Busy Bees Pre-school Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enthusiastically enter the setting. They are warmly greeted by the manager and separate confidently from their parents. Children are encouraged to independently remove and hang their own belongings. They make their own choices about what they would like to play with, choosing from a variety of resources. Children make progress, as they take part in experiences they enjoy. Younger children enjoy baking biscuits and mark making on the floor, mixing coloured paint. Older children have fun listening to stories and singing with staff. They continue their learning outside as they role play parts of the story, squealing with delight as they are chased by an imaginary gingerbread man. Children enjoy being physically active and benefit from opportunities to be outside throughout the day. They enjoy time outside, using the range of large equipment.

Children are focused and engaged when they play. They demonstrate perseverance and critical-thinking skills as they use giant foam blocks to create three-dimensional shapes with staff and then rearrange the blocks to create new shapes. Children develop resilience as they work with adults to keep trying different configurations to create the shape they want. They enjoy spending time with staff, who have established warm, supportive relationships with them.

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

• The manager and committee aim to provide support to children, their families and staff. For example, they provide financial support to allow children to travel to the setting. As a result, staff retention is high, and parents feel well supported by leaders.
• Partnership working is effective. Links with parents and other settings, such as local primary schools, are in place. Parents receive updates about their child's time at the setting.
• Staff support children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. They work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure the relevant support is in place.
• Clear expectations and boundaries ensure that children become increasingly independent. For example, children independently hang their belongings, wash their hands, and go to the toilet. Children demonstrate good behaviour. However, on occasion, activities last too long, and children become distracted. This results in some children losing focus and disengaging from the activity.
• Staff support children's communication and language development well. They ask open-ended questions to invite children to engage in meaningful conversations. Staff read stories, and children enjoy joining in with nursery rhymes, offering suggestions about animals that live on 'Old MacDonald's' farm.
• Staff plan activities based around children's interests, to support their next steps in learning. However, sometimes, staff are not fully aware of the curriculum intention for some activities. This means that, at times, staff are unclear about the skills and knowledge they want children to gain to further support their good progress.
• Children learn how to be healthy. Staff focus on healthy eating, cooking and baking, planting and growing produce, movement and having time outside in the fresh air. Children enjoy opportunities to buy fresh, local ingredients and enjoy cooking and baking healthy recipes regularly. Information about healthy choices is shared with parents. These opportunities reinforce the importance of good health to children.
• Children have opportunities to learn about life in modern Britain. The setting marks traditional festivals such as Ramadan and Easter. Staff talk about the upcoming coronation of King Charles III, and children prepare by decorating crowns and talk excitedly about a tea party they have planned.
• The manager has placed a focus on developing children's language skills and the curriculum for mathematics based on feedback from moderation meetings with local providers. However, at times, the mathematical knowledge of some staff is not secure, which does not support children to make the very best progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make sure that staff are confident in the teaching of the curriculum for mathematics, ensuring best progress for all children
• support all staff to have a clear understanding of the curriculum intent so that their teaching is consistently focused on what they want children to learn
• consider the length of time that children are expected to sit and listen during adult-led activities, to help them remain engaged and focused.