Busy Bees Day Nursery at Woking Noah's Ark

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are stimulated by the many learning opportunities on offer. Staff plan activities that extend children's knowledge to help them make good progress. Children show high levels of engagement as they explore their surroundings. They learn about life cycles through first-hand experiences of watching ducklings hatch, caterpillars grow and observing worms in their habitat. Children make sense of these experiences by weaving them into their play. Babies enjoy playing with ducks in a water tray, and older children make up a game with dinosaur eggs. This shows that children are remembering what they have learned.

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

• The newly appointed manager is a strong leader who has implemented lots of positive changes since the last inspection. She has a clear vision of how she wants to take the nursery forward so that it continues to grow from strength to strength. The manager values the staff, and she listens to their feedback in order to identify further improvements to the running of the nursery. Staff know what the manager wants children to learn in each room, and they incorporate this into the daily planning.
• Parents are exceptionally happy with all the improvements that have taken place since the last inspection. They are pleased that children now have regular opportunities to visit the on-site farm, forest school and the woodland area. The manager has implemented effective strategies to enable parents to support their children at home, including buddy bears to provide children with emotional support and a lending library to promote a love of reading at home. Parents are grateful for the events that the manager organises. However, the manager has not communicated effectively with parents about the skills and knowledge that children need to learn at nursery in order to prepare them for school.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive strong support from staff, enabling them to make good progress. The manager works with parents and other agencies to ensure that children with SEND receive the right support. Staff put strategies in place to help children reach their individual targets. For instance, staff lead small group work to focus on developing children's communication and language. Staff ensure that children understand the concepts being taught before continuing with the activity. This ensures that children gain the relevant knowledge they need before moving on to the next stage of their learning. Children then enjoy re-enacting the activity in their own play.
• During mealtimes, staff sit with children while they eat and chat to them. Children enjoy these social interactions and are eager to share their knowledge. However, staff do not remind children not to eat with food in their mouth or lick their knives. This does not fully support children to learn about healthy eating routines.
• Staff help to prepare children for life in modern Britain by making children feel included. Children chose names for the buddy bears, and they vote on which book they would like to read each week. Staff plan activities where children learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others. Toddlers look at themselves in the mirror, and staff encourage them to notice their features and those of their friends.
• Throughout the nursery, children play well with each other and show a positive attitude to learning. They eagerly talk about the wormery they have made together at forest school. They describe how the worms move about and eat their food. This shows that children enjoy sharing their learning with each other.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen communication with parents so they have an accurate understanding of the skills and knowledge children will most benefit from learning at nursery
• support staff to encourage children to develop healthier eating habits during mealtimes.