Busy Bees Day Nursery at Ipswich Pinewood

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a nurturing, homely environment in which children thrive. Children and their parents enter the nursery and are warmly greeted by a member staff, which helps to provide a smooth transition for the children into their nursery day. Staff have very good relationships with parents, which helps children to feel secure and supports their emotional well-being. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language by asking the parent to note key words in their home language.

Children are happy and develop good friendships. Outdoors is particularly popular. Staff specifically plan and resource each area so children can independently explore. There are many opportunities to be physically active, and there is plenty of space for children to run around. Children play cooperatively, taking turns when waiting for bikes. They are kind and help one another when, for example, pulling the zip on their coats. Children have active imaginations and enjoy role play, assigning each other roles when playing shopkeepers, for example.

Children guide their own learning, and their voices are valued, as staff listen attentively. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and, as a result, children behave very well. Children participate in regular group sessions, which further helps them to listen to their peers and take turns. Staff are caring towards children. Children respond with affection, especially babies, who enjoy reassuring cuddles.

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

• Staff know their key children incredibly well and plan challenging activities to support their learning. This targeted approach helps children to make good progress. The nursery's curriculum centres around promoting communication and language, independence and school readiness.
• In the rooms for older children, staff extend children's vocabulary by using challenging words and concepts, such as 'dehydration'. Staff promote stories to which children listen attentively. Children request familiar songs and excitedly join in. Written text is evident in the nursery, and children spend time mark making. Staff regularly facilitate small-group discussions to support quieter children to have their voice and opinions heard.
• Staff actively help children learn skills to help them to regulate their behaviour. Children participate in lovely yoga sessions, where they learn breathing techniques. Older children recognise their emotions and link them to the colours in a book about a 'colour monster'. Staff prepare younger children by teaching them colours. However, staff have not considered how to focus on more meaningful vocabulary for younger children throughout their day.
• The nursery consistently promotes children's independence to a high standard. Many children only ask for support from staff once they have first tried for themselves. Mealtime routines are very successful and help children make choices and practise their independence.
• Staff identify that lots of children have a keen interest in exploring sensory resources. For example, older children become excited when making potions. They add different elements and use their imaginations as they enthusiastically announce that it is a 'love potion'.
• Mathematics is skilfully incorporated into daily conversations. Children use mathematical language to state whether they would like a 'big' or a 'small' wrap for tea. Staff help younger children to understand the concept by using their hands to demonstrate big and small. Staff plan activities that focus on matching and comparing numbers, and they encourage children to problem solve.
• The nursery's special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is very knowledgeable. She sets strategies, sharing them with the child's key person, to support individual children. On occasion, there is not enough support for the key persons to implement and fully understand the purpose of the strategies, as they are not always clear.
• Staff support children to learn about safety in a creative way. The nursery has a safety mascot, which is very well used, to remind the children about the rules and boundaries to keep them safe. Children regularly remind each other to be safe when, for example, using scissors.
• The leadership team is passionate about building on staff's already good practice. Leaders demonstrate a commitment to improving the nursery and supporting parents with various thoughtful initiatives. The manager has effective systems to identify any staff training needs and to offer support to enhance practice. Staff feel well supported and work incredibly hard as a team. Children benefit from nutritious meals, and parents are very complimentary about the nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the sharing of information with staff to support strategies for children with SEND further
• support staff to extend younger children's vocabulary further by focusing on more meaningful interactions.