Busy Bees Day Nursery at Cheam

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The new management has a good grasp of the nursery's strengths and areas for improvement. She is supported well by the organisation and the local authority to support staff to improve the quality of learning experiences for children. The staff team is dedicated to their role and has created an environment where children are settled, safe and happy. Parents and carers speak very highly of the care and learning their children receive. Staff use their knowledge of the children and what they have learned from training to implement a varied and ambitious curriculum. They offer children a range of activities that widen their experiences and enrich their learning. For example, children learn about different arts and artists as they create their own masterpiece. Children enjoy listening to stories. This promotes children's appreciation of books, supports their language and older children's reading skills well.

Children are confident and sociable. They actively engage with their peers and staff. Staff incorporate singing nursery rhymes in the daily routine for younger children to participate in together. Toddlers learn to work as a team while older children develop their memory skills as they participate in games with staff. Staff encourage children to listen and take turns, which helps them to understand behavioural expectations. Children are independent. For example, babies learn to pull themselves up as they hold onto items in the room. Toddlers serve themselves at lunchtime with staff guidance and pre-school children attend to their own needs in the bathroom. Children have positive attitudes towards learning. Staff work with local schools to ensure that children have a smooth transition as they move to the next stage of their education.

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

• Management and staff are positive and dedicated. They take pride in their roles and responsibilities. The team is supportive of each other and shows unity, which positively influences children's attitudes towards the nursery.
• The management and staff team all have high expectations for children's learning. Management support staff to develop strong practice. They ensure staff understand and implement what they have learned from training through observation, regular reflection, supervision and staff team meetings. This helps enhance children's learning.
• Staff know the children well. They observe and assess children's learning accurately, and consistently implement a curriculum that meets their individual needs. Staff identify gaps in children's education and work well with parents and other professionals to ensure children achieve, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Children make good progress in their learning and development. On occasions, staff use games and books that children know and enjoy, when planning adult-led activities. However, these are not always organised as well as possible to maximise children's learning. For example, children become distracted and lose interest quickly during some activities.
• Although staff support children's behaviour well. At times, staff in the pre-school room are not aware of the high tone of their voice, when talking above children that are a little loud. This makes it difficult for other children to focus and concentrate on their learning, and they become distracted as the room is noisy.
• Staff support children's vocabulary well. They repeat what younger children say, introduce names of objects and provide narratives to babies sounds and babbles. Older children are introduced to words, such as 'full, empty' and 'pour' as they play.
• Children learn to count accurately and understand amounts. For instance, toddlers point to the different fruits eaten by the caterpillar as they count them. Older children understand number and amounts in practical contexts. For example, when they are asked how old they are they respond, 'three', and show the correct number of fingers.
• Staff support children to be confident and independent. For example, they follow effective hygiene practices, such as washing their hands before eating and after using the potty or toilet. This helps promote children's good health.
• Routines and transitional times are effective. During these times children follow simple rules and instructions well. They access a range of opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, children make marks, ride tricycles, walk on a wobbly bridge which all supports their body coordination. They have lots of space to move around quickly and toddle in the open air.
• Parents report they are very pleased with the progress their children have made since starting the nursery. They highly praise staff for their warmth and approachable manner. They are happy with the level of communication and care given to their children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of activities to help enhance younger children's focus and older children's engagement to further promote their learning
• provide further support for staff to help them minimise distractions and extend older children's attention skills, to prepare them for school and beyond.