Bumble Bees Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff in the setting ensure that children are happy and engaged in experiences that capture their interest and ensure they enjoy learning. Children use their imagination to create houses for tigers and share ideas with their friends about what they would look like and how the tigers would live there. Staff follow children's natural inquisitiveness and engage them in discussion to extend their learning. For example, when hunting for bugs in the outside area, staff talk to children about the bugs they may find.

Leaders use information from parents and regular assessment well to ensure that children's development is tracked and next steps in their learning are identified and incorporated into activities. Staff are well supported in developing their practice to ensure that children receive good learning opportunities.

Children are well supported in preparing for the next step in their learning. They learn about the expectations for good behaviour, including turn-taking and sharing, from when they start at the setting, and these are well embedded by the time they leave. Even young children are able to sit and engage with activities, such as sign language, for long periods. Children are encouraged to make choices and express their views and ideas. As a result, they are confident to do so. Staff provide assessments to schools to support children's transition to this next stage.

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

• Good leadership ensures that the setting provides a curriculum that focuses on the core skills that children need to move on to the next stage of their learning. It is responsive to children's individual needs and interests. Staff and managers monitor children's progress regularly and also involve parents in understanding what each child needs to learn. This informs their planning for next steps.
• Teaching is, in the main, good. Children benefit from a range of interesting activities that really engage them in learning. There is a big emphasis on communication and language. Children really enjoy regular sign-language sessions, and staff model language to extend children's vocabulary and encourage them to express their own ideas. Children are regularly encouraged to reflect on their learning in group discussions to ensure that it is embedded. However, due to some inconsistencies in staff practice, some activities, including lunchtime, are not organised well enough and activities are not always extended to promote children's learning to the very highest level. For example, staff interrupt activities that children are absorbed in to carry out routine tasks, such as nappy changing.
• The management of behaviour in the setting is a real strength. Staff interactions with children are kind, and children who are upset are provided with comfort and support. Sharing and taking turns are really promoted with the younger children, and they learn to do this without a reminder. Staff discuss the need to be kind to others and praise children for saying 'sorry' for hurting other's feelings.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is excellent. The manager is proactive in following the appropriate procedures to obtain specialist support, and staff follow the plans devised for children as a result of this. Staff also create plans to help younger children when they identify a need that may require specialist support later.
• The manager has a clear picture of the performance of her staff. They have regular supervision meetings and also ad-hoc feedback from observations of practice. The manager seeks comments on her own performance from staff and parents and acts on them. However, the provider does not have regular supervision meetings with the manager to help her develop her practice.
• Parents are very happy with their children's experiences at the setting. They receive information about their children's progress and to help them extend learning at home. They are asked to contribute to an initial assessment of their child's development when they start at the setting and at regular intervals after that. This information is used to enhance planning to meet individual children's needs.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider must:

• ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place for the supervision of the manager, so that they receive support, coaching and feedback to improve their practice. (by 30 June 2023)

The provider should:

• review the organisation of activities to ensure that children receive the best learning experiences possible
• support staff to understand how to fully extend activities so that children's learning is maximised.