Busy Bees Day Nursery at Wigan Scholes

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The management team holds high expectations for both the children attending and the dedicated staff caring for them. Their passion and commitment shine through as they strive to provide quality childcare and enriching learning experiences. Children are greeted with warmth by cheerful, caring staff who are genuinely delighted to see them. The committed team takes the time to build strong connections with children and their families before they start. This ensures a seamless transition from home to nursery. Individualised settling-in procedures cater to each child's unique needs. This allows them to quickly feel comfortable and eagerly participate in activities of their choice. Learning opportunities are thoughtfully tailored to each child's interests and developmental needs.

The staff are gentle, nurturing and kind. They serve as strong role models who uphold high expectations for children's behaviour. They use effective strategies, such as a visual timetable, to help children anticipate what comes next, fostering their well-being and enabling smooth transitions between activities. Staff create an ambitious, exciting and well-sequenced curriculum that supports children's progress in all areas of learning. Leaders and staff have high expectations for what all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can achieve.

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

• Children are taught how to stay healthy through daily routines and activities. Children enjoy a range of healthy, well-balanced meals and snacks. Robust strategies are in place to ensure that children's dietary needs and allergies are well managed. Foods are carefully chosen to support brain development by providing nutrient-rich, balanced meals that promote cognitive growth and overall well-being.
• The well-planned curriculum provides an opportunity for all children to make progress from their starting points. Staff recognise the need for the curriculum to be flexible and adapt their teaching to meet the emerging enquiries that children present. Experiences are rich and ambitious, providing children with opportunities to deepen and broaden their existing knowledge and skills, such as when they learn about the impact that waste has on the ocean. This helps children understand the impact of pollution, encouraging them to adopt sustainable habits.
• Leaders provide valuable opportunities for staff to grow professionally. They conduct supervision sessions that encourage self-reflection, allowing staff to evaluate their own practice. Through collaboration, staff and leaders work together to recognise strengths and identify areas for improvement.
• The curriculum builds on what children know and can do. However, there are moments when children's engagement dips during child-initiated activities. Staff have not fully considered yet how to consistently support children in becoming self-motivated learners.
• Staff are very engaging as they read stories to children. Staff choose a book of the moment to enable children to learn stories well. They ensure that all children, regardless of their attendance patterns, have equal opportunity to learn about the same story. Staff help to keep children interested and attentive when they share books. They encourage children to develop a love and respect for books very effectively.
• Parents speak highly of the kind and supportive team and express their appreciation for the progress children make. They praise the effective communication from the staff regarding their children and their development. Staff are very approachable and empathetic, which parents are especially grateful for.
• Children are eager to engage in new experiences, especially when guided by skilled staff. For example, they show high levels of engagement while making bird feeders, as the 'climate' has made the ground too hard for foraging. Through this activity, they are introduced to ambitious new vocabulary that deepens their understanding. They learn not only about seasonal challenges for wildlife but also how birds insulate their feathers to stay warm. Staff broaden children's knowledge through high expectations and meaningful learning opportunities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review activities that are child initiated to ensure that children remain highly engaged in play and learning.