Busy Bees Day Nursery at Plymouth

Busy Bees Day Nursery at Plymouth
Unique reference number (URN): EY435253
Address: Seaton Court, 2a William Prance Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 5ZD
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 26/08/2011
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Busy Bees Nurseries Limited
Inspection report: 25 February 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
Achievement Strong standard
Children make excellent progress from their starting points. They develop secure
communication and language skills through carefully planned small-group work, targeted
support and daily interactions that build vocabulary and understanding. Children develop the
skills they need to be proficient and confident in their next stage of learning. They build on
skills as they move from room to room. Children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities make sustained progress because adaptations and specialist strategies support
their learning consistently.
Disadvantaged children benefit from tailored resources that strengthen confidence, social
interaction and communication. Children known to children's social care achieve well
because staff maintain stability, monitor progress closely and provide sensitive support that
helps them stay engaged in learning. Across rooms, children gain the knowledge and skills
they need for their next stage, including school, through a curriculum that builds
independence, resilience and early foundations.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Leaders create a positive environment with clear, consistent expectations for behaviour.
Babies experience calm, predictable routines that help them feel secure and ready to
engage in learning, including responsive cuddles and reassurance when needed. Staff build
warm relationships that support early regulation, such as settling babies through songs and
gentle attention during transitions. Young children benefit from activities that promote
collaboration, including turn-taking on slides, shared play-dough tasks and joint cooking
play, where staff guide sustained back-and-forth interactions. Staff use age-appropriate
strategies that match each child's stage of development, helping them follow expectations
confidently.
Children show positive attitudes to learning because routines are embedded and consistent.
Across rooms, children focus well and collaborate during group activities, such as role play
and shared creative tasks, supported by staff who model cooperation and respectful
communication. Leaders promote attendance and punctuality through regular
communication with families, which supports stable routines and helps children settle quickly
each day. Children who face barriers, including those with emotional needs, receive
sensitive support that helps them stay engaged in learning. Children thrive in an
environment where behaviour expectations are understood, relationships are trusting and
routines help them participate with confidence.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Care practices meet children's individual needs. Babies receive sensitive, respectful care,
including explaining when nappy changes are needed and gentle reassurance when they
need more time. Staff respond closely to children's cues and maintain calm routines that
support emotional security. Sleep procedures are safe, with consistent and regular checks to

ensure children's safety during rest. Mealtimes are supervised well. Children eat together
and learn key skills, such as using cutlery and trying new foods, supported by nutritious
meals cooked on site. Staff promote physical development effectively through outdoor play
that supports movement, balance and coordination.
Secure attachments are clear across rooms. Children seek comfort from staff and settle
quickly because relationships are warm and responsive. Staff help children recognise and
manage emotions through calm interactions and predictable routines. Babies and young
children develop early independence, including feeding skills, handwashing and helping with
simple tasks. Staff also promote oral health through shared brushing routines and visual
resources that support habits at home. Routines for feeding, sleeping and transitions are
adapted for individual needs, ensuring all children experience consistency and wellbeing.
Children thrive in an environment where their safety, health and emotional development are
prioritised.
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Leaders understand the quality of the curriculum and teaching and make informed decisions
to strengthen practice. The curriculum is well designed and ensures all areas of learning are
well taught. Staff plan purposeful, connected activities that build on children's prior
knowledge, including mathematical pattern-making with play dough and adult-guided
sessions teaching children new vocabulary that helps them understand the different
emotions they feel. Practitioners use expert knowledge of child development to shape their
interactions. They support communication and vocabulary through stories and discussions
and model language across all areas of learning. Staff prioritise children's physical,
personal, social and emotional development, as seen in activities that help children explore
feelings and learn to manage social situations.
Teaching is responsive and adapted well for babies and for younger and older children. Staff
in the baby room model language, support sensory exploration and build early
communication through songs and shared attention. Young children develop fine motor
skills, counting and early writing through adult-led, engaging activities that match their
developmental stage. Staff make thoughtful adaptations for disadvantaged children, children
with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known to children's social care.
These include visual prompts, tailored small-group sessions and adjustments that keep
learning accessible and meaningful. Practitioners use ongoing assessment to check what
children know and can do so that teaching remains well matched to each child's stage of
development.
Inclusion Strong standard
The provider identifies children's individual needs quickly and accurately. Staff recognise
emerging concerns from the moment children start. Leaders act quickly when needs first
appear and work with families to secure timely support. They reduce barriers through
precise adaptations. These include visual language tools, structured small-group sessions
and daily targeted learning. This support helps to develop communication, emotional
regulation and early interaction skills. Staff apply the provider's approach to inclusion
confidently because leaders secure high-quality training, including guidance from speech

and language therapists and occupational health professionals. Leaders work closely with
families and external professionals, shaping support so that interventions begin quickly and
are effective.
Leaders monitor children's progress rigorously. They monitor assessments for quality and
accuracy, and they are vigilant in identifying emerging gaps so no child's development is left
behind. Disadvantaged children receive targeted support that strengthens their confidence,
communication and social skills. Early years pupil premium funding is used well, with
resources chosen alongside families to meet individual needs and secure progress for
eligible children. Leaders ensure children known, or previously known, to children's social
care receive consistent, stable support so they feel safe, included and ready to learn.
Inclusive practice is embedded, and all children access learning that matches their stage
and need.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the setting's strengths. They use
shared observations and regular reviews to check the quality of the curriculum and teaching.
They act on priorities, such as refining routines and strengthening leadership in rooms, so
that children benefit from consistent practice. Leaders prioritise children's needs in all
decision-making, including those who are disadvantaged, have special educational needs
and/or disabilities, or are known to children's social care. Additional staff have been recruited
to support flexibility, deployment and team stability.
Leaders support staff wellbeing through purposeful systems. Staff receive regular
supervision, peer observations and access to relevant training. Leaders give staff time to
complete training and use recognition system rewards to show appreciation. Professional
development is ongoing, with training needs identified and reviewed. Leaders also work
closely with partners, including the local authority and health visitors, to strengthen support
for children and families. Since the last inspection, they have embedded improvements in
their curriculum and enhanced routines so younger children have more time to play and
learn. Leadership is strategic, reflective and focused on securing positive outcomes for all
children.

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
Children feel safe, settled and valued throughout their day. Babies experience warm,
attentive care, such as calm singing during routines and close support after outdoor play,
helping them feel secure. Staff respond sensitively to children's cues, which strengthens
attachment and helps children regulate their emotions during predictable routines. Children
love learning. They explore stories, role play and creative tasks with interest, building
confidence, independence and early communication through turn-taking games,
mathematical pattern work and small-group discussions about feelings. Children with special

Inspector:
Jonathan Payne
About this setting
educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from precise adaptations, including visual tools
and targeted sessions, so barriers are reduced and progress begins quickly from their
starting points. Families feel welcomed and valued. Leaders ensure communication is
consistent and relationships with children are secure, building parents' confidence that the
setting offers stability and safety for their children.
Children belong because they learn alongside peers and form secure relationships with
staff, supported by an inclusive culture that values each child's uniqueness. Staff use
personalised emotional support activities, such as adapted discussions about families for
children who need help understanding relationships, enabling every child to be included
confidently in learning. Children known to children's social care benefit from sensitive and
consistent structures that help them feel safe and ready to engage. Attendance is promoted
well. Staff work closely with families to support routines, which helps children settle quickly
and participate each day. Children thrive because the environment is calm, predictable and
designed to meet the community's needs, including many key-worker families who rely on
stable, high-quality care. Children belong, achieve and flourish in a nurturing and well-
organised environment that prepares them well for their next steps.
Next steps
Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure
continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a
transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children,
those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other
barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, special educational needs and disabilities
coordinator 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.

Unique reference number (URN): EY435253
Address:
Seaton Court
2a William Prance Road
Plymouth
Devon
PL6 5ZD
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 26/08/2011
Registered person: Busy Bees Nurseries Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Plymouth
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 25 February 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
97
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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