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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Total of 72, showing 61-72
Review from Daniel E (Father of Child) published on 30 November 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
So glad we found this nursery. The staff are all excellent and have a real enthusiasm for their work which shows immediately in the way they interact with the children. Our little girl really enjoys her days there and felt settled in a very short space of time, which I have no doubt is due to the excellent
staff.
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Review from Jessica B (Mother of Child) published on 13 July 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
As soon as I walked into the nursery I just knew it was the nursery for our 2 year old after viewing 5 others in the area. The staff were so friendly and welcoming. My little girl didn't want to leave, she started 2weeks later. She absolutely loves it and we are so happy we found this nursery.
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Review from Maxine K (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
We fell in love with this nursery the moment we visited it. It can very daunting for parents to leave their children when returning to work and we wanted to find a place that we felt would feel like home to our daughter and this one is. The moment we stepped in the Baby Bungalow we knew this was the
right one for her and for us. Fast forward 3 years and she still loves it and is now in the Preschool Room. We are so pleased that she has experienced nursery here. The staff are wonderful, always loving and caring. They love what they do and that is important. It will be a sad chapter when she has to leave the security of the nursery and start a new adventure in school.
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Review from Gary M (Father of Child) published on 1 March 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child has settled in very well. Staff are very caring and nurturing, diligent and show keen observations. My child has come on leaps and bounds since starting, he is being stretched developmentally, and has an individual learning plan.
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Review from Michelle (Mother of Child) published on 27 February 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Amazing nursery! Such a warm and friendly atmosphere every time I walk in. Couldn't fault it at all, my daughter has come on leaps and bounds since joining in 2016, especially with her speech and communication, so glad I chose this nursery.
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Review from Sarah C (Mother of Child) published on 16 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I was really worried about leaving my 8-month-old daughter at nursery when I went back to work but the staff at the nursery were great. We had a few stay and play sessions where they offered to take my daughter for a couple of hours. This really eased my mind as she thoroughly enjoyed herself each time.
Since she has been attending 2 full days a week she has loved her time there and often cries when I put her in the car to take her home!
All of the staff are really friendly and all know my daughter, it's not just left to her key person. Also, they seem to have a good menu every day all cooked on site. Mostly very healthy but with the odd treat too which is lovely.
The outside areas have been renovated recently and are fantastic. The smaller ones have their own area too.
My daughter is very confident and already taking a few steps at 10 months which I think is due a lot to being around the 'wobblers.'
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Review from Jena D (Mother of Child) published on 16 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Choosing a nursery as a parent is always quite a daunting experience. Knowing your child will be happy, looked after and happy is so important. From the moment my husband and I visited Busy Bees at Hempstead, we knew this was the right place! All the staff are so friendly, kind and patient. They helped
with settling in and made every effort to make that transition as easy and comfortable as possible. To hear our little boy come home and talk about all the staff and how happy he is is simply lovely. He has come on so much in such a short time and absolutely loves nursery!
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Review from BG (Father of Child) published on 16 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
They have taken both our children from 9 months old and have helped them develop into amazing little people. The services offered are excellent and really help with every facet of intellectual as well as emotional development.
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Review from Amber R (Mother of Child) published on 9 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my children attended this nursery from 9 months old until they left to go to school. Both loved the nursery and it gave them a great start in life. Even now whilst at school, they still mention the girls who worked in the rooms if we drive past the nursery and they have lots of great memories.

The staff are friendly and warm and it was comforting knowing that they would be well looked after and enjoy their day whilst away from me whilst I worked. I have lots of paintings and crafty bits from their days at nursery along with a folder documenting their days. Also, an added bonus was when they did a full day at nursery I didn't have to cook an evening meal as they were well fed by their chef!!
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Review from Katie D (Mother of Child) published on 4 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery staff all genuinely care about the children in their care. When we moved into the area my two children started at the same time, one was 10 months and the other 2 years 10 months so they started in the baby room and toddler room. They moved through the rooms with the help of settling in
sessions which really helped their transition. My children learnt a lot of social and communication skills which prepared them for school, both children have progressed to school age now but they often say they miss nursery and they remember their carer's very well. The opening hours are good (which was a big factor in choosing the nursery) and the staff are really keen to help if you have any concerns, they go the extra mile to reassure you and never mind if you telephone to check if your child is settled and enjoying their day.
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Review from Helen W (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have already recommended this nursery to friends who have taken up places there with their little ones. The atmosphere is amazing and the staff are fantastic. My little one has been going since she was 10 months and enjoys every day she's there. She has been nurtured, loved and cared for in every
way. She has a fantastic bond with the staff and her peers. She has been supported to make the transitions from each room and has been made to feel safe and secure every step of the way. I couldn't ask for more. The team work so hard and they create a brilliant blend of learning and fun. It's not just educational learning that takes place it's social, emotional and skills for life. The food always goes down well which is a bonus! Plus the recently refurbished outside play area is perfect.
I highly recommend this nursery.
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Review from LW (Mother of Child) published on 25 October 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Fantastic nursery. My daughter has attended since she was 5mths old and she loves it. She is now 2.5yrs. I looked at around 8 nurseries before I chose this one. I can't imagine leaving my daughter in the care of anyone else. The staff are professional, polite and knowledgeable.
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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.

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