Children 'bee happy' at Bray-based club for youngsters

Children ‘laugh with delight and jump with excitement’ at a ‘highly responsive and inclusive’ childcare setting in Bray, which has been inspected by Ofsted for the first time.

Bee Happy Club is a holiday camp for children ages three and up, which offers dance, crafts, and strategic games in full-day and half-day slots throughout the school holidays. It runs out of Bray Village Hall.

Registered with Ofsted in June 2023, Bee Happy Club was inspected for the first time in August this year.

In a report published this week, the education watchdog said the positives of this setting were noticeable from the off, with children are ‘greeted warmly’ as they arrive.

Staff take time to check in with children individually, ‘fostering trusting and respectful relationships.’

The club provides ‘a wide range of stimulating, age-appropriate activities’, including ‘plentiful opportunities for children to develop their physical skills.’

Leaders and staff ensure that outdoor play is an integral part of the routine.

Children ‘laugh with delight’ and ‘jump with excitement’ as they take part in activities, Ofsted observed.

There is a varied schedule of ‘exciting and engaging’ group games that promote children’s social skills, and a variety of alternative options are consistently available.

This ‘flexible and inclusive’ approach ensures that children feel listened to and valued, wrote Ofsted.

Meanwhile, staff are ‘highly responsive’ to children’s interests and regularly adapt activities to reflect their ideas.

Leaders are ‘passionate’ about supporting children’s well-being, the watchdog said, as shown by some of the activities it lays on.

Parents say that staff maintain regular communication with them, keeping them informed. They express high levels of satisfaction, Ofsted said.

Staff regularly host yoga sessions, encouraging children to take deep breaths, lie down and relax. The atmosphere is calm and nurturing.

Children of all ages, including the youngest, demonstrate a positive ‘give it a go’ attitude as they try the stretches.

This approach ‘helps children to develop self-regulation skills and become more aware of their emotions.’

Moreover, staff ‘have high expectations of children’s behaviour.’ They ‘consistently support children to understand routines and make positive choices.’

This clear and consistent approach ‘helps children to develop a strong understanding of behaviour expectations.’

“The atmosphere is calm, children are happily engaged and highly focused in this friendly holiday club,” Ofsted wrote.

Effective teamwork and ‘strong communication’ contribute to the smooth running of the club. This helps staff to respond promptly to children’s needs.

Leaders hold regular peer-to-peer supervisions and ensure that staff feel well supported in their roles.

Scheduled time is allocated for catch ups and well-being discussions, fostering open communication.

“Children benefit from a high-quality, well-managed provision, where their welfare is prioritised,” Ofsted concluded.

Speaking to the Advertiser, Olesia Popova, owner and manager of the Bee Happy Club, said:

“I’m incredibly proud of my team, who work hard every day to provide excellent service at the camp.

“The Ofsted inspection went very well, and we had a fantastic experience, especially given that we had been open for only three years.

“The report was recently published and reflects the high standards of our camp, which also supports the exceptional care we provide at Bee Happy Preschool (in Hedgerley, Slough).

Bee Happy Preschool completed its first year and ‘is looking forward to an exciting year ahead,’ she added.