A Bamber Bridge nursery has been praised for its “welcoming and nurturing environment” where “enjoy their learning and play with curiosity and enthusiasm”.
Busy Bees Nursery received positive feedback from Ofsted inspectors who said it had achieved a Strong Standard in two areas and Expected Standard in four areas under its new system which no longer gives a single-word rating.
Located on School Lane, the nursery was recognised for its welcoming environment where children arrive ‘happily and settle quickly’. The nursery is led by Centre Director Vicky Jackson, whose Busy Bees journey began over 25 years ago as an apprentice, while the staff has more than 300 years of early years experience.
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Vicky Jackson, Centre Director at Busy Bees at Bamber Bridge, said: “We are incredibly proud to have achieved a Strong Standard in children’s welfare, wellbeing and inclusion. This recognition is testament to our dedication to fostering meaningful relationships with the children in our care and ensuring every child feels safe, supported and valued as an individual.”
Ofsted’s new early years framework places greater emphasis on children’s day-to-day experiences, wellbeing and inclusion. The nursery stood out for going beyond expectations in the areas that parents consistently say matter most.
At the heart of the nursery’s approach is its Bee Curious curriculum, designed to nurture children’s natural curiosity and foster a lifelong love of learning. Ofsted commended the team for creating ‘engaging activities’ that reflect children’s interest, highlighting that ‘children’s achievements are celebrated’, helping them to grow in independence, confidence and develop a secure foundation for future learning.
The inspectors’ report stated: “Children arrive happily and settle quickly into this welcoming and nurturing environment. They are greeted by staff who know them well and respond warmly to their individual needs. Highly secure key-person relationships mean that children feel safe, valued and confident to explore and try new things. Babies and younger children receive calm, sensitive support that helps them to develop trust, independence and secure attachments.
“Children enjoy their learning and play with curiosity and enthusiasm. Activities are well planned around their interests, such as exploring transport, counting, matching games and colour play. They are encouraged to share ideas, express preferences and explore through talk and experimentation.
“Older children make strong progress in communication and language, confidently joining conversations and using new vocabulary. Any early gaps in progress close rapidly because staff in the older children’s rooms are highly skilled in supporting vocabulary, reasoning and social confidence.”
Inspectors further praised the nursery’s support for disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who receive targeted support through close partnerships with families and professionals.
A parent whose son attends the nursery said: “Romeo always loves coming to nursery and that is down to the amazing staff that look after him and all the fun activities they do with him. Their Ofsted outcome is well and truly deserved, the team work so hard and it really shines through.”
Busy Bees at Bamber Bridge provides early years education for up to 137 children aged three months to five years. It also provides NHS-accredited menus, with nutritious meals freshly prepared every day on-site by the nursery’s chef.
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