Busy Bees at West Byfleet

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time in a friendly and welcoming environment. They are treated with warmth, kindness and respect by staff who listen to them and value what they have to say.

Children show they feel safe and secure as they happily leave their parents at the door and settle quickly when they arrive. They are keen to engage in a range of interesting activities that staff carefully plan based on their sound knowledge of children's individual needs and interests. For example, older children concentrate as they practise early writing skills in readiness for school.

They busily search for and use different res...ources such as cotton buds and sticks to write the letters of their name in flour.Children relish spending time in the garden area. Staff provide children of all ages with ample opportunity for fresh air and exercise.

Babies develop important physical skills to aid their progress towards walking. They focus intently as they use their strength to try to pull themselves up onto age-appropriate climbing frames. They giggle with delight as staff support them down the slide.

Younger children are able to socialise with their older peers and siblings as they play outdoors. Older children have fun as they race each other on tricycles up and over a bridge, and around a track. All of this takes place under the close supervision of staff.

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

Leaders have high ambitions for the quality of care and education they wish to provide. They regularly seek feedback from parents. The recently appointed manager implements focused ongoing plans for improvement.

She seeks the views of staff and encourages them to contribute to and lead on proposed changes. Action plans are reviewed regularly.Staff know the children in their care well and monitor their development regularly.

They use this information to plan a well-sequenced curriculum to help children move on to the next stage in their learning. However, on occasion, staff do not consistently focus their teaching to make sure that children benefit as highly as possible from the intended learning. Nonetheless, all children make good progress.

Behaviour is good overall. There is a strong focus on helping children of all ages to understand and manage their feelings and behaviours. Staff act as positive role models and gently remind younger children of expectations for behaviour.

Consequently, children learn the importance of sharing and being kind to their friends from a young age.Children demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning. Older children show high levels of concentration as they draw pictures related to their home lives.

Toddlers enthusiastically share their knowledge of what the different emergency workers do to help people as they recognise their uniforms on picture cards.Babies focus intently as they explore the different textures of lavender-scented dough compared to sprigs of lavender. However, on occasion, such as transition times, staff do not consider ways in which younger children can sustain higher levels of concentration and focus.

As a result, children are not consistently engaged in meaningful learning.Partnerships with parents are positive. The manager works hard to build strong links with parents since being in post.

She provides useful information to advise parents about services in the local area and ways in which they can support their child's learning at home. Staff take the time to provide detailed, personalised feedback to parents about the care and activities provided to their children during the day.Staff feel well supported.

They have regular opportunities to meet with their manager on a one-to-one basis. They receive positive and constructive feedback about their interactions with children and action points to work on to enhance practice. Leaders place a priority on supporting staff well-being.

Children of all ages relish listening to and reading stories with adults. Books are readily available to children both indoors and outdoors. Babies learn the names of different animals as they lift the flaps in picture books.

They eagerly search for the animals in the pictures hidden in tissue paper in a box. This helps to support their growing speech development.Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their independence skills from a young age.

For example, they know to go to the 'independence stations' in their rooms to wipe their own noses. They pour their own water and know the importance of keeping themselves hydrated. They enthusiastically help to clean up after lunch.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders check staff knowledge and understanding of safeguarding on a regular basis. Staff are clear in their understanding of the signs which could indicate a child is at risk of harm.

This includes possible behaviours of adults who work at the setting which could pose a risk to children. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the process they must follow if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. This includes what they must do if the designated safeguarding leads do not take the right course of action.

The premises are safe and secure. Strict head counts are adhered to when children move to and from the garden area and children are closely supervised.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff support and help staff to understand how to deliver intended learning more effectively for all children nextend opportunities for younger children to be engaged in activities that sustain their concentration and focus so that they are consistently engaged in meaningful learning.