Busy Bees Day Nursery at Weymouth

Busy Bees Day Nursery at Weymouth

Unique reference number (URN): EY435250 Address: 1 Cumberland Drive, Granby Industrial Estate, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9TT Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 12/08/2011 Registers: EYR Registered person: Busy Bees Nurseries Limited

p.1

Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

p.1

Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their starting points and develop the foundational knowledge they need for their next stage of learning. However, inconsistencies in teaching mean they do not always make maximum progress. Children grow in confidence when communicating, as they share their needs and feelings with familiar adults. Babies have positive bonds with staff and express their needs clearly to them, for example as they ask for more food at lunchtime.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children build their independence through purposeful actions, such as pouring their own water from a jug and sweeping the floor to clear sand. These skills help them prepare for their next stage of learning. Children develop their language skills as they participate in singing familiar songs and join in with repeated phrases. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to learning make clear gains, such as moving from single words to speaking in short sentences.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders establish an inclusive culture where staff identify and assess children's individual needs promptly. Staff recognise emerging concerns as they notice changes in behaviour and home circumstances. They work closely with families to agree early support. Leaders address barriers to learning, such as low attendance, swiftly. They target individual support effectively, review children's needs regularly and adjust support appropriately.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Staff understand the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those known to social care. They adapt their interactions with these children and the environment to help them participate confidently alongside their peers. For example, staff adapt their language to encourage children with additional needs to join in with farm animal play with others. Leaders work in close partnership with external professionals. This ensures that disadvantaged children receive timely and targeted support.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use additional funding thoughtfully to reduce disadvantage. For example, extra adult support enables children to move freely and settle more confidently, which improves their engagement and wellbeing. They monitor the impact of this funding carefully.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders with specific responsibility for SEND receive relevant training to strengthen their understanding of inclusive practice. They maintain ongoing communication with families so that support remains consistent between home and the setting.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Staff teach children rules, such as lining up to go outdoors, but they do not manage these well enough to support children's wellbeing or learning. Children often wait for long periods while staff attend to individual needs or tidy up. During these times, staff supervise less effectively, and children engage in unsafe or unhygienic behaviours, such as drinking dirty water. These delays also reduce valuable learning time.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders establish positive expectations for behaviour, and many children form warm, trusting relationships with staff. Children seek them out for comfort. Staff teach children how to share and take turns, and children collaborate successfully during play. For example, children engage in role play together in the home corner, taking telephone calls. Babies show growing kindness for each other in their play, such as by passing toys to peers. However, staff do not apply expectations consistently. While staff address some incidents of poor behaviour promptly, they overlook others because gaps in supervision prevent them from noticing these incidents. This inconsistency limits children's ability to learn how to manage their actions.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders promote the importance of attendance and punctuality, and they support families to maintain regular routines. In group activities, staff do not consistently help children sustain attention, which reduces their developing focus and engagement.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Although staff generally keep children safe, they do not always follow safer eating procedures. Staff do not clean tables thoroughly before food is served, and weak supervision means children mix foods, spit food onto the table and pick up food handled by others. This exposes children to unnecessary risks, including from allergens and choking.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Most children, including those who face barriers to learning, form trusting relationships with key staff. However, some children take a long time to settle, and staff do not always use effective strategies to reassure them. Staff promote positive messages about healthy choices. Children learn about nutritious and less-nutritious foods through play. For example, staff ask children to provide a puppet monkey with healthy foods. Staff work closely with parents to tailor weaning routines and review these regularly. Leaders prioritise dental hygiene and share resources for home.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Children learn to describe their feelings as they relate them to coloured soft toys. This helps them to recognise and label their emotions. Staff handle nappy changing sensitively, using eye contact and conversation to build secure attachments. Staff work closely with families to support sleep routines. They play calming music and provide attentive support to help them to settle. As a result, children sleep well at the setting.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders set out a curriculum that covers all areas of learning. However, the quality of teaching and implementation of this curriculum are inconsistent. Weaknesses in practice are not identified quickly enough. Staff use assessment to identify children's needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or facing other barriers. However, they do not consistently adapt teaching for those children without additional needs. This means that learning is often incidental rather than intentional. For example, in pre-school, staff do not consistently use skilled reading or questioning to engage children with books. As a result, some children disengage during story times and do not benefit from the intended learning.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Staff plan mathematical learning across the curriculum, yet they do not reliably build on what children know. They sometimes introduce tasks that are too difficult. This limits children's understanding and leads to overly directed interactions.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Staff provide broad opportunities and activities every day. They prioritise physical development, particularly for babies who regularly use soft-play equipment. Children spend time outdoors in all weathers, but staff do not always use these opportunities purposefully to extend learning. Staff support babies' personal, social and emotional development appropriately, and most babies form secure attachments. Staff talk to children about their emotions and help them to identify their feelings.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Although leaders identify where staff practice is ineffective, they have not acted quickly enough to address these weaknesses. As a result, poor supervision leads to some unsafe practices during mealtimes and places children at risk. Staff often prioritise domestic tasks over engaging with the children, and unwanted behaviour is overlooked. This means that they do not always meet children's needs. Staff access training and development, but these opportunities have not yet resulted in consistent practice. Staff sometimes interact passively and miss opportunities to extend children's learning. This means that professional learning is not having the intended impact.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders benefit from support from the wider organisation, and both they and staff speak positively about the guidance they receive. Leaders have an emerging understanding of the setting's strengths and weaknesses. Their evaluations during the inspection aligned with identified concerns. For example, leaders recognise that transitions are not working well and begin to consider how to improve them.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders make decisions with children's best interests in mind, especially those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They plan supervision sessions to support staff wellbeing and ensure that their workloads are manageable. Staff find these sessions useful.

p.4

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Inconsistent supervision affects children's day-to-day experience. Staff often focus on tidying and organising resources rather than interacting with children. As a result, they do not always supervise children well and they sometimes miss minor accidents. This reduces how secure children feel and limits opportunities for them to learn and thrive through high-quality interactions. Staff do not consistently provide the high-quality care, learning and sense of belonging that children need to flourish.

p.5

What it's like to be a child at this setting

That being said, children enjoy many aspects of their day at this setting. They regularly sing songs, explore books and share stories with adults. For example, one child passes a book to an adult to read to them, while they 'read' to a toy baby. This shows their growing enjoyment of early reading. Children benefit from a spacious outdoor area where they can move freely, run and explore equipment suited to their age and stage. Staff plan activities thoughtfully and adapt resources so that toddlers and older children can explore in ways that match their developing skills. For example, staff provide large scoops for toddlers and pipettes for pre-school children during water play.

p.5

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Most children form warm, trusting relationships with their key person. Babies share joyful moments with staff, such as knocking down blocks in sand together, and staff respond with enthusiasm and eye contact. Staff engage children in conversation, although staff do not always use questioning or language purposefully enough to deepen learning.

p.5

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Staff support children sensitively when they move between rooms or prepare for school. This includes children who face barriers, disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders work closely with local schools to tailor transition visits so that children feel confident and ready for their next steps.

p.5

Next steps

The provider is not meeting the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action.

p.5

Next steps

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to have taken the following actions by the assigned date:

p.5

Address:

1 Cumberland Drive Granby Industrial Estate Weymouth Dorset DT4 9TT

p.6

Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.6

Address:

Registered person: Busy Bees Nurseries Limited

p.6

ensure that staff follow safer eating procedures and always have

children within sight and hearing whilst eating. 28/01/2026

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, staff, parents and children during the inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

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. Register(s): EYR

p.6

About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.7

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.7

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.8

Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.8

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8