Busy Bees Clare Park

Beech Road, East Malling, West Malling ME19 6DY
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8.4 55 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Clare Park, West Malling
Busy Bees Clare Park is located in park-like surroundings in the grounds of the Malling School in East Malling.

The nursery provides childcare services for children who are of a range of ages and is ideally situated for local schools in Leybourne, Aylesford, Larkfield and East and West Malling.

Children in each age group at the nursery have their own fully-equipped play room with a skilled and dedicated care team who plan a range of activities both in and outside of the nursery. All rooms have access to the nursery's outdoor space and the communal garden offers a sensory experienice for children as they investigate and explore.

The nursery offers an after-school and holiday club facilities and is located near to junctions four and five of the M20, and is situated between East and West Malling railway stations.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Kelly Maskell (Centre Director)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 28

Total Places for Children

  • 84

Age Range

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

Opening Times

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

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays

Parking

  • Located in the grounds of the Malling Secondary School, parking is available to the front of the nursery and also at the top of the car park.

Busy Bees Clare Park Reviews (55)

8.4

Busy Bees Clare Park 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 Clare Park has 55 reviews.

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Review from Jenny G (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
I think the staff at Busy Bees Clare Park are fantastic and have a great relationship with the kids. It’s a relief to know my daughter is happy with the people she is with as it’s not a nice thing to have to leave your child with others when they are still small anyway so this definitely helps. She
is very energetic and loves being outside so I’m glad she has the opportunity to go outside as much as she does. The food also seems good from what I have had of it!
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Review from Habeeda O (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Despite this being a ‘chain’ nursery the team here are fantastic and it very much has a family feel. We now have both our toddler and baby here and love it. They are happy and thriving. One thing in particular I recently discovered is that siblings often spend together in the day and have tea together.
This was not something we’d have even thought of when looking as we only had the one child but an example of the nursery keeping the children at the centre of everything they do.
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Review from Kim T (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Lovely nursery, he enjoys going, he always comes out very happy. I would absolutely recommend this nursery to friends and family members.
Staff are lovely always welcoming, good food and outside area.
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Review from Sarah D (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Friendly staff. Child focused. Lots of activities and photographs to keep parents updated. Both my children seem very happy and settled there.
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Review from Kealy G (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
BB Clare Park was one of ‘many’ nurseries I viewed whilst pregnant and when my son was born. I knew as soon as I walked in with my son that this was ‘the one’. It has a wonderful family feel, everything they do is about the kids, very welcoming, friendly, co operative, great communication skills. The
app really helped with the initial few months (although I would ask and receive all the information when picking my son up) it was there to check whenever you wanted. I love that pictures and development skills/objectives are loaded on there too. I would highly recommend Busy Bees Clare Park. One last thing, the kids have there very own on-site chef! Amazing!
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Review from Tanya S (Mother of Child) published on 4 February 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A Fantastic nursery. My daughter is very happy being cared for by professional, friendly staff. She is welcomed with open arms every day and is very relaxed in the secure environment.
The nursery caters for every child's needs including dietary requirements, a wide range of activities and outside
play space.
I would have no hesitation to recommend busy bees nursery at east malling to any parent wanting care for their child.
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Review from Abigail B (Mother of Child) published on 31 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Busy Bees East Malling are very good at doing a variety of fun activities everyday for the children and the care they offer the children is excellent. Would definitely recommend. My child is always very happy after a day at nursery and particularly loves outdoor time which the nursery always makes an
effort to include in the day wherever possible.
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Review from Michelle D (Mother of Child) published on 31 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My two children love going to BusyBbees nursery in Clare Park, East Malling.
I always pick up very happy children and feel comforted in the knowledge they’ve had a fun-filled day. All the staff, from the onsite chef to the accounts person, offers a friendly smile on approach. The little touches that
this nursery provides, i.e. a coffee/tea and breakfast snacks for adults to help themselves to in the mornings, confirms this nursery really cares. I feel very happy with my choice of nursery and recommend to anyone that asks to go and view them.
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Review from Hannah W (Mother of Child) published on 31 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Our son has attended Busy Bees from a very young age and we have always been very happy with the level of care given. The nursery has helped him to become a very happy and confident boy, and I’m sure so much of this comes from the social interaction provided.
They provide a range of activities and
always keep us informed of his day to day activities. All the staff at Busy Bees are very friendly and always professional. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending the nursery to others.
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Review from Abby W (Mother of Child) published on 28 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The Ladies and Gent (the Chef) are a godsend! Great activities, lovely food made on site, grab and go station (they even look after the parents) and great outdoor space!
Every day I walk in to drop off my son and he is welcomed by smiles and open arms! They have lots of activities up and running by
the time we hit the doors at 8.00 a.m. so that it distracts the ‘drop off’ and the kids can get stuck right in. The staff work their tails off and must be physically and mentally challenged on a daily basis but they never show it. Even at the end of the day, they are full of smiles and good vibes. I’m so grateful for each and every one of them and am so glad I chose Busy Bees! Thank you!!!
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Review from Marie H (Mother of Child) published on 25 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter was welcomed into the nursery and I was made to feel instantly at ease upon leaving her in the care of all the staff. I am regularly given updates on how she is progressing and this is also shown in her home environment and when interacting with other children outside of the home. I truly
believe this is due to the excellent staff and their passion for bringing out the best in all of the children. They make an enormous amount of effort and now my daughter asks to go to nursery every day. I am so pleased we chose Busy Bees.
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Review from Kortni D (Mother of Child) published on 25 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been attending Busy Bees for around 2 years. He has learnt so much from being there. The staff at Busy Bees at Clare Park, East Mailing are outstanding and I couldn’t ask for a better nursery for my son to attend.
The staff here are amazing and very friendly. My son had made some lovely
friends since being here and I know he will miss it very much when he attends school in September.
I would highly recommend this nursery to parents looking to send their child here.
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Review from Gemma G (Mother of Child) published on 25 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Friendly welcoming nursery. My girls are very happy there.
There are always things going on there, special days, activities and over Christmas, they held a great Christmas fare which many families attended.
The staff are very welcoming and show great commitment to your child’s development and progression.
They are also very mindful of how you are feeling as a parent, so if your child is unsettled and they can see your concern they will call you later in the day to reassure you.
A very lovely nursery.
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Review from Chloe P (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Busy Bees are a very supportive community, both with child and parents.
They go above and beyond to help support the child's needs, goals and achievements.
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Review from Emily B (Mother of Child) published on 14 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My eldest son attended the nursery (he's now at school) and my youngest is currently in the Intermediate room. The nursery staff are all fabulous - they are friendly, helpful and professional. My boys love attending and always have so much fun. The in-house chef makes amazing lunches and dinners and
the children are introduced to a wide range of foods.
I would recommend Clare Park to everyone.
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Review from Gemma S (Mother of Child) published on 17 April 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery has been a great place for my son to be while I'm at work. He enjoys his time there and looks forward to going. This is down to the enthusiasm of the staff and the commitment and care that they show for the children. He has built very good relationships with the staff and other children
that attend and always seems to have had a fun day.
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Review from Kathryn N (Mother of Child) published on 4 April 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my boys have busy and enjoyable days at Clare Park Busy Bees.
The free-flow into the outside, age-specific play areas and the enthusiasm of the room managers in particular, are the factors which helped me decide this was the right nursery setting for my children.
The on-site chef makes fantastic
food and even the occasional treat for the parents during morning drop off!
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Review from Sam D (Father of Child) published on 4 April 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son absolutely loves going to nursery here, the staff are lovely, the rooms are well looked after and the kids get to do all sorts of activities, I'm even jealous of the food!
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Review from Katy H (Mother of Child) published on 21 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I cannot rate this nursery highly enough, not only is it friendly and welcoming to both my child and us as a family but my son's development has been amazing. All the little events and themes really make it a pleasure and I feel so confident leaving my pride and joy with them every day.
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Review from Emma (Mother of Child) published on 20 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both our daughters started in the baby room at Busy Bees (eldest is currently in primary school reception) and youngest is currently in the pre-school room at the nursery. We have had a fantastic experience.
The girls absolutely love(d) their time there, and have been so well looked after. The nursery
is like a family, the staff know your children, they really care and there is always a hugely positive atmosphere. There are always lots of lovely activities and experiences for the children - lots of messy play, loads of outdoor play and learning. The children feel safe and secure, they have their key-worker who they (and you) really build a relationship with so you know how your child is getting on.
The chef cooks high-quality food which is varied and healthy. It's a happy place. My daughter's primary school told us that the handover and communication they received from Busy Bees was better than any other local nursery. The nursery has been a very supportive partner in raising our girls.
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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 Clare Park 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 3 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.4 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 4.972 for Busy Bees Clare Park is calculated as follows: ( (35 Excellents x 5) + (1 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 36 Ratings = 4.972
  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 3.429 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Clare Park 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 84 number of registered child places is 16.8. 3 Positive Reviews ÷ 16.8 = 0.179
  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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Kelly Maskell

Job Title: Centre Director Joined: 2008

My name is Kelly. I am the manager here at Clare Park. I joined the team here in 2008 as an Assistant Centre Director and progressed to Centre Director in 2009.


I have worked with babies and young children since 1998, and this is my 2nd managerial role. I have two children, both of which attended the nursery, and holiday club.


I hold a CACHE level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education and achieved an NVQ level 4, and more recently, a Level 5 in Leadership and Management since joining the team here at Clare Park.


My passions for the nursery are providing varied and stimulating outdoor play for all children as well as making strong links with our local community. There is nothing I enjoy more than an extra curricular event, we have been very lucky to enjoy some fabulous events over the years ranging from Royal Weddings to Scarecrow celebrations!


My personal passion is providing children with awareness of our world and how we can protect nature and support our own wellbeing simultaneously. Our exciting new Friday Club for our preschool children, promotes skills and awareness of these important features of our daily life whilst also encouraging healthy lifestyles.

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