Busy Bees (Oadby)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily come into the nursery, and they are warmly welcomed on arrival by their key person. Staff cuddle babies gently, who respond by babbling and snuggling in, demonstrating that they feel safe and secure. Toddlers and pre-school children arrive full of excitement, as staff provide an enriching environment based on the children's interests. Children are keen to explore the resources, and staff join the children to help them learn new things. Young children squeal as they drop objects into the water and shout 'splash'. Staff support them to lead their own play and talk to them as they mix water and sand together. They introduce exciting vocabulary, such as fizzing, bubbling, squishy and pipette. As a result, communication and language is supported well.

Staff help children learn to be independent. Young children are supported to wash their own hands and pour their own drinks. Children wipe their nose and put the used tissues in the bin. Older children are confident to scrape their own plates when they have finished lunch and can put on their own coats and shoes. Staff encourage children to use 'detective' clipboards to risk assess the nursery together. Children learn how to look after themselves and others by ensuring their environment is safe.

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

• Practitioners know the children very well and talk confidently about their key children. They have a clear plan of what the next steps are, and this information is shared with all staff and parents to meet the individual needs of the children. As a result, children make good progress.
• The curriculum supports a clear intent and is planned and sequenced well throughout the setting. For example, staff use song spoons and song hoops across all rooms to support children's language.
• Staff provide children with a range of exciting and interesting opportunities to develop their curiosity for learning. For example, staff set up a heavy-duty plastic tray tray with lemon juice, flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder. Staff model the use of the pipette, and children are encouraged to mix the ingredients together, which supports their physical development. However, staff are not always consistent in using their interactions with the children to extend their learning.
• Staff model good manners and encourage children to have good relationships with others. As a result, children are polite and understand the concept of turn taking and sharing.
• Staff introduce mathematical language during their interactions with the children, such as 'size' and 'pattern'. However, they do not routinely count with children to give them a secure understanding of number.
• Children are encouraged to spend time in the large outdoor area. Staff use this time to talk about the sound of birds they can hear and how birds are an important part of the life cycle of plants. This supports children's listening and attention and understanding of the world.
• Children are encouraged to recall their own knowledge of the king and queen during the coronation and discuss what a street party is. Staff offer lots of praise when they give their answers. As a result, children's confidence and self-esteem are promoted well.
• Staff speak highly of the support they receive and the focus placed on their well-being. The manager carries out regular reviews of teaching practice and identifies specific development opportunities for staff. This helps to continually develop their teaching skills.
• Parent partnership is a strength of this setting. Parents feel very well supported and receive useful information about their child's development. They say their children are always happy to come to the nursery and that they feel that staff are warm, caring, attentive and friendly.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who need extra help receive good levels of support. Leaders work with other agencies to support children with SEND. They put appropriate strategies in place to meet the individual needs of the children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to make the best use of their engagement and interaction with children to extend their learning
• strengthen the curriculum for mathematics to further support children to count and use number during their play.