Busy Bees@Norden Road

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle well in this welcoming nursery. They are happy and show good attitudes to learning. The friendly and enthusiastic staff take time to greet children when they arrive, helping them to separate from the parents and carers with ease. The new manager is dedicated to her role and strives for continuous improvement. Staff get to know their key children well and use their knowledge of the children to ensure that children's individual interests and next steps in learning are reflected in what they offer. Staff prepare a variety of activities for children to access when children arrive. For example, older children enjoy the challenge of using tweezers to pick up small pom-poms, helping to develop their muscles in their hands. Younger children enjoy sensory play, exploring sand and water. Staff make good use of daily routines, such as mealtimes, to help children practise their skills. Babies progress on to drinking from unlidded cups in readiness for the move to the toddler room. Staff encourage toddlers to manage the toileting routines for themselves. Pre-school children are learning to be confident communicators. Children persevere until they have achieved what they have set out to do, for example climbing steps to the slide or riding the pedal bike outside. These positive attitudes help children with the next steps in their learning.

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

• The enthusiastic and dedicated manager works alongside the staff team well and reviews the care and education provided. Staff benefit from regular monitoring, coaching and supervision sessions to help ensure teaching is good.
• The manager and staff team embed an inclusive curriculum that is ambitious for all children. Any gaps in children's learning are identified swiftly and support is put into place so all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress and have their needs met.
• The nursery has good partnerships with parents. Parents report they are impressed by the quality of care and education their children receive. They explain how they receive information about their children's development with information they need to help them support their children at home too. This helps continuity of care and learning for children.
• The manager and staff prioritise children's safety. They complete effective risk assessment and take quick action when they identify hazards and risks. The manager updates policies so they reflect current practice and stays updated about local safeguarding concerns. The manager and staff have a secure understanding of signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. Staff supervise children closely and monitor numbers when children move around the nursery. The manager follows safe recruitment processes.
• Staff complete mandatory training such as first-aid and child protection courses to ensure the well-being of children. They have a good knowledge of child protection matters and know how to raise concerns about the welfare of a child in their care.
• Staff model mathematical language well and take opportunities as they arise to provide opportunities in play for counting. Children develop a good awareness of number.
• Children learn about feelings and emotions. Staff recognise that some children struggle to regulate their emotions and use specific teaching techniques to help support children to manage their feelings positively and independently.
• Overall, children's communication and language skills are supported well. Staff and children regularly sing nursery rhymes together. Staff sit alongside children as they play and explore, and they talk to children as they play. However, they do not always use effective questioning techniques to find out what children already know and can do. For instance, they sometimes ask children too many questions at once and do not allow them sufficient time to think and respond.
• Overall, children behave well. Staff act as positive role models, and rules are in place, such as being kind to others and treating others with respect. However, when children display unwanted behaviour, staff do not always explain why this is not acceptable. This means children do not always understand why they cannot do things, and consequently, despite being told no, they continue.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's teaching strategies to allow children time to think and respond to questions
• support staff to be consistent in their behaviour management strategies to help children to learn why their unwanted behaviour is not acceptable.