Busy Bees Day Nursery at Formby

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at this caring nursery. They are eager and excited to join in the activities and show exceptional behaviour throughout the day. Children have positive relationships with staff. A successful key-person system helps children to settle quickly and develop strong attachments. Furthermore, children are supported well as they transition from one room to the next. Flexible settling-in arrangements enable children to settle quickly and feel secure and happy in their new environment.

Staff have high expectations for every child. Children are motivated and keen to learn. They explore the range of activities offered. Babies freely explore their environment and enjoy sensory play. Older children help to prepare the table at mealtimes and serve their own meals. They try on school uniforms in the role play area. These opportunities help to prepare children for their eventual move on to school. Children enjoy singing confidently by themselves as they learn and play. For example, while cutting out a star from play dough, children sing 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' with their friends. This demonstrates how children make links and use their previous learning. Children spend time outside where they have plenty of opportunities to develop physical skills, including riding their bicycles on the brick constructed road.

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

• Staff provide opportunities for children to talk about their feelings. For example, staff encourage children to use mirrors to identify facial expressions. Children confidently share how they may be feeling with one another and why. This helps children to express their emotions.
• Staff are very happy in this nursery and they feel valued by leaders. Staff induction is robust. The manager implements a thorough staff induction programme for all new staff. All staff receive regularly supervision meetings. However, further professional development of staff is not always precisely targeted to support staff in extending their knowledge and teaching skills to a higher level.
• The manager and leaders want the best possible outcomes for their children. They are clear in what they intend children to learn. Leaders support staff to deliver a curriculum that enables children to do things that otherwise they may not have experienced. For example, children learn about a wide variety of cultures and different celebrations. This helps them to recognise similarities and differences between themselves and others and to learn about the wider world.
• Partnerships with parents are very good. Parents comment on how children 'flourish' under the care of the nursery staff and how they have 'progressed significantly through the play and nurture provided'. Parents feel well informed about their children's progress. Staff provide ideas that enable parents to support their child at home. Parents highly recommend the nursery to others for the care and education provided.
• Staff provide healthy and nutritious meals for the children. They follow robust routines to ensure that any food allergies and intolerances that children may have are fully considered in order to keep them safe. For example, serving dishes denote those to be served to children with allergies. Staff sit alongside children at mealtimes and give children's health and safety high priority.
• Staff promote communication and language throughout the nursery. They model good language through their use of thought-provoking questions and discussion. Staff skilfully give children time to think and respond when asking questions. This helps staff to recognise what children know and understand in order to build on their prior learning.
• Staff plan interesting and inviting learning opportunities and leaders make sure that the nursery is well resourced, both indoors and outdoors. Children benefit from being able to develop their muscles in the ball pool, engage in yoga sessions and climb on low-level climbing frames and slides in the 'Up room' and outdoor area. Staff understand how children prefer to learn. They provide a wide range of physical opportunities that help to meet the needs of children who prefer to learn in active way.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures that children receive support from outside agencies should it be required. She supports staff to refer in a timely manner and ensures that families feel well supported.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• precisely target professional development opportunities, particularly for newer staff, in order to raise the quality of teaching to the highest level.