Busy Bees Penistone

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this nursery due to the care and dedication of the provider and staff team. Staff are extremely caring, considerate, and nurturing towards children. Children behave well and develop positive attitudes to learning. They are excited and motivated to learn due to the enthusiastic approach of staff. Staff respect the individuality of each child and allow them to make their own choices and decisions from a young age. For example, staff ask two-year-olds if they are happy for their nappies to be changed. Children respond positively as they confidently go with staff to be changed. Staff understand how this helps children to learn respect for their bodies.

Staff place a key focus on helping children to develop their social and communication skills. This provides them with the core skills needed to support their future learning. Children's communication skills develop rapidly due to the language-rich environment created by staff. Staff continually talk to all the children. They introduce babies and two-year-olds to new words, such as 'sticky', 'dry', 'pour', 'scoop' and 'mix' as they play in the cornflour and oats. Props and visual aids enable all children, including those who are non verbal, to make choices about which songs to sing or books to read. As children grow and develop, staff encourage them to put words together to form simple sentences. Sensitive and skilful questioning by staff, supports pre-school children to listen, understand and hold conversations. Staff vigilantly observe children to identify those who are quieter and more reserved. They then sensitively support these children to develop the confidence to speak.

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

• The provider has identified a clear curriculum, in conjunction with staff and parents, which is sequenced to build on children's prior knowledge and skills. She values each staff member and supports their continued professional development. This helps the provider to retain a skilled, knowledgeable team who continue to provide children with exceptional care and learning experiences.
• Staff introduce children to a range of core stories and songs. As children grow and develop, they begin to recall these songs and stories. Their listening and attention skills increase as the complexity of the songs and stories develops. This successful approach helps to build on children's communication, language, and literacy skills.
• All children remain focused and engaged in their play. Staff plan a wide range of interesting, hands-on learning experiences, which build on children's natural curiosity as learners. When looking at leaves collected from local walks, staff support children to learn how to do a leaf rubbing. A child excitedly approaches a staff member to show them their picture. The staff member shows awe and wonder as she asks how they did this. When the child enthusiastically explains the process, this ignites other children's curiosity as they complete their own leaf rubbings.
• Babies and two-year-olds spend long periods of time engrossed in messy play activities, due to the skilled approach of staff. They enjoy exploring sensory experiences, such as rice, corn flour, dry and wet oats. Children explore the feel of the dry and wet ingredients. They develop their language skills as staff introduce lots of words into their play. Children are also supported to develop their physical skills as they use spoons to scoop, pour, mix and fill empty containers with the different mixtures.
• Parents confirm they receive comprehensive feedback on their children's care and learning. Positive links with home are created when children are provided with the opportunity to take home 'Dennis bear'. Parents keep a written diary and photographs of Dennis bear's escapades with their child. Children develop confidence as they proudly share and discuss these with their peers on return to nursery. Other children are thoroughly engrossed as they enjoy listening to Dennis bear's adventures.
• Staff quickly identify children who are at risk of falling behind in their development. They introduce targeted programmes to support children's speech and language. These early interventions, as well as working in partnership with parents and other professionals, have a positive impact on supporting children to catch up with their peers.
• During planned group-time discussions, children listen intently to a core story about a crocodile who develops tooth ache. Children recall their prior learning as they discuss the importance of healthy eating and developing good oral hygiene routines.
• During the story session, children question how many teeth crocodiles have compared to children. Staff model how to use technology to find the answer. Staff continue to build on children's knowledge as they support children's growing awareness of how to stay safe when using technology.