Honeybees Day Care

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a warm, calm and nurturing environment where children feel safe to explore. Staff understand children's unique personalities, and each child is given the time they need to talk and express themselves. For example, during group time staff help each child explain how they are feeling and why, and they encourage children to show empathy. Staff make learning fun and children show high levels of engagement as they sing and recall the month and day of the week. Children diligently follow the rules of the ring games and delight in the music and movement session. They enjoy the routine and respond extremely well as they help to put the resources away as they sing the 'tidy-up' song and prepare for their meals.

The clear learning intent for each activity ensures children get the very most from the activity and experience. For example, children show a keen interest in counting and recognising numbers and letters of the alphabet as they play in the sand. They thoroughly enjoy using a variety of writing materials indoors and outdoors, and the most able children begin to write recognisable numbers and letters. Staff have high expectations for all children and a comprehensive knowledge of their assigned key children. Staff plan well for children's individual preferences and learning styles. Children show high levels of engagement and are eager to take part. For example, children persevere as they gently dress their dolls and care for them. Staff skilfully encourage children to talk about their new siblings and help them understand the needs of babies.

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

• Good progress has been made since the last inspection. The leadership team has addressed the action and recommendations raised at the last inspection effectively. The manager and registered individual have worked extremely well with the local authority consultant to raise the quality of teaching. They ensure staff provide a challenging curriculum, which provides purposeful learning to help children make good progress.
• All children attending speak English as an additional language, and staff place a high focus on teaching children English. For example, all staff, including the bilingual staff, use children's home languages to help them understand and build on the English language. Children quickly become fluent English speakers, enjoy conversations and make good progress.
• Staff carefully observe and assess children and use this information to help identify any children who may benefit from additional support. Referrals to appropriate external agencies are made swiftly to help children get the support they need. The staff work closely with any professionals working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to help children make good progress.
• Staff understand the importance of engaging with all parents from the very start and build close relationships with families. They place a sharp focus on school readiness and successfully engage parents in how to support their children's learning at home. For example, staff recognise each family is unique and use personalised strategies to communicate and involve parents in their children's learning. Parents report that their children are happy and have made significant progress since starting the nursery.
• The programme for understanding the world is strong is some aspects. For example, staff creatively use age-appropriate opportunities for children to learn about their own and others' families and cultures. They help children to talk about their home lives and consider different cultural clothing, foods and customs. Children learn about their local communities and about communities different to their own. However, staff do not consistently plan a rich range of experiences for children to learn about the natural world.
• The new manager, since the last inspection, is extremely motivated and staff speak positively about the support they receive. They benefit from ongoing training, supervision sessions and occasional teaching observations to help build their practice. However, the manager has not identified that new staff and apprentices do not consistently engage the youngest children during some activities.
• Promoting children's health and emotional well-being is a clear focus. Staff use a positive range of strategies to help children to regulate their emotions and behaviour. For example, children work well together as they complete group tasks. Staff plan daily opportunities for children to be physical. For example, children thoroughly enjoy music and movement sessions and being physically active outdoors. Children benefit from healthy and nutritious meals and snacks.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide children with increased opportunities to learn about the natural world
• build on staff professional development opportunities, in particular for new staff and apprentices, to help them to recognise how to include all children during activities.