Busy Bees Childcare Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and well settled. Staff take time to get to know children and their families very well, through a tailored settling-in process which includes home visits. The child's voice and well-being are at the heart of staff's practice. Children build strong and trusting bonds with staff. They listen to staff, quickly become familiar with the setting's routine, and learn what is expected of them. There is a true sense of community that nurtures children and their families. Staff understand the impact of military life for many of the families whose children attend. They understand that the consistency of attending the setting provides all children with a secure foundation and seek to build on this to support children's learning and development.

Children are confident to communicate their ideas, needs and wants. Staff help children to learn to share and take turns as they play. They provide support and resources, such as sand timers, to help children take ownership of turn-taking. Staff follow children's lead in play and focus interactions to help children build a wide vocabulary and understanding. Children eagerly join in with play and activities. They enjoy listening to stories. They know and say repeated phrases and words in the story and anticipate what will come next.

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

• Leaders have established a clear curriculum that is designed to help children build on what they know and can do. It is well embedded with staff and shared with parents. Staff implement the curriculum well, using their professional knowledge of typical child development to help to sequence children's learning. Children gain the skills they need to support the next stage in their education and life in modern Britain.
• Children receive lots of praise and encouragement that helps them to feel valued and to make choices. They choose to stay outside when it starts to rain and develop play that reflects their experiences. Children jump in puddles and consider what they need to stay dry. They extend play in the covered sandpit, imaginatively describing it as a treasure island. Staff build on children's ideas and bury treasure, which inspires awe and wonder when sparkling gems are found.
• Staff know children very well. They promptly notice when a child is at risk of falling behind or if they may need additional support. Staff working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have appropriate training and are supported by leaders. They work closely with parents and other professionals to identify how to support children to make good progress.
• Parents are positive about the staff and their children's experiences at the setting. They state that they are well informed about their child's day and how to support their ongoing learning at home. Parents say that their children enjoy attending the setting.
• Staff say that they feel very well supported to fulfil their roles. They receive encouragement to attend training that helps to develop their skills further. Staff are reflective practitioners. They constantly review with leaders what is working well and what needs improvement. Staff discuss training they have received to help each other build their practice. Recent training has helped staff to review and enhance how they help children learn about early mathematics.
• Children's independence is supported well. Staff encourage children to have a go to do things for themselves. Children learn to pour drinks, put on their coats and receive good support to manage their personal hygiene needs. Children build good levels of self-esteem.
• Children have regular opportunities to practise large physical skills. They run, jump and ride on balance and pedal bicycles in the outdoor space. They learn to coordinate their movements to climb on large play apparatus. Staff take children on nature walks, where they learn about the local area. Staff encourage children to recall past events, such as then reading a story with children and asking what is similar to what they noticed on their recent autumn walk.
• Staff understand and deliver the curriculum well. However, sometimes, during large-group activities, some children show signs of disinterest and do not engage with staff or the activity. Staff do not always recognise when this is happening and adapt their practice to meet children's individual needs or stage of development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of large-group activities to ensure that children continue to enjoy a high standard of teaching and learning at all times.