Busy Bees at West Byfleet

Inspection of Busy Bees at West Byfleet West Hall, Parvis Road, WEST BYFLEET, Surrey KT14 6EY

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Overall, staff provide a warm, safe and friendly environment for children. Although there has been recent changes in staffing and management, leaders have a clear vision of what they want children to achieve and learn. Staff plan and deliver activities based on children's interests. However, teaching is variable, and not all staff implement the curriculum seamlessly for all children to make the best possible progress. Furthermore, the key person arrangements are weaker in the baby rooms and, at times, staff interactions are not good enough. This means some babies are unsettled and not supported by staff who know them well. However, staff remain kind and nurturing, offering cuddles and reassurance to children where required. Experienced staff are positive role models of the behaviours they expect from children. Older children are kind to their friends, and staff support them to share the toys and resources.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff supervise children as they explore the different activities available to them and ask children questions about what they are doing. However, inconsistencies in staff interactions and teaching have an impact on the progress children make. Overall, children are confident to explore, and staff provide interesting activities, which encourage most children to investigate a range of materials. During inspection, children were observed enjoying sand and different sensory play. Staff support children's self-esteem and their independence effectively through positive praise.

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need to do better?

n The quality of education is variable. Leaders are ambitious and recognise some areas of staff practice that need to be embedded. Some staff do not always engage with all children well enough. This does not support the children's learning, development or progress at a good level. However, those staff working regularly in the toddler and pre-school rooms demonstrate understanding of what their key children need to learn next and meet children's care and learning needs more effectively. n Staff deployment and the key-person arrangements in the baby unit are not fully effective. While each child has an assigned key person, they do not consistently spend time with them. Some staff often move between rooms to meet ratio requirements. In some cases, staff are not given information on how to tailor the care to meet the children's individual needs. As a result, strong relationships have not been established and staff interactions are not good enough to meet

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need to do better?

the babies' needs, which can be unsettling. n Overall, staff show an appropriate understanding of the curriculum, and they support children's communication and language development. They teach children new vocabulary as they learn about different animals, minibeasts,

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need to do better?

29 September 2025 vehicles and patterns. Staff narrate children's play and generally talk to them during activities. However, staff do not consider different questioning techniques to extend children's language, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. n Staff support children in becoming independent and managing some aspects of their self-care, such as pouring drinks, feeding themselves and putting on their coats. Older children learn to scoop and serve their food from a shared tray to their individual plates. They use the toilet and dress themselves independently and help scrape their leftover food into the bowl after lunch. This helps older children in preparation for their future skills, such as school. n Staff support children's good health and hygiene well. Children enjoy being outdoors in the garden. There are a range of opportunities for children to practise climbing, balancing and moving in different ways. Children develop their

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need to do better?

physical skills as they run, ride tricycles and use large play equipment in their risky play. They benefit from nutritious and balanced meals and snacks throughout the day. Children enjoy mealtimes as a social occasion, and older children engage in some lovely conversations with their friends. n Leaders and the staff team share appropriate information with parents through updates, discussions, photos and newsletters. This helps to reassure parents and support children's learning at home. Partnerships with other professionals involved in children's care and education are positive. n Staff comment that they feel well supported in their work and they have had induction, probation and supervision sessions, where relevant to their role. Staff gather relevant information from parents when children first start. Staff are attentive to identify and make appropriate adjustments for children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They follow support

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need to do better?

plans and use resources effectively to ensure activities are inclusive for all children.

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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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Due date

29 September 2025 improve staffing arrangements to provide consistently good interactions that engage younger children successfully and meet the needs of the babies 17/10/2025

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Due date

improve the key-person arrangements to ensure the emotional needs of babies are always fully met 17/10/2025

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Due date

improve staff's understanding of supporting all children, including effective modelling of language and questioning techniques, to further extend children's thinking and problem- solving skills. 17/10/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY460544 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10420992 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 72 Number of children on roll 91 Name of registered person Busy Bees Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01932 347061 Date of previous inspection 7 March 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Busy Bees at West Byfleet registered in 2013. It is open each weekday from 7.45am to 6.15pm, for 52 weeks of the year. The nursery provides government funded early education to eligible children between the ages of nine months and four years. The nursery employs 15 staff, 9 of whom hold qualifications at level 2 or above.

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Inspection activities

n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment process, following information we received about the provider. n The inspector assessed how well leaders and staff understand and implement the setting's policies, and how they support children's learning. n The inspector observed activities in the four main base rooms and garden. She talked to staff about the progress individual children are making and what they want the children to learn. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children. n The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including the arrangements for paediatric first-aid training. The inspector had a discussion with leaders about the evaluation of the setting and plans for improvement.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke to parents and children 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

29 September 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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