Busy Bees Day Nursery at Watford

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create an environment where children feel happy, safe and content. Children are welcomed into the setting by familiar adults. They greet them with a smile and find out how their day has been so far. Each child has their own peg, which gives them a real sense of belonging to the setting.

Staff know all children well, especially their key children. Staff create a wide range of activities which keep children engaged for long periods of time. For example, in the toddler room, children make and create dough. They enjoy adding flour and water, mixing it to see if it makes the correct mixture, then adding more as needed. In the baby room, the youngest children enjoy exploring a safe environment. Staff create activities which provide children with an invitation to play. Staff set out the room with activities at a variety of levels to encourage children to pull and stand to play. This develops their leg muscles, ready for walking.

Children's behaviour is good. Children understand the expectations of adults and when needed, staff step in to support children. For example, when a dispute begins over a toy, staff talk to children about sharing. They spend time with them and role-model how to play together.

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

• Staff have a good understanding of what they would like children to learn when creating activities. They use children's interests which excites them. For example, children enthusiatically mix coloured paint with their hands and enjoy seeing what colours they can create. Staff talk confidently about their activities and children know what they need to do. Some children however, find activities too easy, and staff do not always know how to extend them further.
• Staff create a language-rich environment for all children. Staff talk to children all the time, exposing them to language and enhancing their vocabulary. Staff narrate activities to the youngest children, talking about the bubbles they create and using their fingers to 'pop' them. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language well. Staff speak to children in their home language to support settling in before encouraging spoken English. As a result, children make good progress in their language development.
• Staff gather information about children's starting points when they first begin at the setting. They use this knowledge to create next steps in learning for them. However, at times, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have not been supported well. Therefore, referrals and support plans have not been in place in a timely manner. However, the new manager has reflected on this, and plans are now in place to support learning and development.
• Children enjoy accessing the outside spaces. In the garden, children play in the water tray. They fill and empty containers, developing their understanding of capacity. Some activities are set up for children to enjoy. However, they do not keep children occupied for long. As a result, children struggle to find something to play with, and spend time flitting between activities. This has an impact on their learning and development.
• The new management has worked hard to make positive changes to the setting. They reflect regularly on the room environments and make changes as needed. The management team has spent time training and role-modelling good practice to the team, and this has had a positive impact.
• Parents are highly complementary of the staff team and setting. They talk about the positive changes to parent engagement and the information which is shared. Parents state that their children are very happy, and this supports them with their own work life. Parents recommend the setting to others.
• Staff have access to a wide range of training opportunities both internally and through the local authority. The management team has regular conversations with staff to ensure they are confident in the knowledge they have gained through training. Staff share information with their colleagues at regular staff meetings to enhance everyone's practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to fully challenge children during activities, to help expand children's knowledge and help them build on what they already know and can do
• strengthen arrangements to identify and support children with SEND, in line with the SEND code of practice, to ensure that children achieve the best possible outcomes
• focus curriculum plans more precisely within the garden area, particularly for those children who prefer to learn outdoors.