Busy Bees Newbury

Monks Lane, Newbury RG14 7TD
Review Us
8.5 38 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Newbury, Newbury
Busy Bees Newbury, is well-situated to assist local parents in a positive and convenient way with their childcare needs. Registered with Ofsted to welcome up to 104 children, from babies of two months old to pre-school children of five years.

Features that make this nursery an ideal place for children to learn include a selection of play rooms, with two specialist pre-school rooms and two toddler rooms, a secure outdoor play area and the opportunity for messy play.

All staff are CRB checked and up-to-date with health and safety issues, with regular risk assessments and an on-site chefs producing a nutritious menu.
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Funding & Fees

Contact Busy Bees Newbury to get a personalised quote.

Contact Busy Bees Newbury to get a personalised quote.

Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Lucy Hills-Harding (Centre Director)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 20

Total Places for Children

  • 104

Age Range

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

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:00
    Tuesday 07:30-18:00
    Wednesday 07:30-18:00
    Thursday 07:30-18:00
    Friday 07:30-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays

Busy Bees Newbury Reviews (38)

8.5

Busy Bees Newbury has a Review Score of 8.5 (8.546) out of 10, based on 4 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Busy Bees Newbury has 38 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
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Reviewer Connection to Busy Bees Newbury
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Total of 38, showing 1-20
Review from Ellie P (Mother of Child) published on 12 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We honestly couldn't be happier with this nursery. The staff are so caring, kind and genuinely dedicated to the children.
Lucy was incredible when we first joined - we had just had a really awful experience with a childminder and she went out of her way to help us, managing to get my little boy a place
at very short notice. That support meant so much to us at a stressful time.
My son has been attending since he was 10 months old and he's now 2½. He absolutely loves it - he literally runs into nursery in the morning and often doesn't want to leave when I pick him up, which says everything about how happy and secure he feels there.
I'm so grateful for the care, patience and effort the whole team put in every day. It's such a lovely, nurturing environment and I would recommend it to any parent.
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Review from Gemma T (Mother of Child) published on 2 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Having just enrolled my daughter here (today is her first full day) I can only give a brief review of our time so far, but it's been faultless. We've been welcomed with open arms, feeling more than just a number. The settling in days have been great, and vital, for both me as an anxious mum, and for
our child to get to grips with a whole new way of life. Very excited for our time to come with everyone at busy bees.
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Review from Alina W (Mother of Child) published on 2 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Amazing care and children development. My son is coming to home happy, singing multiple songs and counting, being just 2 he understands perfectly and he talks so much.
We as parents we love Busy Bees and all the team :)
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Review from B K (Mother of Child) published on 2 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter loves it at Busy Bees - Lucy is amazing and the team are great too. They have a lot of patience and care for my daughter who sometimes needs extra cuddles! Activities like the animal visits and yoga lessons have been great! Food options are also good and provide a chance for my daughter
to try lots of new, healthy things.
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Review from J L (Mother of Child) published on 2 June 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has enjoyed his 3 years of time at Busy Bees nursery and I would recommend it for anyone else. It’s not been the easiest of times given the pandemic for 2 years - I believe they did their best against the open challenges. Compared to any other nursery, the fee was a reasonable one, especially
for a child attending all 5 days. My son will really miss attending this nursery as he plans to start school from September.
Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees NewburyHello,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such a wonderful review! We’re glad you’re giving your little one the best start in life with us.
40 years of Busy Bees – 40 years of best beginnings. Join us as we celebrate our milestone year, visit our Busy Bees website or search for ’40 years Busy Bees’ to find out more and how to participate! We’re grateful for your trust and the opportunity to provide your child with the best start in life. Best wishes, Busy Bees
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Review from Tania N (Mother of Child) published on 10 November 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter joined Busy Bees at the end of July and it has been one of our best decisions. I was nervous about my daughter starting full-time, but she adjusted so quickly and absolutely loves her time there. A big part of this is down to the staff, who are all friendly, caring, and engaging. My daughter
adores her key person, who is attentive, patient and just an all-round star! They do lots of varied activities throughout the day and their meals are amazing. Overall, this is a great nursery, which I highly recommend!
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Review from C J (Mother of Child) published on 10 November 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My children love going to Busy Bees, Newbury. The staff are always friendly and helpful, doing whatever they can to ensure the children are happy. Post covid, you can now go back into the nursery for drop off and collections, so you can get a glimpse of the children playing in their rooms, which is
lovely. They have also reintroduced the parents' evenings, although you can always get time to speak with the staff if/when needed. Overall, I would recommend the nursery. When choosing a nursery, we looked at a few local options, but this one had the best feel about it. Some of the staff have been there a long time, which says something about the place as a whole, I think.
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Review from L W (Mother of Child) published on 9 November 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Really happy with my daughter's progress since being at nursery. She has come on so well and is so much more confident, within herself and I can't thank the staff enough. It makes me feel happy with how she has settled in.
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Review from L W (Mother of Child) published on 9 November 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Great nursery! The team are amazing and my little boy loves it, especially one member of staff in particular, who is a credit to the company. The app is great and keeps communication between parents and nursery very smooth, especially with knowing what your child has eaten.
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Review from L S (Mother of Child) published on 25 January 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Busy Bees staff are always very caring and friendly and my daughter enjoys going to pre-school. The activities such as paintings, photo frames, gifts at Christmas - like the reindeer food are very creative and thoughtful. I have had a few issues on the admin side with invoices being incorrect but otherwise,
I'm very happy. The manager is excellent and lovely. It is a pity we haven't been able to do things like the carol concerts due to covid and that we can't enter anymore.
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Review from C H (Mother of Child) published on 10 January 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Manager and staff are so friendly, encouraging and engaging. Total trust in the nursery - recommend to all. Given our son so much confidence and great experiences. They've got to know him so well. Don't love the app - it often won't log in and then logs out, this needs addressing. Cannot wait to see
his brother love it too!
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Review from Lesley S (Mother of Child) published on 3 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our two girls joined Busy Bees at Newbury a month ago after we moved to the Newbury area. Both children had previously been at nursery and pre-school, were settled, had friends and I was very nervous about the huge changes they were going through with the new house, moving away from friends as well
as starting a new nursery. I need not have worried, from their settling sessions onward's the staff at Busy Bees at Newbury have been amazing. We have not had a single day where the girls have not wanted to go into nursery and they both come out with huge smiles on their faces at the end of each day, with stories of what they have been doing all day. In a short time both girls have developed a real bond with their key person and this is due to the kind, caring and fun nature of the team members. I cannot recommend the manager and her team enough!
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Review from E B (Mother of Child) published on 16 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
This is a fantastic nursery with wonderful staff. My son has attended since 8 months old and is now over 2 and loves going in every day. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and really help with his development by doing age-appropriate activities. They are fed a great varied diet and get to spend
time outside most days. As a parent, I am very happy with the service provided and the feedback I get on progress.
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Review from Emily D (Mother of Child) published on 15 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A lovely nursery and Preschool. The staff are so wonderful and the atmosphere is always so welcoming. My daughter loves being a ‘Busy Bee’
She is now two and a half and has begun to tell us about all the fun she has whilst at Busy Bees. She shares songs and counting with us plus tells us about the
friends she has made and she adores the practitioners there and we know this because she talks about them at home. Our daughter started there before her 1st birthday and we’ve never looked back.
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Review from Jane (Mother of Child) published on 15 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All 3 of my children have attended the nursery and I have a 13-year relationship with the team - many of whom are still working here over a decade later! I cannot recommend the nursery highly enough, from the tiny baby room to the preschool. Staff are friendly, caring and listen to all concerns. The
daily updated online system which tracks your child's progress both on a daily short term level and across months in terms of their development is incredibly helpful and gives you a real insight into their day and how they are progressing.
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Review from Erika M (Mother of Child) published on 2 March 2020 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter loves the nursery very much. The staff are very kind and helpful. My child has developed well these couple of months.
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Review from Emma P (Mother of Child) published on 26 February 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter only started the nursery in September 2019 from a previous nursery and she has settled in really well. All the staff have been amazing at making her feel welcome and included.
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Review from G W (Mother of Child) published on 24 December 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We already have one child at the nursery so we're confident that our second child would love it. Our daughter found being away from home hard at first but the team were absolutely brilliant. She has only been there for three months but you wouldn't know it. Everyone worked together to settle her in
and made it all so much less stressful. Thank you.
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Review from Stacey B (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son attends 2 mornings a week which I was concerned would mean a limited experience, I was wrong!
He loves his time at nursery and loves all the staff, it's like an extended family.
His social skills were already good but we feel nursery has really encouraged his self-confidence.
He comes home
with lots of new words/actions which makes us smile.
Looking forward to his March review on how he is progressing against his peers.
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Review from Melissa N (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been attending Busy Bees since October.
From the moment we met the staff there we have felt welcomed.
The staff greet us warmly every day. My son attends and I really feel that he is looked after well.
The staff recognised he was shy and unsure and have done their best to put him at ease,
because of this he has settled in well.
I feel informed and supported by all staff at Busy Bees.
As a mum of 5, my children have attended various nurseries over the years and Busy Bees is definitely the best.
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Current Review Score: 8.5 (8.546)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.5 (8.546) out of 10 for Busy Bees Newbury is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 4 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.6 out of 5 from 4 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 4.979 for Busy Bees Newbury is calculated as follows: ( (47 Excellents x 5) + (1 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 48 Ratings = 4.979
  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 3.567 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Newbury is based on 4 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 20 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews, 0.05 Points for the next five Positive Reviews, and finally 0.025 Points for the next ten Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.050, 7th = 0.050, 8th = 0.050, 9th = 0.050, 10th = 0.050, 11th = 0.025, 12th = 0.025, 13th = 0.025, 14th = 0.025, 15th = 0.025, 16th = 0.025, 17th = 0.025, 18th = 0.025, 19th = 0.025, 20th = 0.025) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 = 3.375
    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 104 number of registered child places is 20.8. 4 Positive Reviews ÷ 20.8 = 0.192
  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)

Lucy

Lucy Hills-Harding

Job Title: Centre Director Joined: 2015

My name is Lucy, I have been at the nursery for 7 years and have been the Centre Director since 2019. I trained in my level 3 about 14 years ago and have gained lots of experience throughout my career. I am the Nursery's Designated Safeguarding Officer. I have paediatric first aid and First Aid at work.

Frequently Asked Questions about Busy Bees Newbury

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

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

What Days & Hours is Busy Bees Newbury Open?

Busy Bees Newbury is open: Monday 07:30-18:00, Tuesday 07:30-18:00, Wednesday 07:30-18:00, Thursday 07:30-18:00, Friday 07:30-18:00.

How many Children does Busy Bees Newbury have capacity for?

Busy Bees Newbury has capacity for a total of 104 Children.

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

1.2 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 Newbury to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Busy Bees Newbury has an Enhanced Service - more info.