Bees Knees Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive eager to begin their day at this warm and welcoming nursery. Staff are kind and gentle and provide a nurturing environment where children feel safe and secure. Toddlers cuddle with staff for comfort when they need to, and older children chat happily to staff members and involve them in their play. For instance, children look after their adult 'patient' in imaginative play.

Staff provide an enriching environment where children are keen to explore and try new skills. Toddlers follow instructions independently and excitedly kick footballs through their sports coach's legs. Older children persevere with threading as they make pasta necklaces. Children are confident as they recall familiar and favourite stories to visitors. They enthusiastically tell visitors about the story of 'Rapunzel' and talk about all the characters involved in the story.

Children learn to share toys and take turns in activities. They receive clear sets of rules and boundaries, which helps them behave well. Staff are skilful at supporting children when they struggle in their interactions with others. For example, when children try to snatch toys from their friends, staff explain that it is not kind and that they need to wait for their turn. There are high expectations for children to use 'please' and 'thank you' at appropriate times so that they learn to have good manners.

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

• The manager provides a well-planned early years curriculum that supports all children's learning and development, including those with additional needs. Staff gain information from parents and carry out their own observations to find out what children like, and what they know and can do. Children use their imagination as they create pictures using a variety of different textures and learn about concepts like 'big' and 'little' as they look for dinosaur footprints in soil. Staff track children's learning and monitor progress on their next steps. Children make good progress at this setting and are ready for the next stage in their learning.
• Children's communication and language skills are very well supported. Staff run targeted language groups for all children. Children learn how to ask questions, talk about what they have seen and build on their range of vocabulary. For instance, they learn words like 'squishy' and 'leopard'. Children also take part in a range of stories, songs and rhymes throughout the day which help to further consolidate their language development.
• Overall, children have positive attitudes towards learning and focus for long periods of time on self-chosen activities. For instance, children persist as they loop keys onto a large key ring. However, sometimes, children have to wait too long for their turn during adult-led activities and become distracted. This interrupts their engagement with learning.
• Children have many opportunities to practise their physical skills. They keep fit as they dance to music and develop their hand-eye coordination as they throw and catch balls. Children's fine motor skills are developing well as they use scissors and glue sticks during creative activities and fit magnetic shapes together as they construct.
• Children have rich first-hand experiences which enhance their learning. For example, they make trips to the local café and learn how to groom Shetland ponies. This helps broaden their knowledge of the world around them.
• Generally, children's self-help skills are developing well. They cut up or peel their snack, feed themselves at lunchtime and dry their hands after washing them. However, there are times when adults do things for children that they are able to do themselves. For instance, children initially pour milk into their own cups using a small jug, but later an adult pours it for them. Therefore, children miss out on opportunities to practise their skills.
• Partnerships with parents are very strong. Parents say that their children are happy and safe. The nursery works closely with parents so that they can support their child's learning at home. For example, staff run workshops on how parents can help children's communication and language development. This helps with continuity of learning.
• Children speak a diverse range of languages and this is well supported by staff. The manager invites parents into the setting to share their different cultural experiences with children. This helps to enhance all children's learning experiences.
• Both the owner and manager value the staff team. The manager plans well for professional development opportunities to help staff to continually raise their knowledge and understanding. Staff talk about recent behaviour management training which has helped them respond positively to incidents of inappropriate behaviour from children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation and pace of adult-led activities so that children remain engaged and benefit fully from their involvement
• provide consistent opportunities for children to develop their self-help skills.