Bright Bees Day Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive and are happy and safe in this inclusive and caring setting. They enjoy exploring the well-organised environment and choose activities independently. Children are curious and motivated to learn. They show good concentration and focus on their chosen activities. Children are confident and resilient learners. They form warm and positive bonds with the staff. Children learn about their emotions and express how they feel. They use gestures, phrases and sentences to communicate their needs. Older children are confident talkers who communicate clearly. Children learn positive social skills. For example, they say 'please' and 'thank you' as they share the resources willingly. Children play together cooperatively and build close friendships. They have a good understanding of behaviour expectations and behave well. The manager and staff have high expectations for all children. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress. Children develop a love for books and reading. They spend time looking at books independently and with staff. Staff read with varied tones in their voice and ask questions about stories to encourage children to use their thinking skills. Children make connections and form ideas for themselves. For instance, children mention that the weather is cold at the North Pole and during Christmas. Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning.

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

• The manager is committed to her roles and responsibilities. There is a very good focus on staff well-being and teamwork. The manager and staff create an environment where families are welcomed and supported, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The manager uses additional funding to support children's individual learning and care needs. For example, they offer children with SEND one-to-one support or buy specific resources and equipment. This helps all children make good progress in their learning and development.
• Partnerships with parents are good and respectful. Parents appreciate the care and education their children receive at the setting. They are involved in all aspects of the setting and comment that 'the nursery feels like a family'. Staff collect detailed information about what children know and can do when they start at the setting. This information is used to plan purposeful activities to help children progress from the onset.
• Staff provide children with opportunities to celebrate what makes them unique and help them develop a strong sense of self. However, staff do not always offer learning experiences to extend children's understanding of their wider community further, to help them prepare for life in modern Britain.
• Children have nutritious meals according to their specific dietary needs and preferences. They benefit from regular fresh air and exercise throughout the day. They enjoy playing on slides and walking on wooden stepping stones. This helps to promote children's good health and physical well-being.
• Staff observe and assess children's development. They plan appropriate next steps for children to minimise any possible gaps in their learning and extend it further. The manager liaises with external agencies to coordinate additional support for children with SEND. This includes making sure that there are plans to help these children reach their full potential.
• The manager has developed clear plans for staff development. Her self-evaluations identify key priorities and she implements action plans effectively for continuous improvement. However, sometimes, they are not implemented in a timely manner to help improve the quality of the setting to an outstanding level.
• Staff promote children's language skills effectively. They model language and introduce new vocabulary during activities and conversations. For example, children use magnifying glasses to hunt for bugs and insects in the garden. They are encouraged to learn new words, such as 'centipede', 'worm' and 'butterfly'. Children squeal with excitement when they find a spider. Children are developing a good understanding of the natural world.
• Children are supported well when they move on to school. For example, older children are offered activities such as literacy sessions, which include writing their names. In addition, they role play putting on school uniforms. Staff and children visit the schools to ensure that children feel confident and relaxed when the time comes for them to move on.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend children's understanding of their wider community further, to help them prepare for life in modern Britain
• implement action plans in a timely manner to help improve the quality of the setting to an outstanding level.