Busy Bees Canterbury

The Riverside Children's Centre, Kingsmead Road, Canterbury CT2 7PH
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7.8 23 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Canterbury, Canterbury
Busy Bees Canterbury welcomes children from babies through to preschool age to ensure your little one has the absolute best start in life. Located close by to the banks of the River Stour, the nursery is a safe and welcoming spot where children are encouraged to try new things, develop skills, and make new friends.

The nursery offers a warm and welcoming environment throughout each of the rooms, which are tailored to suit each age group. Each room is filled with age-appropriate activities and learning resources so that your child receives everything they need to grow, develop, and prepare for school.

There are several additional facilities, including a sensory room and an outdoor play space throughout the nursery. The sensory room provides access to equipment specially designed to allow children to explore their senses. Throughout the outdoor space, your child can challenge themselves on the mini obstacle course and learn to take safe risks in a supervised environment.

There are endless opportunities for your child’s mind and body to stay active during their stay at Busy Bees Canterbury. With a variety of stimulating activities, there is something to cater for every child’s needs and interests so that your child will stay engaged. The passionate team are committed to providing every child with the best care to ensure your child explores their imagination and has fun whilst in their care.

Busy Bees work hard to make parents’ lives easier, they provide younger children with nappies and wipes, as well as snacks, meals, and drinks from the NHS-accredited menus. This is all included in your fees.

If you'd like to find out more about the fantastic facilities and meet the friendly team at Busy Bees nursery Canterbury, please book a visit today.
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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Lisa Farrow (Centre Director)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 31

Total Places for Children

  • 80

Age Range

  • from 0 years 3 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Opening Times

  • Monday 08:00-18:00
    Tuesday 08:00-18:00
    Wednesday 08:00-18:00
    Thursday 08:00-18:00
    Friday 08:00-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Busy Bees Canterbury Reviews (23)

7.8

Busy Bees Canterbury has a Review Score of 7.8 (7.792) out of 10, based on 2 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Busy Bees Canterbury has 23 reviews.

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Review from Emmanuel I (Father of Child) published on 30 April 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A very nice and warm environment for kids. Good carers and educators and my child enjoys his days at school. His interaction and words are improving as he tries to join multiple words together.
In general, I have enjoyed the communication between the nursery and parents.
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Review from Heloise F (Mother of Child) published on 26 April 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child has been attending this nursery for the last three years and recently my 10-month-old has been admitted. Both my kids love being there and are very well looked after. The staff are amazing and very friendly. Never had any complaints. Truly an amazing place.
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Review from Natalie A (Mother of Child) published on 17 October 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter who is now nearly 3 years old has been at Busy Bees since she was 1 year old. I cannot recommend the nursery enough! From the amazing teams in the rooms, to the fabulous food that I can smell being cooked freshly every day (that my daughter always asks for seconds of!) and to the management
team who are always readily available to answer questions and support.
My daughter has absolutely thrived at this nursery and is so confident and happy, as a result. We have just had another baby and reserved our space early to ensure she would be able to attend too. Feeling confident and having a safe, happy environment for your children to attend, while at work, is so important and I have felt this from day one with the team at Busy Bees, Canterbury! Thank you to the centre director, assistant centre director and team!
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Review from Jenna W (Mother of Child) published on 10 October 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The staff genuinely care about the children in their care. My son is very confident at going to nursery and playing with his friends. Enjoy seeing photos of him throughout the week doing different activities.
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Review from Victoria R (Mother of Child) published on 14 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Busy Bees is a really friendly place, and the staff are wonderful. The pre-school room (Bluebells) has been a particular delight. The food is varied, nutritious and homemade every day. My son runs to nursery in the morning!
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Review from Rose W (Mother of Child) published on 11 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of my children attend Busy Bees at Canterbury and have fun packed busy days, surrounded by friends and caring staff. The app is brilliant to find out how your little one is doing throughout the day and drop offs and pickups are always great to pass on any information. The staff are always willing
to listen and support.
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Review from Helen W (Mother of Child) published on 11 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has thrived at Busy Bees at Canterbury. He started at twelve months and will be leaving for school this September, we have both had many happy years here. The nursery is welcoming and supportive. He is encouraged to play and learn. I feel confident and comfortable that he is in safe hands. Thanks
to the manager and all my sons amazing key workers, especially two of them who have given him the most amazing start in life.
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Review from Zoe R (Mother of Child) published on 16 April 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been at this nursury since she was six weeks old, five weeks for settling. She is five this year. The standard of care she has had though her journey has been above and beyond. Each room has been a change but in a positive way, the nursery and staff have nurtured my daughter, supporting
her confidence and supporting her growth. The food given daily is fantastic and prepped on site and this was one of the pull factors to this nursery when viewing five years ago. Highly recommend. The coronavirus pandemic has been difficult for us all but the nursery has been able to keep some of the normality for the children, whilst ensuring processes are in place. My daughter has continued to thrive despite what’s happening in the world. Highly recommend. My daughter is ready to start school and is being prepared by her key worker and staff in her room.
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Review from Claire B (Mother of Child) published on 16 April 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have a three year old daughter and one year old son who have both attended Busy Bees at Canterbury since they were nine months old. The staff, facilities, including an amazing garden and varied, freshly cooked food all ensure that they are not only happy in such an engaging environment but also that
their development excels. I cannot rate Busy Bees at Canterbury highly enough and am so grateful to the wonderful staff for taking such good care of our children.
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Review from Rebecca T (Mother of Child) published on 16 April 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our child has thrived in Busy Bees at Canterbury despite starting in a pandemic! The staff have become an extended family, where he can't see his own. We are very thankful for the care they have provided. The updates we get through the app are also great.
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Review from Ian B (Father of Child) published on 14 November 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We couldn't rate Busy Bees at Canterbury any higher. The facilities, resources, activities, outside garden area and food are all great. But the real asset is the team. Everyone from the management, the chef and especially the teams in the rooms are outstanding. They really care for every child's needs,
forming lovely bonds. Everything they do is based around play alongside learning and we have really seen development steps leap forward with almost every session. And we also feel very safe - internal care is first class but so are the safeguarding measures in place. We couldn't be happier with Busy Bees and the team and are so glad we found them.
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Review from Anna P (Mother of Child) published on 29 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter is three years old and has been attending Busy Bees since she was one. Whilst it took a while for her to settle in, the team supported her well to ensure she felt confident in her new surroundings. Since then she has gone from strength to strength and now thoroughly enjoys her days at nursery.
The care and attention shown by the staff are second to none and, as a parent, I feel happy that my daughter is well looked after and offered a variety of educational and fun activities.
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Review from Brenda M (Mother of Child) published on 27 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
As a mother of Twins, Busy Bees have shown so much commitment and treated them as individuals. They recognise individuals and that both children have different needs and they have become so confident in all areas of development. The keyworkers are all lovely and so easy to talk to and express any concerns.
The twins love going to nursery, they participate in many different activities, it is truly is a lovely environment for children to grow and learn and prepares them well for the life of school. Something we have had a great encouragement and support with.
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Review from Aysha C (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been attending Busy Bees Canterbury nursery for almost 3 years now and absolutely loves it. She thoroughly enjoys the outdoor space and range of activities that the staff provide. The key person approach is exceptional as are all the other staff, caring and understanding of a childs
individual needs.
I feel happy knowing that she will have a great day every day and that she is being looked after well.
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Review from Kate N (Mother of Child) published on 19 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my girls will have gone through this nursery, from the baby room to the pre-school room and we have found it brilliant. My younger daughter is currently in Snowdrops and has been incredibly happy and settled, even during the transitions to new rooms. Her key people have always been thoughtful,
committed and sensitive to her needs and we did not have a moment’s hesitation in sending her, especially having seen her sister so happy. The staff are approachable, kind and sensible and the garden space is brilliant for little ones. I can’t recommend it highly enough and think it’s worth every penny!
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Review from Karen (Mother of Child) published on 19 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter is so happy at Busy Bees at Canterbury. The staff are excellent, clearly well trained and there is a very consistent approach from all staff to all children. It’s an all hands on deck approach which means I’ve met many staff and it’s given me a wider view of the nursery staff even though
my daughter has only been in the baby room so far. It was highly recommended to me and i will ensure I highly recommend it to anyone else in need of a nursery! Great team, lovely caring people.
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Review from Sarah C (Mother of Child) published on 30 November 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have been really impressed with the level of care and attention my child has received. He has truly blossomed in such a supportive environment. He loves his keyworker, and when I collect him at the end of the day, he is always eager to tell me about all the activities they did together.
The facilities
are excellent and well-maintained. The staff are enthusiastic and happy and a pleasure to deal with. The outside space is fantastic and the range of freshly cooked meals is excellent.
I would definitely recommend this nursery to my friends and family.
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Review from Adam W (Father of Child) published on 15 November 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
To the parents out there who live in or near Canterbury, I highly recommend Busy Bees at Canterbury Nursery.


What's not to Love.....the whole place is incredible! The facilities are great, the staff are amazing, big garden and it is a highly effective learning environment.


My 22-month-old daughter

has been going here since she was 6 months old and it was the best decision we made, as she is the most confident, caring and cleverest girl ever!! Obviously us as parents have a massive influence on this but I don't want to take all the credit as I really do feel the Busy Bees at Canterbury have indeed been a huge factor in the way she has grown up, they really do nurture and help your children develop in so many ways, not just look after your children. This fact alone really does set it apart from the rest.


My recently born son will also be joining the nursery next year and I look forward to seeing him enjoy it as much as my daughter does!

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Review from Rachel D (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter loves it here!


The facilities are excellent: the building is purpose built so the rooms are bright and spacious. The garden is very big and they spend a lot of time out there.


The staff are lovely: our key worker has built up a great relationship with my daughter and it is obvious

that my daughter is delighted to see her each day. The activities are varied and fun and the equipment is good.


The only negative is that it is so popular that it is sometimes difficult to get extra sessions (although they will always try!)

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Review from Katie S (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has attended Busy Bees for the last 10 months and he absolutely loves it there, the staff are lovely and always provide lots of information about what he has been up to during the day. There are lots of toys and equipment for the children to play with and they also regularly paint and draw pictures
which are sent home. I would definitely recommend this nursery and my baby daughter will be attending in the new year once I go back to work. I feel confident that they are well looked after and cared for.
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Current Review Score: 7.8 (7.792)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 7.8 (7.792) out of 10 for Busy Bees Canterbury is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.5 out of 5 from 2 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.3 out of 5 from 2 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.542 for Busy Bees Canterbury is calculated as follows: ( (13 Excellents x 5) + (11 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 24 Ratings = 4.542
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 3.25 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Canterbury is based on 2 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 = 3.125
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 80 number of registered child places is 16. 2 Positive Reviews ÷ 16 = 0.125
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (1)

Meet the Team (1)

Lisa

Lisa Farrow

Job Title: Centre Director Joined: 2006

I have managed the Canterbury nursery since we opened in 2006 and I was previously the manager of another nursery in Kent. I have been working with children for 19 years and have gained my NNEB Diploma in Nursery Nursing and my Advanced Diploma in Childcare and Education. I also have a Grade A certificate in Advanced Practice in Working with Babies. Most recently I have worked towards my Leadership and Capability Programme which has furthered my knowledge in management.


During my time at Canterbury I have had the opportunity to gain additional training and experiences which I use to support my staff team at the nursery. These include SENCO, Safeguarding and First aid.


I genuinely believe that working with children is the best job in the world. Our team at Canterbury know how privileged we are to be working with children in some of the most important years of their lives. It is an honour that parents entrust us with their children’s care and we do our best to ensure that they have a fantastic nursery experience while learning so much at the same time.


I am passionate about working well in partnership with parents as they are their children’s first and most enduring educators. I am also keen to develop the staff’s skills, knowledge and understanding within childcare. It gives me great satisfaction to see them work their way up within the nursery and develop their career.


Our staff hold qualifications ranging from Level 2 in Childcare and Development to a BA (Hons) Degree in Primary Education. Our Assistant Manager holds Early Years Professional Status. Our team at Canterbury are dedicated to providing the best possible standard of care for children’s learning and development and work hard to ensure individual children’s needs are met.

Frequently Asked Questions about Busy Bees Canterbury

What is the Age Range of Children that Busy Bees Canterbury accepts?

Busy Bees Canterbury accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Busy Bees Canterbury Open?

Busy Bees Canterbury is open: Monday 08:00-18:00, Tuesday 08:00-18:00, Wednesday 08:00-18:00, Thursday 08:00-18:00, Friday 08:00-18:00.

How many Children does Busy Bees Canterbury have capacity for?

Busy Bees Canterbury has capacity for a total of 80 Children.

How far is Busy Bees Canterbury to the centre of Canterbury?

0.6 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Busy Bees Canterbury to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Busy Bees Canterbury has an Enhanced Service - more info.