Busy Bees Chatham

Brunel, Chatham Maritime, Chatham ME4 4AF
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8.2 59 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Chatham, Chatham
Busy Bees Chatham is a purpose-built nursery with experienced staff who provide excellent care to support babies and toddlers in all key areas of growth and learning to ensure they have the best nursery development.

There are beautiful and well-resourced base rooms to provide your child with the best start in life. With a spacious baby room that includes a separate sleep area for your little one to rest and the bespoke Foundation Class which offers endless opportunities and learning experiences for your child to develop at their own pace. In addition to the wonderful nursery rooms available, there are generous sized outdoor play areas separated by age and stage of development so that your child can explore the outdoors too.

With a wide range of age-appropriate activities available to suit every child’s needs and interests to ensure their mind and body stay active throughout their time at nursery. Additionally, kick-boxing classes and Spanish lessons available as extra curriculum activities will allow your child to explore new interests.

This nursery is located close to local amenities such like University of Kent, Dockside Outlet Centre, the train station, and motorway links allowing ease of commuting for parents. There is also a large car park too.

If you'd like to find out more about the nursery, please contact the team.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Sarah Young and Toni Morley (Managers)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 14

Total Places for Children

  • 72

Age Range

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

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:00-19:00
    Tuesday 07:00-19:00
    Wednesday 07:00-19:00
    Thursday 07:00-19:00
    Friday 07:00-19:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays

Busy Bees Chatham Reviews (59)

8.2

Busy Bees Chatham has a Review Score of 8.2 (8.181) out of 10, based on 2 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Busy Bees Chatham has 59 reviews.

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Review from Charlotte P (Mother of Child) published on 6 September 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter had only ever stayed with family prior to starting nursery. I knew the adjustment to nursery would be tricky, but I wanted her to have a year at nursery before starting school. Busy Bees were absolutely exceptional in her transition, supportive to both my daughter and myself. We were greeted
with a smile every morning, and the genuine care the staff have for the children is so plain to see.
Every day, I felt nothing but 100% confidence in the care provided by Busy Bee's. The children got to enjoy 'fun days' like Disney dress-up day and crazy hair day, their class environment is clean with plenty of activities accessible to children. Their group activities were educational, but fun at the same time, and I could keep up to date with what my daughter was up to/eating/sleeping, etc all via an app. If that isn't enough, the staff will give you a complete rundown on collection, which just showed the attention to my daughter's day.
I would recommend Busy Bees to anyone!
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Review from Katie F (Mother of Child) published on 6 September 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has attended this nursery since he was 4 mths old. I cannot fault the care and support they have provided from supporting home routines to identifying and focusing on areas for his development. They use his interests identified in home obs. and build on these in nursery. The food provided is
of a very high standard and is nutritionally balanced. He experiences a range of foods.
Each child has a key worker however all the staff in the building know my son and interact with all children.
Twice a year they hold parents evenings where they talk in detail about his progress and next steps. However, I am able to talk to staff any point in between these parents evenings as they have an open door policy. I do not have a bad word to say about his nursery, they go above and beyond to support my son's development. I am looking forward to when my son is old enough to take part in the extra activities they offer including Spanish lessons and kickboxing!
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Review from Danielle (Mother of Child) published on 3 September 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been attending since 2017 and my 9-month-old is due to start next month. I could never run out of good things to say about Busy Bees in Chatham. They are like one big family unit - everybody seems to genuinely love their job which means this filters down to the children. All the children
are happy when I pick up my son and playing and interacting wonderfully. My son amazes me every day with the new things he has learned, and that is all thanks to Busy Bees. The biggest compliment I could ever give is that if I cannot be at home to look after my children, I’m so glad they can come to this nursery.
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Review from Rachel B (Mother of Child) published on 2 September 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My daughter loves going to nursery school. She loves interacting with her school friends and learning at the same time. She has fun playing inside and outside. The staff are friendly and understanding and take care with the children.
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Review from Anna (Mother of Child) published on 2 September 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Great nursery overall, the staff are fantastic lots of activities, great menus, plenty involvement from all. My son seems very happy there and would really recommend the nursery to anyone.
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Review from Abigail E (Mother of Child) published on 22 March 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our Daughter has been going to Busy Bees for over two years and is now in the new Foundation class. We have seen a consistent very high quality of care over all that time. She always comes away gushing about the exciting things she has been doing that day and we really feel that developmentally she
has absolutely benefited from her time there. The team do a great job of knitting what goes on in her life outside Nursery with her days at Busy Bees, keeping the parents very well informed throughout. We will be sad to say Goodbye when she moves on to Primary school later this year.
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Review from Aisha (Mother of Child) published on 20 March 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
After viewing several nurseries I was beginning to lose faith that I would feel even remotely ok leaving my daughter anywhere, and then we found Busy Bees and we love it. I know what my daughter is doing throughout the day because we are kept up to date with the fantastic app. Getting a photo of her
having fun makes my workday more bearable and even the little things like knowing if she has eaten well or how long she has napped for, makes me feel comfortable in the knowledge that although I'm not physically present, I'm aware, and can even plan the evenings better as I will know how she is feeling and what she will need.
All the ladies are brilliant with my daughter and so kind, and the fact the nursery takes an active interest in what my daughter does outside of nursery and incorporate her likes into activities is just amazing. I have recommended this nursery to several people and they too have enrolled their little ones.
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Review from Emma R (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have been using Busy Bees since 2012 and I cannot rate this nursery highly enough. I was new to the area when I had my first child so I had no reference as to where was best to send my little one. I viewed 4 nurseries with the view that hopefully, I’d get a feel as brochures can only tell you so much
and I had no friends in the area to rely on their opinion. Busy Bees was the last to view and from the moment I walked in I knew this was the one as I instantly felt at ease. Seeing the happy environment the children were in and how hands on all the staff were was very refreshing. To also note this wasn’t booked in, so there was no ‘staging’ which is how some of the previously booked in viewings at others felt. My children have had the best experiences here and they, along with myself have made some fantastic lifelong friends here. I fully trust the staff here and nothing is ever too much. I cannot thank them enough for the amazing care, start to life and education they have provided.
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Review from J T (Mother of Child) published on 3 December 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son started here in April 2018 and I could not be happier with the care he receives. I looked at several other nurseries before Busy Bees Chatham but only got the right feelings for this one. Staff are so welcoming and range in ages (not like some, where they were all very young). They genuinely
care for all the children with them and it’s not just a case of looking after your child or entertaining them for the day, they educate them and teach them far more than I could ever do at home. The outside space is fantastic (as is Charlie Rabbit!) and a must have for my son. The activities they do and the fun they have is brilliant, and nothing is ever too much trouble. Every single member of staff is welcoming, knowledgeable and friendly and I couldn’t ask for more. Thank you!
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Review from Lucy K (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Staff are always welcoming, good food, activities and we are happy to leave our daughter here. They are good at picking up on activities they enjoy at home and then extending into the nursery.
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Review from Shamim K (Mother of Child) published on 5 November 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has attended Busy Bees in Chatham since he was 1 year old, he’s now 3. He was welcomed into the nursery with settling in sessions.


From day one, he’s been looked after with care and love - fed - changed and entertained in ways I just couldn’t do had I kept him home.
It’s our 2nd home, it’s

home from home care.


Nothing is ever too much for staff at Busy Bees, always welcomed and they take their time to give amazing feedback at pick up time to ensure us parents are fully aware of our children’s progression and what they have been doing on a day to day basis. They also are very open to any concerns they may have or any home activities they want you to do with your children.


They have lovely outdoor space with so much for the children to do.


My son's progression being at this nursery is just outstanding. It’s hard to believe he’s only nearly 3 how advanced he is. Thank you Busy Bees ladies for caring for my baby and making sure he’s always ok and safe.

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Review from Charlene H (Mother of Child) published on 31 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am very happy with sending my daughter to this nursery. From the very start, the staff were very reassuring as a new parent and very friendly and gentle with my daughter. The staff make it their business to know the children in their room and other rooms and know fully what your child has been up
to throughout the day. The variety of food they eat is fantastic, and they cater well for all types of dietary requirements. My daughter looks forward to going to nursery each morning and is very happy here. I made the right choice sending her here.
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Review from Sarah R (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son has been going to nursery for the past 5months and he has enjoyed his time at nursery. The staff have been amazing really taking time to welcome him and us, taking time to get to know him and what his needs are.
Every day we drop him off staff are welcoming and calm him down if he cries. He
seems to have a good time, doing various activities painting, playing with sand and water and I think some animals visited once. Pick up at the end of the day is lovely hearing about what he’s done, how he’s been.
We use the parent app so we are updated throughout the day with nappy changes and food he’s eaten, and sleep this is very reassuring.
Overall this is a great nursery with lovely staff and he loves being there.
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Review from Helen J (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A fantastic group of friendly, knowledgeable and caring staff. I couldn’t go to work and leave my child if I wasn’t 100% happy with the care they were receiving. Our child is happy to walk into the room and immediately start playing and interacting with the other children and staff, so I am confident
he is happy and content there. The staff really get to know your child - likes and dislikes etc. My child is always coming home with arts and crafts he had made and loves to tell us about his day. There are great facilities for the children inside and out, home cooked, healthy varieties of food during the day and a nice sense of community. The nursery also encourages lots of interaction between you and them - when you pick them up from nursery, they always give you a brief of how your child has been that day. You also have the added bonus of the parent zone app so when you’re at work, you can get updates, notifications, observations and assessments to keep you up to date on your phone.
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Review from Kirsty M (Mother of Child) published on 25 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I really cannot fault Busy Bees in Chatham. Every staff member I have come into contact with has been so friendly and helpful and the building itself it equipt with fantastic facilities, toys and displays. My son (6 months old) has been going twice a week since he turned 3 months and always comes home
happy. Communication is great with an app which allows you to track meals, nappy changes and sleeps throughout the day and receive regular observations on your child's development. The nursery has a good menu and caters for all dietary requirements. The staff take a genuine interest in the children they care for and do some great activities with children to develop skills. I'd recommend the nursery to anyone in the Medway area looking for a reliable, caring day nursery for their child.
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Review from Helen E (Mother of Child) published on 25 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We really couldn’t be any happier with Busy Bees Chatham. Every member of staff goes above and beyond to create what is a very happy, welcoming and stimulating environment. The level of care is second to none and a testament to the hard-working team.
We have found communication to be a particular
strength of the nursery. The staff in our daughter’s room have been a real godsend, particularly since we welcomed our new baby. They have been interested in how our daughter has coped with the changes at home and have been truly incredible with helping her to deal with her emotions and become better equipped for her new life as a big sister!
The setting offers child-centred, stimulating learning through play; our daughter has made fantastic developmental progress.
When asked which nursery our daughter attends, I answer with pride that she comes to Busy Bees. She is happy, settled and thriving under their care. We can’t recommend the nursery highly enough.
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Review from Elizabeth M (Mother of Child) published on 25 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter absolutely loves coming to nursery here. She loves going out in the garden and checking to see if Charlie the rabbit is ok and enjoys going down the slide. She also really enjoys the variety of activities that you do with her and her favourite is hands down the Play-Doh! The food that
is cooked on the premises always goes down very well with her too and she often eats all her food up. The nursery staff and manager are always very friendly and very good at communication and always have time to listen to you. My daughter enjoys attending your nursery so much that she doesn't want to come home in the evenings! The nursery is always very clean and presentable and I can't wait for it to be refurbished soon. Management are very approachable and professional. I definitely wouldn't hesitate on recommending this nursery to any parent considering it for their child. I couldn't ask for more as a parent in a nursery.
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Review from Sarah C (Mother of Child) published on 9 October 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Very friendly staff, I have no worries when I drop my little boy off, he runs in with a big grin and always comes out babbling and smiling about what they have done during the day. And it’s the big smile that he has going in, that reassures me that he is so very happy there and that he is very well
looked after!
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Review from Mandy K (Mother of Child) published on 6 July 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My child has been at this nursery setting since attending baby room. She has made good relationships with long term members of staff and made great progress and development over the time she has attended. She has made good friends with other children and is ready to start her reception journey. This
nursery setting has served well for my childcare situation.
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Review from Stacy M (Mother of Child) published on 11 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter always leaves nursery with a big smile and she is more than happy to go to the staff who make me, and anyone that picks my daughter up, feel very welcome. We are kept well informed about her progression and they show a keen interest and care for her well being.
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Current Review Score: 8.2 (8.181)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.2 (8.181) out of 10 for Busy Bees Chatham 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 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 4.917 for Busy Bees Chatham is calculated as follows: ( (23 Excellents x 5) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 24 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 3.264 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Chatham 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 72 number of registered child places is 14.4. 2 Positive Reviews ÷ 14.4 = 0.139
  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)

Toni

Toni

Job Title: Centre Director Joined: 2006

My name is Toni and I have worked at Busy Bees in Chatham since 2006, I started as an apprentice in the preschool room and progressed to becoming a Centre Director during this journey I have completed training and qualification needs to meet the requirements of a centre director and accessed Busy Bees extensive training opportunities.


I feel I have a strong understanding of the staff team, parents, and children here at the centre and feel together as a team we will continue to strive and maintain excellent standards and provide the best quality childcare, I love my job and am very passionate about what we provide here and over the years worked hard alongside the team to gain an Outstanding Ofsted inspection which I am very proud of.


I have a Fiancé called Danny and we have two amazing children. A son called Danny and a daughter called Skyla have both been through their Busy Bee Journey and are both excelling at school. We love spending time together as a family and supporting our children with their hobbies and interests.

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