Busy Bees Day Nursery at York

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

The atmosphere at this nursery is calm, positive and uplifting.

Staff put children at the heart of everything that they do. They place high priority on the importance of building firm foundations for learning. They support children to form close and trusting relationships, helping to promote children's feelings of safety and security.

Staff are friendly, welcoming and nurturing as they care for children. Managers and senior staff have worked hard to make the learning environments warm, inviting and stimulating. Children can choose what they want to play with easily and are very proud to see their work displayed....

Children appear happy and settled and are motivated to learn. With reassurance and support from staff, they learn to take turns and enjoy playing alongside each other. For example, babies delight in fitting different shapes and blocks together, and laugh out loud when they come down the slide by themselves.

Staff have the highest expectations of how children behave and of what they can do and achieve. Staff are excellent role models and consistently promote good manners. This is reflected in what the children say to them and to each other.

Staff have an extremely detailed understanding of child development. This impressive knowledge runs right through the nursery and forms the basis of the wide range of high-quality activities offered to all children.

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

Children thrive at this nursery and make rapid progress.

Managers and staff put together a rich and inspirational programme of learning experiences. They skilfully take into account children's individual needs and ever-changing interests. Staff regularly watch what the children do and achieve, noting down anything that is new or challenging.

Activities are plentiful and provide children with opportunities to learn about the world around them. Older children are very excited to gaze at photographs in the 'big books' in their play areas. They happily remember when the police officers came to visit or when they planted herbs in the garden.

Staff interactions are excellent. They use exactly the right questions and talk to children consistently about what they are doing. This helps children to hear new words and to express themselves.

Staff share stories and rhymes, using different voices and facial expressions to keep children interested. Staff praise children well for their efforts. Children's behaviour is exemplary, given their age and stage of development.

Staff are deeply caring and purposeful in what they do. They think carefully about the nursery's routines and work well with parents, before their children even start at the nursery. As a result, children settle in exceptionally well.

Managers have a firm vision for the nursery, where each child can reach their full potential. They are proactive, committed and work well together as a team. The key-person system is well established.

Staff regularly share with managers the excellent progress children are making. Staff are enthusiastic and highly dedicated, always putting children first.Partnerships with parents are professional and very effective.

Staff regularly share with parents what their children do and how they are progressing. Parents contribute to their children's learning by filling in 'wow' moments for things that their children do for the first time at home. Parents comment very favourably about the nursery and staff, feeding back through discussion and questionnaires.

They say how their children enjoyed learning about space rockets and watching film clips of real-life rocket launches.Managers actively promote opportunities for staff to further develop their already secure skills. They discuss the newly gained knowledge at regular support meetings.

Staff expertly apply what they have learned to their everyday practice. This means that children get the best teaching and support available, to help them to develop and progress even further.Children eat healthy and nutritious, home-cooked food.

Staff skilfully use mealtimes as learning opportunities, as well as a social occasion. For example, children describe broccoli as 'little trees'. Staff are acutely aware of when children need a cuddle, rest or sleep.

Children's physical and emotional needs are extremely well met. Staff work well with other professionals to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This ensures that they continue to get the highest level of support.

Staff value the importance of outdoor play, where children regularly become absorbed in their play. For example, they enjoy the freedom and independence of being able to run around or step along carefully placed wooden planks, as part of a game. Children learn to take risks in a safe environment and are becoming confident learners.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers ensure that the staff's safeguarding training is up to date and know why it is important to protect children from extreme views and behaviours. Staff have a very secure knowledge of safeguarding procedures and fully understand what to do if they have a concern about a child's welfare, another member of staff or the manager.

The play environments, both inside and outside, are securely maintained. Staff pay very careful attention to any potential dangers while the children are playing, and during activities and routines. This enables children to be consistently kept safe from harm.