Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital

Colney Lane, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UX
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9.8 84 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Norwich
Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital has seven rooms that are equipped and resourced with age-appropriate resources, together with three secure outdoor play areas.

Staff look to see children stimulated and inspired based on their individual interests with a mixture of adult but mostly child-led activities.

Professionals encourage the development of confident learners and a smooth transition into school life.

All meals are home-cooked and consist of fresh, seasonal ingredients and the nursery has received a five star rating for food hygiene.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Sarah Radford (Centre Director)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 36

Total Places for Children

  • 114

Age Range

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

Opening Times

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

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Reviews (84)

9.8

Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.842) out of 10, based on 39 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital has 84 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
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Reviewer Connection to Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital
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Total of 84, showing 41-60
Review from Jack D (Father of Child) published on 28 July 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
The staff continue to provide a safe, engaging learning space for children, working with parents to ensure the experience is tailored to the individual. Communication with parents is super and professional. I would wholeheartedly and with confidence, recommend this nursery to others.
Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital
Hello, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such a wonderful review! We’re glad you’re giving your little one the best start in life with us.
40 years of Busy Bees – 40 years of best…read more
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Review from Michael K (Father of Child) published on 17 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We had both our children in this nursery. The older one from summer 2018 until summer 2021, and the little one from late spring 2021 until summer 2022. The management and the staff have both been outstanding at all times. Management was extremely helpful and flexible in accommodating the needs of our
family and sometimes even suggested solutions that we would not have come up with ourselves. Apart from that, they felt like friends of our little family. Also through the pandemic, they were extraordinarily helpful and remained open, whenever legally possible. The staff has always been highly motivated and our sons enjoyed the experience throughout. The room managers and other teachers in the room were kindhearted and loving and gave the kids a fantastic experience. The nursery could benefit from access to further outside facilities. For those reasons, we stayed at the Busy Bees for over four years even though we initially had considered them only a temporary solution.
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Review from Alisha O (Mother of Child) published on 15 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my children have attended Busy Bees. My son attended from the age of 11 months and left for school September 2021. The care and love he received was fantastic all the way through the nursery, he loved going and always spoke about what he had been doing at home. All the staff are very caring and
provide the children with great activities. My daughter started when she was 9 months and again has had excellent care throughout and loves nursery days. Great nursery.
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Review from Kara H (Mother of Child) published on 7 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Busy Bees has been such a special part of our family over the last seven years and we cannot thank the Manager and the team enough for all the care you have shown to both our children throughout such important periods of their lives. We have always felt more than confident entrusting our children to
them and have watched them both thrive as they have grown into the most amazing children as a result of the nurturing and development they have given them. Those who work in the early year's sector should never underestimate the special roles that each of you play in our children's and our lives and we thank you endlessly for all that you do. I would not hesitate in recommending Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, and often have, to any of my friends seeking a child care setting.
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Review from Tanya L (Mother of Child) published on 1 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am so pleased that we decided to send our little girl to this nursery. She joined during the pandemic, and I worried that she would find it harder as we could not go in to drop her off or pick her up, however, she has completely thrived since being there. Her speech has come on wonders and she has
so much confidence. She loves to talk about the staff in her room, and has made such wonderful bonds with staff and other children. Every time I pick her up, she is so happy and tells me everything she has been doing that day. I could never thank the staff enough for what they do, from the care to food and so much more. I will always highly recommend this nursery.
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Review from Jason R (Father of Child) published on 5 October 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Brilliant staff, excellent teaching, great location and so friendly My son every morning says I love school daddy.
The food was healthy and my son actually ate vegetables, he is a famous salad dodger. I cannot praise the staff enough.
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Review from Charaka H (Father of Child) published on 15 July 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
The nursery helped our daughter settle in well despite her and our anxiety at the beginning. Her key nursery staff were fantastic and she has made a very close bond to them. The administration staff at the nursery were very approachable and helpful.
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Review from Josie K (Mother of Child) published on 26 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son leaves Busybees in August after 5 years to go to school in September. It really feels like an end of an era. My son has been so happy there and for us the decision to put him into your care was the best decision we have made so far as parents.
Reply from Lindsey Doughty, Marketing Manager at Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital
Thank you so much for your review and lovely comments. We are really pleased to hear about your positive experience at nursery and very much appreciate having you as part of the Busy Bees family. You…read more
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Review from Rachel H (Mother of Child) published on 26 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My son has attended Busy Bees for two years. The care he has received has either been good or excellent throughout each room. There are some absolute shining star staff here, who we have been sad to leave with each room move. The food is fantastic, onsite chef, variation each week and every term it's
changed to keep it seasonal. They try to get the children outside daily as long as weather allows. Suncream provided. The electronic record system is ok. Observations recorded against the key skills framework which is helpful to track the little ones progress. Parents evenings offered. Any issues we've raised have been promptly rectified, and action taken appropriately. We've recommended this nursery to several friends and family.
Reply from Lindsey Doughty, Marketing Manager at Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital
We really appreciate your excellent feedback. We will endeavour to maintain the quality of care that you have experienced during your time as a parent at nursery.
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Review from Laura R (Mother of Child) published on 24 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been at Busy Bees since she was 7months old. The team go above and beyond every day. She wouldn't take a bottle and many people tried- in the end, the manager got her to drink from a cup.
My daughter is now 21/2 bright, funny and so happy to go to nursery.
Busy Bees listen to our
wishes and always try and accommodate.
Thank you all!
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Review from Ashlea R (Mother of Child) published on 3 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A wonderful nursery, thank you so much! My little ones have had a wonderful time and have progressed so well. The facilities and food are excellent. The staff are so kind, friendly and professional. We have used Busy Bees at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital for the last six years and are very sad that our
youngest is now school age!
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Review from Lyndsey H (Grandmother of Child) published on 12 April 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My grandson always comes out with a smile on his face, he has learnt how to draw within the lines and write his own name. There are many things he comes home and tells me about such as stories they read, the educational toys he's learnt from and how he loves jigsaws! He's learnt many songs from nursery.
The staff there are exceptional too, they come out to greet you due to Covid-19 restrictions with a mask and talk about his day, what he's done and also how much he's eaten. He especially loves the outside play area. The food there is exceptional, I have noticed that they also cater for vegetarians as they put the food menu outside for the parents to see. The car park is easy and safe to get into, you are given a card which you have to swipe for the gate to open and again to go out and there is always plenty of space to park. If they were to have an accident or an issue, the staff will inform you of what happened and how they were looked after. My son has had many happy years here.
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Review from Nancy F (Mother of Child) published on 7 October 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Fantastic experience my 3 year old daughter and I have had. As Covid arrived, our usual nursery closed, leaving us stranded. Both of us hold senior positions in acute hospitals and needed to be at work. The manager was brilliant, as were her staff. The enrolment was rapid; the information concise and
organisation of all infection control standards for the children and staff was exemplar. The key worker for my little girl built a rapport easily and authentically. My daughter adored her key worker; every member of the team was relaxed, approachable and very friendly. The standard of care and attentiveness to the children was second to none. When parents picked up the children, regardless of how busy they were, each one of us was given a full appraisal of our child's day, very reassuring. The environment is exceptional; the food was awesome with an onsite chef. I will have no hesitation in taking my little back again. 5-star nursery.
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Review from Aaron M (Father of Child) published on 29 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been fully supported and cared for during her years at Busy Bees. The staff are amazing and my daughter will miss them tremendously. She learned so much whilst there and the nursery manager and her team do such a great job with the children. During pick up my daughter always had a smile
on her face and was always extremely excited to tell me about all the interesting and fun things she had been getting up to. I would not hesitate to recommend Busy Bees at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital - I always felt very comforted when she was there as I knew that she would always be looked after, stimulated and cared for.
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Review from Charlo A (Mother of Child) published on 10 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little girl has been going since the age of one and is now about to go into reception and I feel that Busy Bees has prepared her really well for this next step. They have nurtured her, cared for her, encouraged her development and helped her grow into the little girl she is now. They have a good
mix of activities for the children, great outdoor space, and with their kitchen and chef, the children are introduced to a varied, international and nutritious cuisine! I’ll miss the friendly staff led by the lovely manager who can often be seen lending a hand when needs be! My little girl will miss it too!
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Review from Laura M (Mother of Child) published on 4 August 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The manager and all the staff at Busy Bees were really supportive and welcoming to our daughter. They were able to immediately offer temporary childcare to enable our daughter to be well looked after and for me and my partner to be able to continue our work as key workers during the initial phase of
the COVID-19 pandemic. It was invaluable to know she was being well cared for and had settled in really well to the nursery. The staff always wore a smile and were really friendly and relaxed in such challenging times. My daughter thrived in her time with them and really grew in her confidence. They have a great outside space which she loved.
We would like to thank all the staff for their kindness, enthusiasm and understanding. We would highly recommend the nursery.
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Review from David H (Father of Child) published on 9 July 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
We have used this nursery for the last seven and a half years, so have a lot of experience with all of the rooms. My son started in January 2013 and my daughter finished at the end of May 2020. Both of my children were ready for school at the time of leaving. We would have continued up to the start
of the new school year for my daughter, had it not been for COVID, and being offered a key worker place at her upcoming school. We know the staff well. If it had been 4 years ago our scores would have been higher. The pre-school room (Oaktrees) isn't quite the same as it was. Due to the loss of some key staff, I feel that the skill mix in the room could be improved on in order for more pre-school activities to be done. It's lacking leadership and experience. The other rooms have maintained core staffing and as such remain consistent.
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Review from Wing L (Father of Child) published on 3 April 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent in every aspect. We have had times when we needed extra hours and the staff arranged everything. Sometimes when we were late picking up, they were really helpful. The staff are amazing and would recommend to everyone.
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Review from Qing X (Mother of Child) published on 1 April 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has enjoyed his time at Busy Bees at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Nursery. They have various menus which are high in nutrition, and super friendly staff, and a very nice atmosphere for kids to play and learn.
A highly recommended place!
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Review from Amy M (Mother of Child) published on 3 September 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter enjoyed her time at Busy Bees, Colney Lane, Norwich. She took a while to settle but the staff went above and beyond to help her.
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Current Review Score: 9.8 (9.842)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.8 (9.842) out of 10 for Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital 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 39 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 39 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 4.842 for Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital is calculated as follows: ( (401 Excellents x 5) + (58 Goods x 4) + (8 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 467 Ratings = 4.842
  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 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Norfolk and Norwich Hospital is based on 39 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 114 number of registered child places is 22.8, which has been reached with 39 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  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.

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Awards / Recognitions (1)

Meet the Team (1)

Sarah

Sarah Radford

Job Title: Centre Director

Welcome! I am Sarah and I'm the manager of Busy Bees, Norwich Hospital. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, and I look forward to meeting you and your family

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