Busy Bees Day Nursery at Stevenage Great Ashby

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The quality of interactions between staff and children is inconsistent. Staff do not always deploy themselves well throughout the day to meet all children's learning needs.

As a result, babies and children do not always engage in meaningful play. For example, while staff are changing nappies or preparing lunch, younger children sometimes wander about as they wait for longer than is necessary.Nevertheless, staff are caring towards the children.

When babies and young children struggle to settle, staff speak soothingly and offer comfort to them. Staff spend time with their key children to build secure bonds with them. Childr...en across the nursery demonstrate strong levels of independence.

Staff support this by encouraging children to complete age-appropriate tasks. They encourage toddlers to use dustpans and brushes to sweep up spilled sand. Staff in the pre-school room encourage children to pour drinks at mealtimes and put on their own coats and shoes before playing in the garden.

This helps children develop some skills for their next stage of learning. Children experiment with movement in the garden. They run, jump, crawl and slide using a variety of equipment.

This helps build their core strength and control.Overall, children understand what is generally expected of them and behave well. Younger children follow the routines, and older children know how to use equipment appropriately.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

While managers regularly reflect on and accurately evaluate the care the nursery provides, they have not sufficiently tackled all areas of identified weakness. Although there are processes in place to develop the quality of staff teaching and general interactions with the children, they have not yet had an impact due to recent changes in the staff team. This means children's access to high-quality learning opportunities is not consistent across all areas of the nursery.

While a recent allegation was dealt with in line with the provider's local safeguarding procedures, managers did not ensure this was notified to Ofsted. This is a breach of requirements.Communication between staff and families is generally effective.

Staff work hard to gather information about children's early experiences. They use this knowledge to plan some activities based on children's interests and learning needs. However, some planned activities are not executed well.

For example, children in the pre-school room are left to play for extended periods with little interaction from staff.Children are sociable. Young babies babble and giggle at each other as they crawl around.

Older children play together for much of the day. However, the inconsistent input from staff means they do not hear a range of words and conversation. This does not fully support their language development.

Transitions are a stronger element of the nursery. Staff help children become familiar with their new environment before they move rooms permanently. Key staff work together and share information about individual children.

This enables children to settle swiftly and supports their emotional well-being. Additionally, parents feel included in this process, as staff keep them up to date with the changes.Staff work well with other professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

They implement individualised plans that external professionals advise. Children's progress is regularly reviewed with parents to help make sure these children are moving forwards in their development.Some staff read books to children with expression and rhythm.

Older children listen and answer questions, and younger children handle books suitably when looking at them. This helps to develop a love of reading.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure staff deployment meets the needs of children throughout the day 29/02/2024 improve teaching skills to ensure children receive a consistent, good-quality educational experience and that good-quality planned activities are implemented.26/04/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help staff give babies and children a language-rich experience to build on their communication skills.

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