Barts Busy Bees

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children relish their time in this delightful, inspiring environment. The nursery is a hive of learning, where children engage in a wealth of rich and exciting activities and experiences.

Children develop a strong sense of belonging, develop high levels of independence and 'can-do' attitudes. For example, when they arrive, they hang their coats and belongings on their designated peg. They confidently retrieve their packed lunches from their bags at lunchtime. Children develop a secure knowledge of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. For example, they confidently explain that 'teeth go bad, if you leave the germs on them'. Children learn the importance of good hygiene practices. They independently use the 'nose-blowing station', placing used tissues in the bin and washing their hands afterwards.

Children are polite and respectful to staff, visitors and their friends. They are exceptionally kind to each other. For example, a child pats another child's back when they cough and asks, 'are you ok?'

Children's understanding of mathematics is superbly promoted by staff at every opportunity. Children use language of size as they play, they learn to count and recognise numbers. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those learning English as an additional language, make rapid progress in their learning from their starting points.

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

• The manager and staff have devised a highly inspirational and well-sequenced curriculum, which covers all areas of learning, spikes children's curiosity and is meticulously matched to children's learning needs and interests.
• The manager's meticulous monitoring of children's progress helps her to identify gaps in children's learning and development. She ensures rapid intervention when children need extra help and provides effective small-group sessions, one- to-one support and works closely with outside agencies when necessary. The manager ensures that any additional government funding received is used to help to address any gaps in children's learning.
• The manager monitors staff performance through regular supervision, peer reviews and appraisals, to support them to reflect on their practice and to identify further professional development needs. This results in a highly motivated and enthusiastic team who are extremely knowledgeable about their role.
• The manager and staff undertake extensive self-evaluation. They constantly review the environment and children's engagement. They make changes where necessary so that the environment is always meticulously matched to children's learning needs and interests. The provider has added a superb new learning area outdoors, to support children who prefer to learn outdoors.
• Staff reinforce their expectations of children's behaviour exceptionally well. They sing a song when it is tidy-up time and children respond positively. Children demonstrate exemplary behaviour. They are respectful and polite.
• The kind and nurturing staff constantly strive to ensure they meet children's needs at all times. Children enjoy tremendously warm and positive relationships with them. For instance, they run to staff for impromptu hugs as they move between activities.
• Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the 'brilliant staff' and say 'I don't know what I would have done without them'. Parents talk about the excellent progress their children make, particularly with their language skills and confidence. They say support for children with SEND is a 'real strength of the nursery'.
• The staff team boast an incredible knowledge of child development and the skills children need for future learning. For example, staff are aware that children need to develop their small-muscle skills, language, memory and concentration before they develop the ability to write effectively. Staff include extensive opportunities for children to develop these skills. For example, older children independently make dough with confidence. They follow the recipe in the form of a sequence of photos, provided by the staff. Children manipulate the dough, using their fingers and different tools as they push, squash, squeeze and shape it.
• The quality of teaching is outstanding. Staff plan for children's precise learning needs and interests. Their interactions ignite children's thirst for learning. Staff promote children's communication skills exceptionally well. For example, they use songs, discussions and stories to introduce a wealth of vocabulary. Children who are non-verbal are completely enthused and beam with delight as they join in, using the sign language taught by the staff. Staff encourage children to use their developing language to recall previous topics and events. This helps staff to reinforce and consolidate children's prior learning.