Busy Bees Day Nursery at Nottingham, Wollaton

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly welcome children as they arrive at the setting. Children eagerly join their friends and settle quickly with their chosen activity. Staff provide an environment which children are keen to explore. For example, staff recognise children's interests and create an activity through which children can role play travelling to holiday destinations. Staff encourage the children to consider how to build an aeroplane. Children use their imagination and suggest they need 'something strong and sturdy.' They cooperate with their friends and use chairs and a steering wheel to pretend that they are sitting on an aeroplane ready to fly to Spain. Staff talk to children about wearing sunglasses and sunscreen. This helps children learn about how to keep safe in the sun. Staff extend children's vocabulary as they introduce unfamiliar words, such as 'boarding passes' and 'luggage.' Children delight at handing in their passes to the flight attendant ready for take off.

Children are learning to do things for themselves. For example, staff encourage children to wash their hands, help themselves to snack, put on their own coat and tidy away resources. This support children's growing independence skills. Staff thoughtfully select children's favourite books for story time. Even the youngest children listen carefully as staff read enthusiastically to them. Babies confidently babble and point to the colourful pictures, and older children join in with the repetitive phrases. This helps children develop a love of books.

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

• Staff make sure that their interactions with children during activities support communication and language development. They listen and respond to what children say. Staff pause to give children time to think and talk. Children enjoy singing songs and rhymes with actions. Children select books to take home and share with parents.
• The manager continuously evaluates information to improve practice. This includes collaborating with the local authority, using feedback from parental questionnaires and monitoring children's progress. This information is used to ensure that staff receive the support they need to continue their professional development. Additionally, the manager places a significant emphasis on ensuring staff have high levels of well-being. She provides activities for staff to enjoy and organises regular informal meetings to support the staff's welfare.
• Staff consistently promote children's physical development. They provide a range of experiences to develop small-muscle strength and large motor skills. For example, children take part in yoga sessions where they stretch and balance. They move to music, where they hop and jump. Children use the strength in their hands to use tongs to serve their snack and enjoy mark making with a wide range of materials. Staff give specific praise for the actions that they see.
• The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator works with staff to identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who therefore may need additional support. They work with parents and other professionals to ensure that an appropriate support plan is in place. This means that relevant learning is provided.
• Staff provide good support to children who speak English as an additional language. Children who did not speak English prior to starting the nursery, are now beginning to speak short sentences in English to communicate their preferences. For instance, they say which activities they enjoy and would like to take part in.
• The manager works effectively with parents and the community. For instance, she provides a toy library and clothes swap and workshops on safe sleeping and oral hygiene. Parents report that the nursery team go 'above and beyond' to support their home life.
• Staff use children's interests to plan learning experiences. However, staff do not always fully consider what skills and knowledge children need to learn. This means that at times children's learning is not fully supported.
• Staff encourage children to take managed risks, for instance, when children build obstacle courses and ask to hold the adult's hand. Adults suggest they hold one finger. Children persevere until they manage the course without support, and delight at their success.
• Staff promote personal, social and emotional development well. For example, they read books about emotions and talk to children about different feelings. Children draw pictures and talk about times when they feel happy.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop a sharper focus on supporting the skills and knowledge each child needs to learn during planned learning experiences.