing, what the setting wants them to be able to do and how they can support

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need to do better?

their child at home. Parents are particularly grateful for the emotional support that children are given when there have been changes to their circumstances at home. n Staff sit with children while they enjoy a freshly cooked lunch. Younger children are supported to use their cutlery successfully. Older children take responsibility for scraping their plates when they have finished and putting them away. This supports children to develop their self-help skills. n Leaders know their staff well and know what training they need to provide to strengthen the delivery of the curriculum.

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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 the staff team in strengthening the delivery of the planned curriculum so that they know exactly what they want all children to learn n support the staff team to have a clear understanding of the behaviour management strategies in place so that they are consistently implemented across the whole setting.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY422557 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10388687 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 51 Number of children on roll 63 Name of registered person Busy Bees Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01727897602 Date of previous inspection 23 July 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Busy Bees Day Nursery at St Albans registered in 2010. The nursery employs 17 staff. Of these, seven hold early years qualifications at level 3 and four hold qualifications at level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7am until 7pm, for most of the year. The nursery provides funded early education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about the aims of the curriculum and what they want children to learn. 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 spoke to members of staff during the observation. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took into account their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of the 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

25 March 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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