Busy Bees Lightwater

63-65 Macdonald Road, Lightwater GU18 5XY
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6.9 53 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Lightwater, Lightwater
Busy Bees Lightwater is located on a quiet residential road in an Edwardian building which was formerly a hotel. The building is creatively purpose-designed, with three main rooms – Mice, Woodpeckers and Badgers – for Babies, Toddlers and Pre-School children. All rooms were refurbished in October 2016.

There is an outside play area which can be directly accessed from all rooms. This can be used all year round, with a large sun shade on the decked area and a covered area to allow children to get fresh air and experience time outside in all weathers.

The garden also features a Hobbit Hole, Mud Kitchen, large grass area, large sand pit and an area where children can grow vegetables and flowers.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Chloe Chase (Centre Director)

Admission Information

  • 3 months to 5 Years

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 8

Total Places for Children

  • 50

Age Range

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

Funding & Fees

  • Per week full time: £388 0-2 years, £379 2-3 years, £344 3-5 years

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 & Christmas

Parking

  • There is on site parking available for easy drop off and pick up.

Busy Bees Lightwater Reviews (53)

6.9

Busy Bees Lightwater has a Review Score of 6.9 (6.881) out of 10, based on 3 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Busy Bees Lightwater has 53 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Total of 53, showing 1-20
Review from S M (Mother of Child) published on 22 August 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5
We withdrew our son due to serious concerns with care and communication. For months we were told he was "fine," then suddenly informed he hadn't settled-without any earlier warning. Staff later admitted they avoided being "too negative," leaving us unaware of key issues. Important changes-like removing
milk or pushing self-feeding-weren't shared with us directly. Our son came home hungry and upset. Inappropriate advice was given, including leaving our 17-month-old alone to play. We often found him distressed at pick-up, left to cry or self-soothe without comfort. They did not attend to a child based on their needs and became frustrated with my child cause he was slightly delayed. Staffing was inconsistent, with toddlers placed with older children, and on two occasions we were told at short notice that he couldn't attend due to low staff. When we raised concerns, we were met with defensiveness and inconsistent responses. 4 months on we're still awaiting response from our complaint.
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Review from Rachel H (Mother of Child) published on 14 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
This is a really warm, welcoming and kind nursery. The staff all really care about the children and go out of their way to help them. For the 2 years my son has attended (from just turning 1, to nearly 3), his confidence has grown significantly and he continues to thrive. I would highly recommend this
nursery.
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Review from Katie R (Mother of Child) published on 14 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Honestly can't recommend enough, not only do the team here do an incredible job looking after my daughter they make sure you as a parent also feel like family. No crying at the doors because my child genuinely loves the staff, always happy to have a chat on pick up with you and you can just feel the
care and love they have for their classes. Not once have I doubted or felt uneasy leaving my daughter there and it's simply down to the incredible team they have in place. There's no amount of money that's too much when it comes to paying for your child to be safely taken care of when you're not around, so it's genuinely the easiest payment I make each month.
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Review from Cheryl P (Mother of Child) published on 13 July 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has excelled since joining nursery here and has really come out of his shell. My son is now in pre-school soon to be going to school in September. He will be the youngest in the class and it is due to the support work of the nursery that he is ready for school and I know he will do so well. They
are caring, have direction, and it is all about the children as they should be at Major Miners. My son and I will miss all the staff and would like to thank them all.
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Review from Kate V (Mother of Child) published on 16 December 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been at (Busy Bees) Major Minors for almost a year and has thoroughly enjoyed it. The staff are very warm, friendly and knowledgeable, and I always felt comfortable knowing my son was enjoying himself in nursery. His teachers have done a wonderful job in supporting his development, and he
always comes out of nursery smiling and happy. I would definitely recommend Major Minors to others.
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Review from Alan D (Father of Child) published on 14 December 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Fantastic nursery. All the staff are brilliant and truly care for the children. My son has been going for almost a year now and he absolutely loves it. He's always excited to go in to see his friends in the morning. The nursery has coped really well during the pandemic and I feel very comfortable with
all the measures they have in place. They are being very sensible to minimise risks whilst also still enabling children to develop and play together.
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Review from Jessica T (Mother of Child) published on 14 December 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter absolutely loves going to Busy Bees on a Tuesday and Thursday morning, the staff are so friendly and welcoming every morning and have been outstanding during covid.
My daughter's key worker was also my sons and they both just adore her, she has a natural talent with children.
I have
never had any problems with Busy Bees Lightwater, and the manager is always very accommodating.
Thanks
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Review from Rhian W (Mother of Child) published on 14 December 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little girl has absolutely loved Busy Bee's since she saturated in August 2020 - she is naturally quite shy but has really come out of her shell these past few months. I was worried about the Covid-secure setup making her more anxious to leave me, but she loves it so much that she is quite happy
to say goodbye at the door each morning now! Her speech and language have developed loads too, as well as her ability to set up her own games at home. Plus she is eating better and trying new foods all the time which is great. The team have all been so helpful and welcoming from day one, we are so grateful to have such a brilliant nursery on our doorstep.
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Review from Debi J (Mother of Child) published on 14 December 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son absolutely loves going to nursery each day and is thriving there. We moved house earlier this year and as a parent, I am so much happier with this nursery than his previous one. The staff are attentive and communication is excellent. I know exactly what my son has done each day and we chat about
it on the journey home. The way the nursery have handled/are handling COVID is exceptional and I could not be more reassured during this time. They seem to have a theme most days or some planned activity which is notified to the parents upfront so that we can plan for the following week. My son was so excited to go into nursery on 'odd socks day'! The staff at Busy Bees make every day fun for the children and my son always comes out happy and proud that he has learned something new or made something with his friends. The Parent Zone app is great to see real-time updates and photos throughout the day and the end of week newsletter is a perfect summary. Could not be happier.
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Review from Danny C (Father of Child) published on 14 December 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A lovely little nursery for our son. He absolutely loves it. Very well run where the staff are well trained, educated and show genuine care for the children. Although there may be cheaper options the peace of mind when it comes to how your child being looked after is priceless and that's what they offer.
Would highly recommend to anyone thinking of putting their child into a nursery.
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Review from Beth R (Mother of Child) published on 2 October 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been coming to this nursery since she was 8-months-old. She has loved every room she has been in. She is now in Preschool and loves coming every day. She has made some lovely friendships and has really got relationships with all the staff too.
Reply from Emma Crowley, Manager at Busy Bees Lightwater
Thank you for this! So glad she is making friends, it's so lovely to see.
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Review from Catherine C (Mother of Child) published on 25 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Would highly recommend Busy Bees Lightwater. It is a great nursery with lots of outdoor space. The team are excellent, and both my children have benefited so much from their time at the nursery, always feel at home there.
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Review from R K (Mother of Child) published on 30 March 2020 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My twins have been going to Busy Bees in Lightwater for just over a year. During this time I have been very pleased with the nursery's care and attention. My twins have separate key workers which has meant they get treated as individuals.
Their development has come on in leaps and bounds. They have
lots of friends and the number of activities and added extras is amazing: football, music and movement, dance and emergency service visits. If concerns are raised they are dealt with and resolved. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff, it has a feel of an extended family.
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Review from N L (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2020 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
The staff look after the children so well. My son is very happy attending. Nice healthy food. A good range of activities. Would recommend to friends without hesitation.
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Review from K B (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2020 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Busy Bees at Lightwater have been amazing with my child. My child is very shy and not confident in big groups of people. Since my child has been at Busy Bees, the confidence is much better and she learns new things every day.
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Review from Katie (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Absolutely fantastic nursery. My son started after Christmas and is about to turn 1. The staff are all so lovely and genuinely care for the babies. My son has settled in super quickly and I put this down to the caring staff. Good outdoor space which is used in all weathers. The children do loads of
activities - painting, colouring, cooking, playing with different textures and materials like shaving foam, ice cubes, salt dough, etc. The food is pretty good and varied. The staff really listen to any requests and you can definitely trust them 100% to do the best for the children. Great that there is a separate sleep room as I believe some nurseries do not have this. I would definitely recommend this nursery. There isn't anything fancy about the nursery, but it gets all the important stuff just right, which is the main thing I like about it. My son is so happy there.
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Review from Sarah V (Mother of Child) published on 15 July 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child has been attending this nursery since he was nine months old. He absolutely loves going and has made some really good friends. The staff are approachable, friendly and well informed. They know every child by name and always make me feel welcome. The handovers are informative and the communication
is excellent with a weekly email round up. My little boy attends a music class whilst at nursery which has made him more confident and he can't wait to show me his new dance moves. The free flow garden and mud kitchen are a massive bonus. I would highly recommend this nursery and the staff.
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Review from Anne-Laure B (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
I can only recommend Major Minor nursery. The staff are lovely and very attentive making me feel completely confident in leaving my two children in their care. The change in management a few months back has immensely improved the atmosphere giving the nursery a very friendly and family-like feel I can
only commend upon.
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Review from Kelly G (Mother of Child) published on 5 November 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Everyone at Major Minors (Busy Bee’s Lightwater) is so friendly. The staff always go the extra mile to be helpful and kind. My son always looks forward to going to “nursery house” and I feel really comfortable and confident that he’s getting lots of care and attention. I love how each room has its own
garden and the extra activities such as football and theatre bugs are fun and educational - it’s a great nursery.
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Review from Janulka G (Mother of Child) published on 5 November 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Very good nursery. The quality of staff seems better for older children with some shining examples. Food is adapted from the children’s feedback and habits which is good.
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Current Review Score: 6.9 (6.881)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 6.9 (6.881) out of 10 for Busy Bees Lightwater is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 3.6 out of 5 from 3 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 3.556 for Busy Bees Lightwater is calculated as follows: ( (12 Excellents x 5) + (12 Goods x 4) + (4 Satisfactorys x 3) + (8 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 36 Ratings = 3.556
  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 3.325 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Lightwater 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 50 number of registered child places is 10. 2 Positive Reviews ÷ 10 = 0.2
  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)

Chloe

Chloe Chase

Job Title: Centre Director

Hello, my name is Chloe and I am the Centre Director here at Lightwater. I am very passionate about providing a welcoming and stimulating environment for all of our children, to support each individual child's learning and development. My Team describe me as a very good listener, hard working and a very bubbly person, and I am always up for a challenge.

Frequently Asked Questions about Busy Bees Lightwater

What is the Age Range of Children that Busy Bees Lightwater accepts?

Busy Bees Lightwater accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Busy Bees Lightwater Open?

Busy Bees Lightwater is open: 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.

How many Children does Busy Bees Lightwater have capacity for?

Busy Bees Lightwater has capacity for a total of 50 Children.

How far is Busy Bees Lightwater to the centre of Lightwater?

0.6 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

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