Busy Bees Day Nursery at Gravesend

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff expertly identify the needs of all individual children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged children, those children known (or previously known) to children's social care, those facing other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing and those in receipt of additional funding. Additional funding is used effectively to support children's individual needs. This includes providing them with further resources to support their development.

Staff provide individual teaching. All children are extremely well supported to make progress from their initial starting points and provide individual teaching and learning carefully to support all children, including those with SEND. Staff complete training specifically to meet the needs of children who attend the setting.

Staff and leaders have highly effective links with outside agencies and families. They share and implement ideas and strategies. For example, they use a range of techniques to help children learn about how to communicate and manage their feelings. This includes using sign language and picture prompts. Staff make parents the same picture prompt resources to use at home to provide children with a high level of consistency of care and learning between home and the setting.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have a comprehensive knowledge of the curriculum they have embedded successfully. Staff know all children well, including what they have achieved since they started and what they are helping children to learn next. The curriculum is precise for individual children and is planned effectively for all learning environments. However, at times, staff do not consistently support children to complete tasks with more independence to strengthen their skills to support their future learning.

Leaders and staff support all children to develop their communication and vocabulary skills. This includes those with special educational need and/or disabilities (SEND). All staff use effective ways to communicate with children. For example, staff ask older children thought-provoking questions and give them time to think and then respond. They use a wide range of facial expressions, tones of voices and signing with babies, who respond positively to staff. All staff tailor all plans and support to ensure that they meet all the individual needs of children and families, including those with SEND.

Staff support children to develop their mathematical skills. For example, older children discuss capacity, such as 'full' or 'empty' during water play, and talk about more complicated shapes, such as pentagons, and babies explore shape as they complete simple shape sorter activities. Staff encourage all children to gain confidence in the development of their physical skills. This is demonstrated when children negotiate age-appropriate climbing and balancing equipment confidently and safely.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children have a clear understanding of all areas of learning in a well-implemented curriculum. Children have all barriers to learning minimised and enjoy their learning from their individualised plans. All children make progress in relation to their starting points, and staff support children to develop skills in all areas of learning. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of additional funding.

Children develop skills to support them for their next stage of learning. For instance, children confidently communicate their needs and are confident to share their ideas using a wide range of vocabulary, such as during role-play activities. Younger children giggle as they take it in turns to try on builders' hats as they 'build', and older children are confident to write down orders at their 'restaurant'.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff are positive role models, and children of all ages and abilities behave well and know what is expected of them. Children are kind, show empathy and understand each other's differing needs.

All staff are skilful in swiftly identifying how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is evident when staff engage children in smaller, more individual activities instead of larger group experiences, which they potentially find overwhelming.

All staff establish positive relationships with children. Even the youngest children are happy and settled. Staff know children's routines and meet their needs well. Children seek out staff for reassurance and enjoy showing them their achievements. Children enjoy the company and playful interactions with staff. For example, younger children laugh excitedly as they play peekaboo games.

Staff closely monitor children's attendance and ensure that they follow up any unexplained absences. This enables them to highlight any concerning patterns that may need addressing.

Staff teach children about other people outside of their own communities and experiences. This includes other languages, religious beliefs and traditions. Children learn to respect each other regardless of their cultures and backgrounds.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children of all ages are settled and confident, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have successfully created learning environments where children feel safe. Children are happy and are keen to engage in their learning experiences.

Leaders and staff have ensured that they have embedded an effective key-person system that supports all children to feel secure. Staff plan learning experiences that they know will maintain attention and motivate children to learn. Staff deploy themselves well during activities and during transitions, such as moving between the indoor and outdoor learning environments to ensure that they supervise children well and keep them safe.

Children talk about the importance of washing away germs during handwashing, and they discuss the benefits of teeth brushing during oral health activities. Staff support children to manage their emotions and feelings in appropriate ways. This includes using picture cards and resources, such as books. Staff fully understand all children's care routines and ensure that they meet their individual needs effectively. This includes swiftly identifying when babies require a sleep.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are evaluative and reflective on practice. They identify areas to develop and celebrate the changes they have made, such as embedding a more consistent curriculum to support all children.

Staff keep parents informed, such as routinely sharing children's achievements and next steps in their learning. Parents speak highly about the staff and the setting.

Leaders successfully support staff's wellbeing and help ensure that their workload is manageable. Staff have time to complete regular training to keep their knowledge current and build on their skills even further.

Leaders and staff have regular meetings and discussions to highlight strengths and areas they can enhance further. Leaders carry out regular observations to monitor the quality of staff's teaching and interactions with children. This helps them to support staff to develop their practice. However, at times, some staff lack confidence in implementing routines, such as mealtimes, to a consistently high standard. Therefore, children are not always fully engaged during these times.

There are thorough risk assessments in place that are reviewed to ensure the ongoing safety of children. This includes fire drill safety and the safe administration of medication. Leaders and staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities to ensure that they meet all requirements.