Busy Bees Day Nursery at Weston Super Mare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff have brought about improvement at the nursery. There is a secure staff team, who are motivated and inspired. Children arrive at nursery happy and are greeted warmly by staff, who know the children and families well. Key persons are attentive to children's needs. For example, they recognise when children may feel unsettled and make sure they offer cuddles of reassurance and give closer attention to those that need it. Staff work with parents to provide continuity of care for children. For example, mirroring their individual routines from home and working together to offer consistent support for children as they are potty training.

Staff help babies learn new skills, such as cruising on furniture and balancing as they stand, which helps prepare them for walking. Toddlers are interested in stimulating activities staff plan for them that support their small motor skills. For instance, children pinch pieces of fabric and pull it through tubes. Older children learn about one another. Staff teach them how to say hello in a range of languages to enable them to greet their bilingual friends. This gives children a good sense of belonging and celebrates differences. Staff make regular observations and assessments of children's abilities and have a good understanding of what children know and can do. They use these assessments well to plan precisely what children need to learn next. Children's behaviour is good. Staff teach children about their emotions and talk to children about the rules of the nursery and explain to them the reason why these are important.

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

• Leaders and staff have worked hard since the last inspection to improve the quality of the care and education children receive. Leaders have established a curriculum which is broad and well sequenced. They have taken action to address the weaknesses identified and good progress has been made to bring about necessary changes. Staff continue to be well supported by leaders. The programme of professional development available to staff is helping them securely embed their newly acquired skills and knowledge.
• Staff are effective at supporting children's communication and language development. Staff give good commentary alongside children's play, model words and introduce new vocabulary. For example, older babies copy staff as they model words for the resources they are exploring, such as 'baby' and 'popper', as children dress dolls.
• Children have an interest in books and staff promote stories well as a tool for enhancing children's language and literacy skills. For example, through the use of a 'Book of the Week'. Many children choose to independently engage with stories. However, this time is often interrupted due to others using the same area to play, which means children do not have full opportunity to engage deeply with the stories to maximise the learning opportunities.
• Staff provide good outdoor opportunities for children to play together in mixed-age groups, which allow children to develop social skills. In the garden, they access a range of resources and activities that interest them and engage them well. For example, younger children explore with their senses as they splash in water and investigate with a range of tools. Toddlers practise their physical skills as they pedal trikes, and older children participate in drawing activities to encourage their creativity and early writing skills.
• Staff ensure that they deploy themselves well to engage with children in their play. However, at times, staff are not able to maintain their interactions with children. Housekeeping duties and staff sharing unnecessary information with them sometimes distracts their attention away from children and interrupts their good teaching.
• Staff work closely with outside agencies to ensure that children have appropriate support in place. For example, leaders use additional funding thoughtfully to provide one-to-one support, resources and training for the practitioners to support children further. All children make good progress from their starting points in development.
• Staff provide opportunities throughout the day for children to develop their independence. Children develop independence skills from a young age. For example, staff encourage children to wash their own hands, eat with cutlery and drink from open cups without spilling. They encourage children to try to complete tasks for themselves before asking for help. This helps boost children's confidence in what they can do and prepares them well for the next stage in their learning and the eventual move on to school.
• Parents comment on the positive improvements in the provision and speak positively about the care and learning that their children receive. Information is shared regularly with parents to keep them informed about their children's day and to help them extend their children's learning at home.
• Staff knowledge of their safeguarding responsibilities is secure, including the procedures to follow to report a concern. The premises are safe and secure. Leaders rigorously check the identity of visitors before allowing them entrance to the nursery. Robust risk assessments are in place and are implemented consistently by all staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider how to create cosy, quieter spaces, to help children fully immerse themselves in stories in a calm environment
• support staff to avoid unnecessary interruptions during important learning opportunities, ensuring that children have opportunity to remain deeply engaged in their play and learning.