Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge

Rothamstead Lodge, Hatching Green, Harpenden AL5 2JS
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8.4 47 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge, Harpenden
Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge, Harpenden, offers a fun and friendly learning environment, suited to help children develop independent learning skills and many extra-curricular activities.

A well-resourced interior is backed up by a large and secure outdoor area, with a separate baby garden, all of which is overseen by a fully-qualified team of professionals.

The nursery benefits from being a part of the largest UK childcare provider which even has its own National Resource Centre for training, advice and expertise.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Holly Pryor (Acting Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 20

Total Places for Children

  • 64

Age Range

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

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:15-18:30
    Tuesday 07:15-18:30
    Wednesday 07:15-18:30
    Thursday 07:15-18:30
    Friday 07:15-18:30

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge Reviews (47)

8.4

Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge has a Review Score of 8.4 (8.401) out of 10, based on 3 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge has 47 reviews.

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Review from Charles C (Father of Child) published on 28 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
This is an excellent nursery where the heart of the nursery are the children. It is extremely well run and managed. My daughter is in the preschool room where they enjoy an excellent mix of learning and play. A lot of hard work and preparation goes into structuring the day and my daughter has come
on considerably since joining the preschool room. I can strongly recommend Busy Bees Rothamsted.
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Review from Felicity C (Mother of Child) published on 28 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
This is an outstanding nursery and we are so delighted to be a part of this happy community. We joined from another nursery a year ago and have watched our daughter flourish in the excellent preschool room. The quality of learning provision in this room is exceptional and reflects on the calibre of
staff employed by the nursery. It is a wonderfully warm and welcoming nursery and all staff across the nursery know us and our daughter well. There is a strong management presence at pick-up/drop-off which ensures excellent communication. We have been particularly impressed by the opportunities for learning outside of the classroom (the outdoor space and activities were a key draw to us); in December, for example, there was a trip to the pantomime and there was recently a trip to a local farm to learn about wheat from which the children baked their own bread. We would like to express our thanks to everyone at Busy Bees for creating such a fun, caring and inspirational learning environment.
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Review from Abigail E (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My Daughter has attended this nursery since she was one year old and is now in the Toddler Room. I am extremely happy with the care that she received in the Baby Room and now gets in the Toddler Room. She is always happy to be dropped off and is always happy at the end of the day, obviously having had
a fun day, good food and a decent nap. She has thrived due to the routine the nursery provides, but more importantly from the staff's thoughtful and attentive care. The toys, books and other facilities offer everything she needs to have fun and develop. The staff manage the challenges that come with a room full of babies/toddlers with professionalism, sensitivity and patience - they are great and deserve so much praise and thanks from me and my family. We would definitely recommend the nursery.
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Review from Lisa S (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The pre-school room has fantastic learning, my daughter has come along way since being within that room and she had a good amount of time in the garden. My daughter' confidence is very good now and she socialises well. We have made some good relationships with the carers.
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Review from Maria C (Mother of Child) published on 23 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My husband and I went to several nurseries as we were unhappy with the care our son received at a previous nursery. We also visited those with an outstanding Ofsted rating.
I have to say Busy Bees at Rothamsted Lodge have been the best out of all them. They have been very warm and welcoming right from
the beginning. The staff look like they all love being there and are very engaged with the kids. The children, in turn, are very happy (including my son) and there’s a lot of outdoor play even for the babies which was very important for us as our son loves being outside from very little. The staff in the baby and the tots room have been so brilliant in catering to my son's allergies and skin care. They have treated him with so much love and care as I would at home and I honestly can’t fault them for anything. I feel so confident leaving him in their care as they’re always so excited to see him and I can see the feeling is mutual as he forgets to say goodbye to me most days.
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Review from Naomi O (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been attending since her first birthday and is now nearly four and in the preschool room - she could not be happier. The preschool team are fantastic at combining learning and fun and I cannot recommend them more highly. I don’t know how they fit so much into a day with such enthusiasm!
Outside space is the best I have seen at a nursery (and I have visited quite a few) and very well utilised.
Management are visible every day, very welcoming, always available for a chat and flexible (accommodating extra days, etc. when possible).
Food is healthy, good quality and varied and we especially like the home-baked birthday cakes!
I think Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge is an excellent choice of nursery and we will be very sad when we move up to big school next year.
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Review from Juliette W (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Absolutely fantastic nursery! My little girl has been attending for nearly a year and even on her initial visit (age 18 months) was extremely happy to stay and play! The staff are incredibly friendly. The manager and her team make you and your child feel welcome and make your little one feel special.
The outside area is fantastic and so are the resources, equipment and activities. I couldn't recommend this nursery more.
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Review from Rozina B (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I believe that pre-school really helped my daughter to prepare for Reception class. One staff member, in particular, played a key part in my daughter's development. Her approach, I believe is the right balance between fun, encouraging the children to become independent and challenging them!
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Review from Sara L (Mother of Child) published on 31 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My Daughter is very settled within the nursery and is always happy to see the members of staff in the mornings. The staff are very friendly and helpful and are easy to talk to for feedback during the day. My little girl is always talking about nursery and all the different activities that she is taking
part in. I would definitely recommend this nursery to anyone.
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Review from Tim B (Father of Child) published on 29 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
With our 2 children 3 years apart in age we have been using the services of Busy Lodge for almost 7 years. In this time we have been very pleased with the level of support and care that our children have received. Over the years there have been a number of staff changes, however, there has always been
the right balance of experience, enthusiasm and support across the team as a whole. We have been particularly fortunate that both our children benefitted from having exceptional key workers at important stages in their development in either Toddlers or Pre-school. The lodge itself is a fantastic facility in a safe/secure location, with excellent indoor and outdoor play potential. Food was high quality with the kitchen team unchanged across the 7 years. Highly recommend.
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Review from Charlotte b (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My Daughter loves attending this Nursery and has developed and progressed more then I could have expected.


The staff and chef are great and really helpful. I'm always confident that she is in a safe and caring environment and I'm always assured that she has eaten well.

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Review from Jennifer S (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We thoroughly recommend Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge. The staff are incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, helpful and go out of their way to make sure everything is running smoothly and you're happy. Our child has attended since 11months old and has blossomed from her time there, in both the babies room
and now tots. She has great relationships with all the staff as they all care. Both the indoor and outdoor spaces are lovely, and they can move freely between both. The food has always been great and they take allergies and preferences very seriously, and it's always very clean. The online system is really helpful, and the staff are diligent at keeping the records of food, sleep, changes up to date, along with photos and activities. Management is brilliant, always available to talk, and you always feel safe there. They provide so much so it's always felt great value. We are incredibly happy that we chose Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge.
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Review from Rupert C (Father of Child) published on 28 December 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We picked this nursery based on a friends recommendation, and never looked at the website or an Ofsted report. On our first visit we felt that the staff loved their jobs and that the children seemed very happy. Our daughter has been attending the nursery for over a year and she has always loved going
and has progressed dramatically. The set up is very good with parental feedback every term and daily up-dates on the parent website. It is good to know that the security is very high with access only being allowed through a buzzer system. The food is very good and my daughter loves the food and even tries to go back for seconds. Overall very happy with the nursery.
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Review from Emma C (Mother of Child) published on 13 November 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been attending Busy Bees Hatching Green since she was one, she is now three and loves every minute of nursery. She has really warmed to the staff there and the nursery feel is very friendly and has a real family feel about it. When my daughter had her two-year review by the health visitor,
it was very obvious to the health visitor that she attended a good nursery as her language and awareness etc is very, very good, and I have to give a lot of this credit to Busy Bees Hatching Green. She is coming along leaps and bounds and amazes us every day. They were a huge support with potty training and she grasped it very quickly. My youngest daughter will be attending the baby room in January 2018.
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Review from Emma R (Mother of Child) published on 13 November 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son started two months ago in the babies room. I was nervous sending him to nursery as he is the youngest of three and I had never used nurseries before but the experience has been lovely. All the staff are so friendly and helpful. My son is so relaxed and smiley when I drop him off and pick him
up. The room and garden are lovely. All the staff, not only those in his area all make a fuss of him when we arrive and my older children love coming with me to drop him off and they wish they could stay!!! I only have good things to say.
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Review from Emma S (Mother of Child) published on 24 October 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter loves this nursery, she started in babies and has moved all the way through and will be starting the Pre-School in the next few months. She looks forward to going into nursery and sometimes doesn’t even want to come home! The nursery uses a wide variety of resources and there are always
fun activities. The staff are always friendly, happy and approachable, and I feel very comfortable leaving my daughter in their care. My next child is on the way and will definitely be attending Busy Bees at Rothamsted Lodge.
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Review from Hannah (Mother of Child) published on 18 October 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our little girl started at nursery aged 7 months in June and could not be happier. The staff are really caring and know her little quirks so well.
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Review from Catherine D (Mother of Child) published on 18 October 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has been at Busy Bees Rothamsted for nearly 2 years and she absolutely loves it. It has been a wonderful place for her to grow and develop. She has been really happy there and has made some lasting friendships.


The staff are very supportive, friendly and professional. There is a real

family and community feel to the nursery. We receive regular feedback on how our daughters day has been and the ParentZone app is very useful. The outdoor space is fantastic. There is a lot of creativity in the activities that the children do. The food is great.
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Review from Emily B (Mother of Child) published on 12 October 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has moved right through Busy Bees Hatching Green and is now in the Pre-School room. We couldn't ask for a more stimulating and caring environment. The energy and professional nature of the staff is outstanding. We're constantly amazed by the creative learning resources and methods of engaging
the children. The children have an appropriately structured day which naturally seems to incorporate phonics, maths to science, art and home economics! The location couldn't be better with open countryside on the doorstep which the children make great use of.


We have found drop off and pick up extremely straightforward too as the car park is so large meaning no delay in running into Harpenden to catch your train.


We'll be sad to leave when school time arrives but pleased to see our child being absolutely ready given the quality of care and teaching.

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Review from L G (Mother of Child) published on 21 September 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My two children started here in June after attending another local setting. My daughter being nearly three at the time and my son one and a half. I was initially extremely worried about them settling somewhere new but the staff went above and beyond in helping the process and it felt pretty seamless.
Both my children are so happy there. They love the indoor environment, activities on offer as those planned to stretch their learning on a daily basis. The gardens are great and hours of fun is had outside. I couldn't recommend this nursery enough, so glad I made the decision to move them both.
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Current Review Score: 8.4 (8.401)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.4 (8.401) out of 10 for Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 3 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.5 out of 5 from 3 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 4.917 for Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge is calculated as follows: ( (33 Excellents x 5) + (3 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 36 Ratings = 4.917
  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 3.484 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Rothamsted Lodge is based on 3 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 + 0.125 = 3.25
    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 64 number of registered child places is 12.8. 3 Positive Reviews ÷ 12.8 = 0.234
  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)

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Holly Pryor

Job Title: Acting Centre Director

My name is Holly Pryor, and I am a caring and dedicated childcare professional who truly believes that every child deserves the best start and that the first five years of the educational journey are crucial in setting the foundation for lifelong learning.


I have a level 5 qualification in Child and Family studies and hold a level 3 in Childcare. My aim, together with my team, is to ensure that when your children are in our care, you can rest assured that they are receiving high-quality childcare while having the best time in a setting that is safe, caring and fun.

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