Busy Bees Hempstead

197 Hempstead Road, Hempstead, Gillingham ME7 3QG
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9.6 72 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Hempstead, Gillingham
Busy Bees at Hempstead provides the perfect environment to offer children the best start to their early education.

The nursery has light and spacious rooms, with separate areas for different ages, and fabulous resources to encourage children's development and ensure they enjoy each day spent there. The team also strive to create a welcoming environment where children are nurtured and prepared for the next stage of their educational journey.

Along with fun-filled nursery rooms, the nursery provides a comforting sensory room, so your child can relax and absorb their senses with colourful lights, the bubble tube and fine motor toys.

The enthusiastic staff work hard to make sure your child is happy and engaged during their time at the nursery. So no matter what they enjoy doing, there will never be a dull moment at Busy Bees at Hempstead.

The team understand how busy family life is, to help support you they provide nappies and wipes along with meals and snacks for your little one to tuck in to throughout the day. You can also book additional sessions through the easy online booking system, Pebble.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Claire Arkell (Centre Director)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 16

Total Places for Children

  • 76

Age Range

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

Funding & Fees

  • Full day £59.00,
    Am session £33.50,
    Pm session £29.00

  • Fees are inclusive of all meals prepared and cooked by their own in house Chef, Suncream, nappies and wipes

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

Parking

  • Parking onsite, please park on the left hand side when entering the carpark.

Busy Bees Hempstead Reviews (72)

9.6

Busy Bees Hempstead has a Review Score of 9.6 (9.580) out of 10, based on 11 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Busy Bees Hempstead has 72 reviews.

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Review from Abbie M (Mother of Child) published on 28 October 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We cannot recommend Busy Bees at Hempstead enough. After changing from another nursery at the beginning of September, Busy Bees have excelled all of our expectations! Our 2year old son loves it here and the staff are not only very friendly, but they also love what they do and it shows! We cannot thank
the staff in Kindergarten enough, they are head and shoulders above the rest.
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Review from Poppy B (Mother of Child) published on 29 May 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter is in the wobbler room and has been coming here for a few months now, the staff were amazing at answering all my questions and reassuring me that my daughter would soon settle in. It only took a couple of weeks and she settled in perfectly. I love seeing her big smiles and how happy she
is when I pick her up. All the staff are warm and welcoming and the nursery has a homely atmosphere. Every time she comes home she has learnt something new. The nursery always seems to have a wide range of toys available and lots of interesting activities going on. I would definitely recommend. I couldn't imagine sending her anywhere else now.
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Review from Hazel S (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My baby has been coming here since he was 5.5 months old. He's been pretty ill a few times due to a health condition and the nursery have been amazing. It takes me a lot to trust people and as soon as I walked in here I knew it was somewhere I could leave my baby.
His key workers in wobbler room are
fantastic and I feel confident that they treat him with respect and as an individual. I'm glad I found this nursery because the others I'd visited had made me worry about leaving him. Thanks to the manager and the team. He loves coming here.
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Review from Charlotte B (Mother of Child) published on 28 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been attending since she was 8 months and I am very pleased with how she is doing and how the nursery is with her. All the staff have made her settle well and she comes home each day very happy, which is lovely! I am glad we chose Busy Bees, as choosing a nursery is a very difficult
task.
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Review from Goncalo S (Father of Child) published on 28 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Good staff, always helpful and understandable very good price and timelines. My daughter loves to be around.
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Review from David H (Father of Child) published on 14 November 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The decision of where to place your child is always a difficult one, you can never be sure what type of care your child will receive, but at Busy Bees at Hempstead, we have been amazed at the level of dedication every staff members shows each child. Our daughter loves going to the nursery and they do
a good amount of both indoor and outdoor activities with the children during the day and provide a good setting to prepare children as they go on toward school age.
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Review from Daisy R (Mother of Child) published on 6 November 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Absolutely amazing!! My little boy loves going in and I love seeing the smile it puts on his face!! The members of staff are absolutely wonderful and really do put you at ease!! The food is outstanding! I will definitely recommend to everyone!!
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Review from Roya G (Mother of Child) published on 11 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son struggled with separation anxiety and took a while to settle into the nursery. But staff were so helpful, understanding and patient with both me and my son. They really went out of their way to make him feel welcome and to also assure me that he was getting better with each session. They made
lovely cards showing pictures of my son playing and happy which made me feel reassured that he was being well cared for in a safe and happy environment.


Great nursery with lovely staff and I would definitely recommend to any parent.

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Review from Jade D (Mother of Child) published on 8 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5
I'm removing my last reviews of this nursery, please.
Don't bother with this nursery if you own a car as you find it IMPOSSIBLE to park, yummy mummies in their cars think they can park everywhere and will block you in, they also allow huge commercial vans in that block you and staff and parents speed
out of the car park, my car was damaged and staff blamed me and upset my ASD child, only bother if you are a wealthy mum as that is what this nursery attracts. They also left the floor mopped and wet and caused my daughter to slip and bruise her face and brushed the complaint under the carpet, they were at fault, food is a menu which is not a children's menu and daughter often refuses to eat and comes home hungry. There are some lovely members of staff but we won't be back. Very disappointed.
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Review from Tara C (Mother of Child) published on 29 May 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My 2-year-old twins have been going to Busy Bees at Hempstead for the past 7/8 months and they absolutely love it there! Knowing that they're safe and happy makes me happy, and the fact that I have a struggle getting my son in the car when I pick them up speaks for itself! The progression I've seen
in both of them since they joined is amazing, and I love that they have such a variety of food.
All the nursery staff are so friendly, would highly recommend!!
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Review from Patricia B (Mother of Child) published on 27 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My son has been attending since he was 1. Now he is on the last year before school.
He has always been very happy, staff are friendly and nice and the overall environment is nice for the children.
However, this last year we are not very happy with the meals as there is no alternative if a child does
not want to eat. 10 hours without eating is too long. You cannot bring anything either from what I understand but I think they should focus more on these things and maybe give the children simpler food rather than curry, strong sauces, etc.
For the rest I would highly recommend this nursery.
Reply from Chloe Wilkes, Marketing Assistant at Busy Bees Hempstead
As an Early Years setting we have to follow the Early Years Code of Practice for Healthy Food and Drink.
The guidelines include how often, how much, and which types of food from each of the four food…read more
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Review from Amanda G (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have two children that have been to the nursery and one still attending nursery, all since they were 9 months old. The staff are really friendly and approachable. They reassure me through good communication that my children have had good days. They are very knowledgeable of my child’s development
and have regular parent evenings to discuss what stage your child is at.
My son who is in the preschool room has really come on socially and made friendships with a few children. He enjoys the meals and I am happy with the varied diet.
He has made good bonds with the staff in the nursery.
The Afterschool club staff look after my older two now, they do an amazing job with making sure they are fed and happy. The ladies at club plan exciting activities suitable for my children and there is always an upbeat atmosphere when I collect them. I would recommend the nursery and Afterschool club to friends and family. The nursery staff work hard to create a caring and secure environment.
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Review from Amanda H (Mother of Child) published on 21 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am always verbally recommending Busy Bees at Hempstead.
The staff are what make the nursery a great place for my child to go.
The atmosphere is always upbeat, even during the snowy days in March.
The food is very good and varied each day and it means my child gets to try lots of different foods,
whether he likes them or not.
The girls in the office are always very happy to help with any request and are always very efficient.
I really like this whole nursery, my son has been since he was 8 months old and he is now over 3 years.
It will be a sad day when my child is old enough for school and we have to leave.
And lastly we love the songs he comes home singing, our favourite at the moment is: Twinkle twinkle chocolate bar.
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Review from Emma R (Mother of Child) published on 20 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Daughter has attended here since she was 2, as a mum, I was worried about leaving her but oh my, she settled in quick as the staff here are lovely and won’t see an upset child. She is now 3 and loves nursery she has learnt so much and has turned into a wonderful child.
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Review from Lauren (Mother of Child) published on 20 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of my sons attend Busy Bees Hempstead, both since 7-8 months old. Both settled in quickly the staff are so warm and friendly, they have a lovley rapport with staff and are progressing well. They look forward to coming and that is all down the staff and lovely atmosphere created. I have and will
continue to recommend this nursery to others.
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Review from Nancy L (Foster Parent of Child) published on 20 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The whole team are extremely warm and caring and have gone out of their way to help with any individual requests. All areas of childcare are excellent and admin has been very efficient. The children are always happy and enjoy the varied play.
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Review from Lucy B (Mother of Child) published on 20 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Lovely nursery, I’m always very pleased with the staff. My son has always been very happy here and he moved from another Busy Bees nursery and this one is well above most of the others. My only issue is the food is sometimes a little strange taste for their age group.
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Review from Alice C (Mother of Child) published on 20 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been at Hempstead Busy Bees since she was 9 months old. This September she will be transitioning to big school and I can honestly say this is the best nursery we could have chosen!
My daughter has come out of her shell so much over the years and has so much confidence because of the
excellent staff and care provided.
She is always full of beans and has so much to tell me about her day, she absolutely loves it there!
We actually moved house last year and we now have a much longer journey to preschool but we carried on bringing her here as we just did not want her to change as she has made lovely friends and has a great connection with all the ladies!!
She will really miss Busy Bees when she goes to big school!!
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Review from Lou D (Mother of Child) published on 14 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
After viewing a few local nurseries and being an ex-childcarer myself, I thought I’d never find a nursery that met my ridiculous, unreasonable standards. Then I walked into Busy Bees at Hempstead.
The whole homely feel is wonderful. The staff so welcoming. A lovely large garden for the children to
play in. Food is cooked and served in house. I knew within minutes this was my son's nursery. He absolutely loves going here and the staff definitely bring out the best in him for fun and educational purposes.
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Review from Sarah N (Mother of Child) published on 30 November 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Lovely friendly nursery. My daughter loves her morning sessions. Staff are all friendly and welcoming and provide very good care. The nursery is always clean and toys and play equipment always look in very good condition.
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Current Review Score: 9.6 (9.580)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.6 (9.580) out of 10 for Busy Bees Hempstead 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 11 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.7 out of 5 from 11 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 4.856 for Busy Bees Hempstead is calculated as follows: ( (115 Excellents x 5) + (15 Goods x 4) + (2 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 132 Ratings = 4.856
  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 4.724 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Hempstead is based on 11 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 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4
    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 76 number of registered child places is 15.2. 11 Positive Reviews ÷ 15.2 = 0.724
  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

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Awards / Recognitions (1)

Meet the Team (1)

Claire

Claire Arkell

Job Title: Centre Director Joined: 2014

Hello my name is Claire Arkell and I am the Nursery Manager at Hempstead Busy Bees.


I have been with Busy Bees since they acquired the Kinder sites in March 2014.


I have been in childcare now for 11 years and hold a NVQ 3 in Children's Care Learning and Development. I have worked in a number of nurseries and for the last 9 years have been working at Management level. Along the way I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience which I reflect in my day to day practice, using this to guide the staff team and share my experience.


I attend regular training to improve my practice including, First Aid and Safeguarding.


It fills me with pride when you can see how the children flourish and develop in our care and become the individual people with shining characteristics that they are.

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