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Bumble Bees Nursery (Blackburn)

Ofsted: Good
(Jul 2022)
·
4.5(6 parent reviews) ·200 Old Bank Lane, Shadsworth, BLACKBURN, BB1 2HU · Blackburn with Darwen
Number of places
54 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jul 2022
Local authority
Blackburn with Darwen

About this day nursery

Bumble Bees Day Nursery in Blackburn, Lancashire, offers a nurturing environment where children's early experiences are central to their development. The nursery prioritises understanding each child's unique voice and interests, fostering a love for learning and a strong sense of self.

Rather than traditional teaching, educators act as play-partners, shaping the surroundings to inspire discovery and providing encouragement. They emphasise hands-on learning, allowing children to choose activities that resonate with them.

A key aspect of their philosophy is connecting with nature, evident in their outstanding outdoor area and regular forest school sessions. The nursery utilises a blended curriculum, drawing from influential early years approaches to create a rich and engaging experience for children from 3 months to 5 years old.

This approach supports holistic development, encouraging critical thinking, questioning, and experimentation to build a foundation for future learning.

Our ethos

The nursery acts as play-partners, shaping surroundings to inspire discovery and encouraging hands-on, child-led activities. They prioritise connecting with nature through an outstanding outdoor area and regular forest school sessions, utilising a blended curriculum that supports holistic development by encouraging critical thinking, questioning, and experimentation.

What it's like

Leaders have created a calm and nurturing environment where children are happy, eager, and feel safe and secure. Staff recognise children's needs, offering comfort and support, and have high expectations for their behaviour and learning. Children are well-mannered, understand boundaries, and show care for each other, developing into inquisitive learners who enjoy problem-solving.

Forest SchoolChild-led LearningOutdoor Play

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)Tax-Free Childcare

Please contact us directly either by phone or email to discuss nursery fees. We accept 15 and 30 hours free childcare and Tax-Free Childcare.

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm.

Age range

3 months to 5 years

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Bumble Bees Nursery (Blackburn)

Last inspected 27 July 2022 · Joanne Valek

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Leaders have created a calm and nurturing environment where children are happy, eager, and feel safe and secure. Staff recognise children's needs, offering comfort and support, and have high expectations for their behaviour and learning. Children are well-mannered, understand boundaries, and show care for each other, developing into inquisitive learners who enjoy problem-solving.

Inspector highlights

  • Leaders have a clear intent for children's achievement, well-implemented by staff through a well-thought-out indoor and outdoor learning environment.
  • Staff have a good understanding of how to support children's language development, with books available in all areas to broaden vocabulary and understanding.
  • Mealtimes are social occasions, with older children showing independence in serving food and staff communicating in home languages for children who speak English as an additional language.
  • Leaders and managers have created a reflective team, securing continuous improvement through in-depth induction, training, and supervisions.
  • Partnership with parents and local schools are strong, with good communication about children's development and support for smooth transitions to school.

Areas to develop

  • 1improve new employees' knowledge of nursery policies to ensure consistency in their understanding of the procedures they need to follow
  • 2continue to support staff's interactions with children to consistently challenge higher levels of thinking in children.
Inspection #10236655 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents talk highly about how their children are thriving.

Parents express how well staff know their children.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

There is a strong focus on supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The special educational needs coordinator has vast experience and knowledge, dedicated to ensuring children and parents have all the help they need. Parents talk highly about how their children are thriving.

Outdoor space

The nursery has developed a well-thought-out outdoor learning environment. Outdoor learning is well planned to help children develop through exploring the natural world. Children are calm and content as they relax in the cosy area to enjoy stories with staff, or engage in water play using ice, water, and lemons to make lemonade, using problem-solving skills to get frozen fruit out of a container.

Parent Reviews of Bumble Bees Nursery (Blackburn)

4.5
(6)
Hülya Karayel
a year ago

We enrolled our daughter in this daycare when she was 19 months old and, for personal reasons, we had to switch to full-time daycare despite speaking another language at home. The transition was challenging for us, but the daycare went above and beyond to make it as smooth as possible for both my daughter and me. It became like a second home for her. The staff was always warm, friendly, patient, and calm. I received detailed updates about my daughter’s progress, and they were always ready to help with any questions or concerns I had. Another thing that really stood out to me was the professionalism and consistency of the team; they were always well-coordinated and supportive. Even though my daughter has now left the daycare, she still fondly remembers her time there and talks about it with great joy. We are extremely grateful for the care and support they provided during that time.

Read on Google
Karen Croft
a year ago

We went for a look around with the manager who had no idea we were coming and was clearly unprepared. She then said the baby room was closed that day as it was half term but in actual fact there were 6 babies in there. I was then told that they'd email me a brochure which never happened so I rang back about a week later and was told they'd ring me back, they never did. Poor communication and a seeming lack of management. We have since found an alternative nursery who have been fantastic in doing what they have said they would and actually did ring me back about 10 minutes later when the manager was unavailable.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Bumble Bees Nursery (Blackburn). See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: August 2016

  • July 2022Good
  • August 2016Good

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