Busy Bees Thetford

Mallow Road, Cloverfields, Thetford IP24 2YD
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8.6 27 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Thetford, Thetford
Busy Bees Thetford is a pleasantly located children's day nursery, making the most of its forest surroundings to help children learn about nature as they grow and develop. Further features that inspire creativity include a soft surface area with climbing frames, a deadwood exploration area, and water runs.

Qualified child carers make the most of an excellent facility in order to ensure that children are both inspired and happy, flexible to the concerns of parents and organising an exciting events calendar that includes Fun Days and a Graduation ceremony.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Amanda Evans (Centre Director)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 17

Total Places for Children

  • 73

Age Range

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

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:00
    Tuesday 07:30-18:00
    Wednesday 07:30-18:00
    Thursday 07:30-18:00
    Friday 07:30-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays

Parking

  • Off road parking

Busy Bees Thetford Reviews (27)

8.6

Busy Bees Thetford has a Review Score of 8.6 (8.639) out of 10, based on 5 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Busy Bees Thetford has 27 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
  • 27
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Reviewer Connection to Busy Bees Thetford
  • 23
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Total of 27, showing 1-20
Review from S C (Mother of Child) published on 8 August 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My son started at Busy Bees Thetford in February 2025, and as a new parents, I was nervous about daycare. The staff's accommodating, knowledgeable, and approachable, reassured me, answering my many questions. The settling-in sessions were crucial for an easy transition, unlike other places. The high-quality
food options, affordable prices and excellent facility amenities immediately impressed our family. The staff regularly provides daily app notifications, creating a friendly environment that promotes my son's developmental growth. Overall, this supportive and caring environment has made us confident in our choice, ensuring our son receives quality care and nurturing every day.
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Review from E H (Mother of Child) published on 15 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All the staff are amazing and friendly! My little one is in the baby room and is always so happy to go in and play. The updates throughout the day are great and always look forward to her write up of what she's been up to. Always a worry leaving your child, but I feel so comfortable with leaving mine
there and that she is well looked after and cared for. She always gets a hello and bye from whoever's in the office, and she loves to wave back. Thankyou for taking such great care
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Review from Emma W (Mother of Child) published on 15 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Busy Bees Thetford is a fantastic nursery. The staff are kind and supportive and my little girl thoroughly enjoys going. She has learnt so much since she started which is all thanks to the wonderful team there.
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Review from E C (Mother of Child) published on 15 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our little one loves going to this nursery. All of the staff are really friendly and the facilities are great. The activities provided on a day to day basis are enriching and we've seen our little one grow immensely since starting. The food provided is so varied and interesting, the little ones are
exposed to so many tastes.
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Review from Holly C (Mother of Child) published on 11 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been attending Busy Bees for just over a month and he is truly loving it, getting so excited every time we get to the door. The staff are amazing and there's a great range of activities for them to do, including lots of outdoor play! As a first time mum I was nervous about leaving my little
one, but I can already tell how comfortable and happy he is with the staff and his surroundings.
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Review from Brent R (Father of Child) published on 10 April 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We are so pleased to have our daughter at Busy Bees! The staff is so friendly and attentive to our child’s social, emotional and educational needs. Our daughter has grown by leaps and bounds thanks to the staff at Busy Bees. We love using the app to see what she’s been up to during the day. Seeing our
daughter take part in the fun activities that the staff plan every day is exciting.
Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees Thetford
Hello. Wow! Thank you for this glowing review! We are delighted your little one is having a good experience at our Thetford nursery.
40 years of Busy Bees – 40 years of best beginnings. We’re…read more
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Review from R T (Mother of Child) published on 26 July 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little girl has only just recently started her nursery experience, as I’ve returned back to work from maternity leave. She’s currently in the baby room and the ladies that look after her are so kind and compassionate. I love the updates I get from the nursery whilst I’m at work, even down to a wet
nappy! One member of staff in particular and the other ladies take time at the end of the day on collection, to have a chat and tell me how my daughter's day has been. I’m able to ask questions openly and feel comfortable doing so. Nothing seems too much trouble for them and
Busy Bees so far have been amazing!
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Review from Nicola H (Mother of Child) published on 28 April 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son absolutely loves going to Busy Bees Thetford. He comes home every day he is there with stories of his fun day. We get great updates on the app and are very happy with the staff and how they look after him. We would definitely recommend Busy Bees Thetford to other parents.
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Review from S S (Grandmother of Child) published on 28 April 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Parents evening, we got to see both the play areas inside and out and also met the key workers that spend most of the day with our grandchild who explained all the different areas and the main values that are taught, which I have to say are wonderful. It makes sense why Busy Bees has the name, as I
am sure the children and staff are very busy, most of the days they are there.
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Review from L W (Mother of Child) published on 10 August 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter settled in straight away and always has a wonderful day at nursery. We have been really impressed by the variety of activities she takes part in and the communication from staff is always really detailed. She goes with a smile every morning and we know she's in good hands.
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Review from J M (Father of Child) published on 27 July 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Thetford nursery is excellent the staff are so friendly and helpful. Our daughter loves going and we have found her development has really improved since attending.
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Review from Carl P (Father of Child) published on 20 July 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Our daughter has been attending the nursery for around a year for 4 days a week.
Overall we couldn’t be more pleased with how she has grown and flourished in their care. The key person has always been very good and really is brilliant, our daughter loves learning with her. Activities often relate
to what children have done at home or with families, and generally, the children seem very engaged and good feedback is provided on how the day has gone.
The only area we could suggest improvement in would be some kind of formal interaction with parents periodically. COVID19 is obviously an issue but we would have hoped Busy Bees might be able to adapt - That said COVID19 has been handled very well at the nursery.
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Review from S K (Mother of Child) published on 10 December 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
What a wonderful little nursery! My son has been going there three days a week for 2 years and we - and he - couldn't be happier.
Staff are caring, warm, friendly and extremely polite. It is very well-organised and communication with parents is excellent. The atmosphere is welcoming and positive
and the children are gently challenged to embrace learning through play in the most ingenious ways.
The nursery is always spotless, neat and clean and the outdoor facilities are definitely above standard. There is a lovely focus on being outdoors and my son has greatly appreciated this aspect of his day. In short, a fantastic, well-managed and extremely trustworthy nursery which I can only highly recommend.
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Review from E S (Mother of Child) published on 5 December 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my children have used this nursery from the baby room to preschool. We cannot fault it - it is excellent. Great staff and management, they take a good level of responsibility and only contact parents to collect the child if absolutely necessary. The staff are very sensible and reliable.
Both my
son and daughter loved/love the nursery. Thank you.
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Review from Laura C (Mother of Child) published on 28 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my girls who are 3 years and 9 months have been attending this nursery since I returned to work. They have only been attending so far for two weeks and wow what a change in both of them. My eldest has calmed down so much and improved her speech and manners so much. With her potty training the staff
were so patient and understanding and now she is dry all day. They involve the kids in so many activities from matching photos to water play to role play to painting and even baking. My eldest is constantly on the go and loves her time at nursery. My baby, they constantly keep her stimulated from the play area to invoking her senses. The staff have a fantastic set of patience for both kids. I am so comfortable leaving my kids in their care all day as they are doing an amazing job much to my satisfaction even more so. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The nursery encourages independence and I'm so pleased to see such an improvement in both my girls, can only imagine what a few months will do.
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Review from Marie B (Mother of Child) published on 25 May 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter recently broke her leg. Staff have been excellent and adapted activities so she can still take part in everything.
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Review from Deanna S (Mother of Child) published on 10 May 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have been impressed with the nursey right from the start. Our Daughter is so relaxed and happy. Each morning we can confidently leave her knowing she will have an amazing day. The food is delicious and we always hear she has eaten all and more. They lay on a great range of activities and always tell
us what she's been into each day. She has just progressed into the next room and the move was so well planned for, with short preparation visits that she has transitioned without any concerns. All the staff know each child really well and, as parents, we always feel welcomed and support.
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Review from Emma G (Mother of Child) published on 10 May 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Staff at Busy Bees, Thetford are wonderful. We couldn't ask for better people to care for our son. - Thank you!
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Review from C B (Mother of Child) published on 10 May 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My daughter has been attending Busy Bees at Thetford for just under 18 months and absolutely loves it. Having moved to the pre-school room, she has made many friends and her learning has come on incredibly well. She regularly talks about nursery at home and is always asking to go in despite it not being
a nursery day.
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Review from Holly S (Mother of Child) published on 27 April 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son loves going to nursery he looks forward to it every week. All the staff are brilliant with him and always have a smile on their faces. It's very organised and I would highly recommend Busy Bees at Thetford.
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Current Review Score: 8.6 (8.639)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.6 (8.639) out of 10 for Busy Bees Thetford is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 5 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.8 out of 5 from 5 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 4.797 for Busy Bees Thetford is calculated as follows: ( (48 Excellents x 5) + (10 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 59 Ratings = 4.797
  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 3.842 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Thetford is based on 5 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 = 3.5
    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 73 number of registered child places is 14.6. 5 Positive Reviews ÷ 14.6 = 0.342
  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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Amanda

Job Title: Centre Director Joined: 2006

My name is Amanda and I am the Centre Director at Thetford Busy Bees.
I have worked at the Centre since 2006 starting my career as a Nursery Nurse, I then became Centre Director in 2017.
I am truly committed to my role and I am also proud of the team I have the privilege to lead.
I recognise the importance and strive for the high quality childcare that every parent and child deserves.
Having my child attending the centre I am able to see first hand the impact of the teaching and learning experiences he receives at the Nursery and this enables me to relate and support the parents of this Centre.

Frequently Asked Questions about Busy Bees Thetford

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

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

What Days & Hours is Busy Bees Thetford Open?

Busy Bees Thetford is open: Monday 07:30-18:00, Tuesday 07:30-18:00, Wednesday 07:30-18:00, Thursday 07:30-18:00, Friday 07:30-18:00.

How many Children does Busy Bees Thetford have capacity for?

Busy Bees Thetford has capacity for a total of 73 Children.

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

0.5 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 Thetford to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Busy Bees Thetford has an Enhanced Service - more info.