Busy Bees At Blackheath (Charlton)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and eager to start their day. Practitioners warmly welcome families as they arrive, and children settle quickly into the familiar daily routine. Practitioners use effective methods to support babies to settle. For example, they create family boxes with familiar items, such as photos, comforters and voice recordings of parents. Older children start their day with songs and garden play, this helps children to wake up their body and mind, ready for the learning ahead.

Practitioners set boundaries and role model respectful interactions. Children behave well. They play cooperatively with their friends, sharing and taking turns with toys and activities. Children demonstrate respect. They speak kindly with each other, and they help to tidy up and set up tables for lunch time. Children show high levels of confidence as they explore their environment and approach visitors. For instance, children excitedly introduce themselves to the inspector and offer her 'pink ice cream and tea' during their role play in the garden.

Children learn about the environment and their local community. They visit the local care home and put on shows for the elderly. They litter pick and participate in activities that teach them about caring for our planet. For example, children join in a sea-life activity in the water tray. They help remove rubbish from the water and animals with tweezers while speaking with a practitioner about why they must dispose of rubbish correctly.

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

• The manager and her team are passionate about delivering high quality care and education to ensure the best outcomes for children are achieved. The manager has a clear vision about what she wants children to learn and implements an ambitious curriculum that is designed to meet the needs of all children who attend.
• Practitioners know their key children well. They plan activities and learning experiences that build on their individual interests and skills. Practitioners regularly assess and review the progress children make from their starting points. These assessments support practitioners to quickly identify any gaps in their learning and development. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Practitioners work effectively with parents and other professionals to provide targeted support to enable children to make good progress across the curriculum.
• The manager plans well to provide children with experiences they may not receive elsewhere. For example, children visit the fire station and use the local public transport, such as buses and trains. The children receive dance and yoga sessions from a teacher from an outside agency. Practitioners with their own dance and music experience also share their skills with the children.
• There is a strong focus on promoting children's language skills. Practitioners provide a language-rich environment. They engage in high-quality interactions with children that spark meaningful conversations. However, at times, practitioners ask children questions but do not always give children enough time to be able to think and respond before they repeat or give the answer to the question.
• Practitioners support children to develop their independence well. They teach children skills, such as serving their food, pouring drinks and putting away their belongings. Practitioners encourage children to try to do things for themselves first and they praise their efforts and achievements.
• Children benefit from outdoor space that meets the needs of each age group. Children move freely and explore equipment that helps them to strengthen their muscles, such as see-saws, the slide, bikes and hoops. Children enjoy a range of healthy meals and snacks. Practitioners talk to children about healthy food during mealtimes and children comment on how 'big and strong' they are. Children of all ages are taught good hygiene routines. They learn to wash their hands before and after meals and after wiping their nose and using the toilet.
• The manager values parent's views. She gathers their views through various methods, such as a parents forum and feedback questionnaires. The manager listens to parent's suggestions and puts in place training and sessions that parents find beneficial to their specific needs. Parents report that their children are happy, safe and developing well at the nursery. However, some parents state that they do not get informative updates on their child at home time from practitioners, to further support them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help practitioners to consistently give children time to think and respond when asking questions, to support their thinking and language skills further
• further support practitioners to improve ways that information is shared with parents so they are well informed about their children's time at the nursery.