Busy Bees Day Nursery at Gravesend

Busy Bees Day Nursery at Gravesend
Unique reference number (URN): EY307278
Address: Windsor Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 5BW
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 24/03/2005
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Busy Bees Nurseries Limited
Inspection report: 29 April 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.

Strong standard
Expected standard
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders and staff expertly identify the needs of all individual children, including those who
have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged children, those
children known (or previously known) to children's social care, those facing other barriers to
their learning and/or wellbeing and those in receipt of additional funding. Additional funding
is used effectively to support children's individual needs. This includes providing them with
further resources to support their development.
Staff provide individual teaching. All children are extremely well supported to make progress
from their initial starting points and provide individual teaching and learning carefully to
support all children, including those with SEND. Staff complete training specifically to meet
the needs of children who attend the setting.
Staff and leaders have highly effective links with outside agencies and families. They share
and implement ideas and strategies. For example, they use a range of techniques to help
children learn about how to communicate and manage their feelings. This includes using
sign language and picture prompts. Staff make parents the same picture prompt resources
to use at home to provide children with a high level of consistency of care and learning
between home and the setting.
Achievement Expected standard
Children have a clear understanding of all areas of learning in a well-implemented
curriculum. Children have all barriers to learning minimised and enjoy their learning from
their individualised plans. All children make progress in relation to their starting points, and
staff support children to develop skills in all areas of learning. This includes children with
special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of additional funding.
Children develop skills to support them for their next stage of learning. For instance, children
confidently communicate their needs and are confident to share their ideas using a wide
range of vocabulary, such as during role-play activities. Younger children giggle as they take
it in turns to try on builders' hats as they 'build', and older children are confident to write
down orders at their 'restaurant'.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders and staff are positive role models, and children of all ages and abilities behave well
and know what is expected of them. Children are kind, show empathy and understand each
other's differing needs.

All staff are skilful in swiftly identifying how to support children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities. This is evident when staff engage children in smaller, more
individual activities instead of larger group experiences, which they potentially find
overwhelming.
All staff establish positive relationships with children. Even the youngest children are happy
and settled. Staff know children's routines and meet their needs well. Children seek out staff
for reassurance and enjoy showing them their achievements. Children enjoy the company
and playful interactions with staff. For example, younger children laugh excitedly as they
play peekaboo games.
Staff closely monitor children's attendance and ensure that they follow up any unexplained
absences. This enables them to highlight any concerning patterns that may need
addressing.
Staff teach children about other people outside of their own communities and experiences.
This includes other languages, religious beliefs and traditions. Children learn to respect
each other regardless of their cultures and backgrounds.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Children of all ages are settled and confident, including those with special educational needs
and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have successfully created learning environments where
children feel safe. Children are happy and are keen to engage in their learning experiences.
Leaders and staff have ensured that they have embedded an effective key-person system
that supports all children to feel secure. Staff plan learning experiences that they know will
maintain attention and motivate children to learn. Staff deploy themselves well during
activities and during transitions, such as moving between the indoor and outdoor learning
environments to ensure that they supervise children well and keep them safe.
Children talk about the importance of washing away germs during handwashing, and they
discuss the benefits of teeth brushing during oral health activities. Staff support children to
manage their emotions and feelings in appropriate ways. This includes using picture cards
and resources, such as books. Staff fully understand all children's care routines and ensure
that they meet their individual needs effectively. This includes swiftly identifying when babies
require a sleep.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders and staff have a comprehensive knowledge of the curriculum they have embedded
successfully. Staff know all children well, including what they have achieved since they
started and what they are helping children to learn next. The curriculum is precise for
individual children and is planned effectively for all learning environments. However, at
times, staff do not consistently support children to complete tasks with more independence
to strengthen their skills to support their future learning.
Leaders and staff support all children to develop their communication and vocabulary skills.
This includes those with special educational need and/or disabilities (SEND). All staff use

effective ways to communicate with children. For example, staff ask older children thought-
provoking questions and give them time to think and then respond. They use a wide range
of facial expressions, tones of voices and signing with babies, who respond positively to
staff. All staff tailor all plans and support to ensure that they meet all the individual needs of
children and families, including those with SEND.
Staff support children to develop their mathematical skills. For example, older children
discuss capacity, such as 'full' or 'empty' during water play, and talk about more complicated
shapes, such as pentagons, and babies explore shape as they complete simple shape
sorter activities. Staff encourage all children to gain confidence in the development of their
physical skills. This is demonstrated when children negotiate age-appropriate climbing and
balancing equipment confidently and safely.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders are evaluative and reflective on practice. They identify areas to develop and
celebrate the changes they have made, such as embedding a more consistent curriculum to
support all children.
Staff keep parents informed, such as routinely sharing children's achievements and next
steps in their learning. Parents speak highly about the staff and the setting.
Leaders successfully support staff's wellbeing and help ensure that their workload is
manageable. Staff have time to complete regular training to keep their knowledge current
and build on their skills even further.
Leaders and staff have regular meetings and discussions to highlight strengths and areas
they can enhance further. Leaders carry out regular observations to monitor the quality of
staff's teaching and interactions with children. This helps them to support staff to develop
their practice. However, at times, some staff lack confidence in implementing routines, such
as mealtimes, to a consistently high standard. Therefore, children are not always fully
engaged during these times.
There are thorough risk assessments in place that are reviewed to ensure the ongoing
safety of children. This includes fire drill safety and the safe administration of medication.
Leaders and staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities to ensure that they meet all
requirements.

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
Voluntary Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
What it's like to be a child at this setting
All children, including babies, are confident, settled and engaged in the safe and inviting
setting. They are happy to come into the setting. Children benefit from a well-established
key-person system that supports children individually. Children and their families are
welcomed at the setting, and staff value their contributions, such as communication about
their children's day and providing parents with support if needed. Staff support parents to
understand the importance of regular attendance.

Children are engaged in a wide variety of interesting learning opportunities that staff
carefully plan. This includes creating still life art using watercolour paint. Younger children
enjoy exploring art in different ways as they explore making patterns with paint using their
fingers.
Children are provided with resources, and staff plan activities that they know will motivate
children to learn, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
For example, staff adapt activities, such as providing fidget toys, for children who require
additional support to sit with their friends and focus.
All children, including those with SEND, make progress in relation to their starting points and
develop new skills to support their future learning. For example, older children talk about
more complicated shapes, such as hexagons. Babies are excited to listen to music and
enjoy number songs.
All children behave well and fully understand the expectations of their behaviour. Children
follow the rules, help tidy up during changes in routine and are keen to help each other.
They kindly remind each other of the rules. Children play well together and enjoy each
other's company.
All children are supported to feel that they can achieve, including those with SEND. For
example, staff evaluate activities and simplify them and provide individual support where
beneficial. Children engage in all areas of learning and ensure that learning is individualised
and focused.
Next steps
Leaders should ensure that all children consistently have opportunities to build on what
they can do with more independence.
Leaders need to support some staff to develop confidence in implementing routines, such
as mealtimes, to a consistently high standard.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator,
parents and children during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The
registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for
children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

Inspector:
Kelly Hawkins
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY307278
Address:
Windsor Road
Gravesend
Kent
DA12 5BW
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 24/03/2005
Registered person: Busy Bees Nurseries Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Kent
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 29 April 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
132

Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard
The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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