Busy Bees Day Nursery at Lewisham

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the setting happy to begin their day. They excitedly show staff their bags filled with leaves, conkers and sticks that they have collected over the weekend to fill their autumn interest tray. For children still settling, staff provide extra reassurance and cuddles as they collect them from parents and carers. This helps to build children's and families' relationships with their key person. The setting has a broad and ambitious curriculum in place. It provides children with a wide variety of learning opportunities across all areas of learning. Children show high levels of curiosity as they explore different experiences. They are focused and show sustained levels of concentration on tasks.

Children's behaviour is good. They understand the rules and boundaries of the setting. Children begin to learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, as they line up to go to the bathroom, they know they must stop when they come to the traffic light sign. Staff at the setting have high expectations of children. They promote children's independence and provide them with opportunities to make their own choices. Pre-school children set their own tables before lunch and help to give out cups, cutlery and plates. All children learn to serve their own lunches and scrape their plates after.

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

• Staff at the setting demonstrate a clear understanding of each child. They speak enthusiastically about the developmental progress children have made since joining. Staff discuss the future steps planned to support children's learning further. They monitor children's development to ensure that every child is well prepared for their next educational stage.
• The curriculum for communication and language is a strength of the setting. Each room has a word of the week, which staff share with parents to help children to develop rich and wide vocabularies. Staff introduce new contextual language to children's play. For example, as children take part in an activity using dough, staff repeat the word 'knead' to children. As a result, children can express themselves confidently and use newly learned words in different contexts throughout the day.
• There is an established routine within the setting that helps children to feel safe and secure and understand what is happening next. However, staff can sometimes be too rigid in this routine. At times, they take children away from enjoyable play experiences, such as, for them to be changed as it is nappy time.
• Staff at the setting create an encouraging and supportive environment that fosters positivity among children. This nurturing approach helps children to develop confidence and a strong sense of self-esteem. They take pride in their accomplishments, excitedly calling staff to witness moments, such as successfully eating yoghurt with a spoon. Older children are enthusiastic to share their work with peers. They often engage in conversations about the pictures they have drawn, including rainbows and muddy puddles.
• Children within the setting with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Staff are quick to identify any additional support children may require. They put in place plans to support children with SEND.
• Staff provide children with a variety of rich experiences, considering their interests and current stages of development. Children are eager to explore and take part. However, on occasion, staff can be too quick to problem-solve for children. For example, they provide answers before children have had an opportunity to try and work it out for themselves through trial and error. This means that children do not have consistent time to develop their thinking skills to help them to become more independent learners.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Parents speak positively of the progress their children have made since starting at the setting, especially in terms of their language and social development. Parents appreciate the advice and support staff give, to not only their children, but to them when encountering new developmental milestones, such as potty training.
• Leaders and managers of the setting are reflective. They regularly seek feedback to continue to look at how they can enhance their performance. Staff at the setting feel well supported. They have opportunities to meet regularly with managers to discuss their career progression and any concerns they may have. Staff engage with regular training opportunities to continue to develop their knowledge and skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's knowledge and understanding of how to adapt routines flexibly to support the individual needs and learning of all children
• provide opportunities for children to independently problem-solve before stepping in to support, to further develop their thinking skills.