Busy Bees Day Nursery at Stevenage

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are settled and enjoy their time at nursery. They are ambassadors for the nursery and warmly welcome visitors with confidence and happiness. Staff have developed attachments with children to help them feel settled and secure. Leaders prioritise working closely with parents to support children with transitions and make their experiences special. This supports children to have a positive attitude when arriving at nursery and wave goodbye to parents to get ready for their day.

The curriculum is carefully designed to ensure that it meets the needs of all children. Staff make well-thought-out adaptations to get the most out of children's learning, and plan specific next steps. This ensures that children are offered a wide range of interesting activities that they can excitedly explore, and become reflective and curious about the world around them. Children behave well and are friendly towards one another. Staff recognise the importance of responding to children's interests, and support them to resolve their conflicts calmly.

Leaders and staff support children's development and liaise effectively with other professionals. They identify additional support that children need to ensure that they build on what children already know and what they can do to make progress from their starting points.

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

• The leadership team understands the importance of working closely with parents. The team discusses the needs of children prior to them starting, and ensures that plans to settle children are adapted to their individual needs. Staff use the information that is shared to embed a strong key-person approach from the very start. They engage with families effectively to prioritise children's development. As a result, parents speak highly of all staff, and report the positive progress that children make at nursery.
• Children enjoy outdoor play. They explore ways to use their imagination and create obstacle courses from garden resources. Children use bicycles and follow one another. They communicate the directions they can go, which builds their confidence and ability to work together as a team.
• Leaders and staff are committed to prioritising children's learning. They are passionate about providing a clear curriculum for all children, and regularly review this. This supports children to become quickly settled and build meaningful relationships with staff. There is a strong emphasis on supporting children's feelings and emotions. This helps children to regulate their emotions, and they benefit from calm spaces.
• Staff discuss the robust processes they follow for safeguarding. They prioritise children's needs and know how to report concerns and escalations. Staff know that children and their needs come first. The leadership team works together to plan the care for all children. The team monitors teaching and learning, placing value on identifying how staff can further improve their practice.
• Children explore a range of activities and experiences where they can express choices. They follow good hygiene routines. For example, children know to wash their hands and faces before mealtimes, and excitedly look forward to freshly prepared food. Staff often support children with the routine and activities. However, they do not consistently support children with their emerging independence and self-help skills and, at times, intervene too early.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is committed to meeting the needs of all children. They ensure that support is swiftly identified to make effective assessments of children. Children have individual education plans, and the SENCo works collaboratively with outside professionals to ensure that children can make the progress they are capable of.
• Children are supported with following their interests. They are provided with choices to explore a range of ways to be physical. Children are carefully guided to cut herbs, and discuss the importance of safety. For example, children know to use the scissors with the ridges facing downwards and when they are sitting down, becoming spatially aware. They have opportunities to extend their communication and language. For example, they talk about the different fragrances of the herbs they can smell.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to consistently support children with their emerging independence and self-help skills in everyday routines.