Busy Bees Southwell

17 Allenby Road, Southwell NG25 0NL
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7.8 42 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Southwell, Southwell
Busy Bees Southwell, offers specifically designed playrooms and a cheerful environment in which for specialised pre-school development to take place. Childcare professionals involve parents in as much of the service as possible, are made to feel welcome by a friendly team, with feedback surveys and CCTV further means by which clients can feel confident in the care provided.

Each child has their own key person to monitor their development, with both group and self-directed play pursued, sensory play areas and a great selection of outdoor play equipment.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Amy Hilton (Centre Director)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 15

Total Places for Children

  • 48

Age Range

  • from 0 years 2 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Funding & Fees

  • Please contact the nursery

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

Busy Bees Southwell Reviews (42)

7.8

Busy Bees Southwell has a Review Score of 7.8 (7.797) out of 10, based on 4 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Busy Bees Southwell has 42 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
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Reviewer Connection to Busy Bees Southwell
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Total of 42, showing 1-20
Review from E W (Mother of Child) published on 24 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son has been attending Busy Bees since he was 8 months old and will soon be moving on to school. He has always loved going, often running in without a backwards glance. The staff are caring and enthusiastic and I'm always impressed at the range of activities they think up for the children. We are
always greeted by a friendly face and throughout his time there I have always felt that his key workers are genuinely invested in his progress and wellbeing.
Our second child will be starting in baby room soon and I have no doubt will be just as happy here.
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Review from L H (Mother of Child) published on 19 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5
I had a really disappointing experience with this nursery. I am familiar with Busy Bees from elsewhere in the country and knew it was a chain and not to expect miracles. My daughter was booked in from the start of May. I went along to the first settling in session and there were a few red flags - myself
and my daughter were not spoken to for an hour, none of the adults I saw smiled or engaged the children in play, when I asked about activities I was told 'it was more free flow here'. It felt like the staff were there to earn a wage - which ultimately they are, but other settings I have been to have staff who love children and this shows!
I felt so uncomfortable that this is the experience my daughter would have while I was there, what would happen when I wasn't. I spoke to the manager and explained my experience who said this wasn't the normal case. Even though the service was not as described on the website/by the staff I did not receive my deposit back. Advice - avoid if you can!
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Review from N H (Mother of Child) published on 28 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We’re very happy that our daughter goes to Busy Bees Southwell. The team are exceptional, not just in our daughter's room but across the centre, taking into account personality, developmental skills and interests. The food variety and quality is also fantastic - it’s great to know that when she’s in
their care she is being looked after in every respect.
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Review from Abbey T (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We are more than happy with our choice of nursery for our daughter. In our opinion, the staff go above and beyond for the babies and ensure they have days filled with activities and exploring new things, which is so important for their development! My daughter loves it too! My personal favourite feature
is the app updates.
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Review from T H (Mother of Child) published on 23 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A brilliant nursery! We have two boys in nursery, and both of them are loving all the toys, activities and attention they get from the staff. The facilities are always clean, tidy and well decorated. The staff are very helpful and really make an effort with the kids. The food is superb with loads of
different healthy meals and snacks every day. The regular updates throughout the day on the app mean that we know what fun the kids are having while we are stuck in work meetings!
I would really recommend this nursery to anyone looking.
Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees Southwell
Hello, thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such a wonderful review! We’re glad you’re giving your little ones the best start in life with us. Best wishes, Busy Bees.
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Review from G M (Mother of Child) published on 5 April 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A fantastic nursery. My daughter has thrived in this environment with kind and patient staff who are very welcoming and easy to talk to. All of the staff get to know the children well. There are always lots of activities for the children to take part in and the outside area is absolutely brilliant.
Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees Southwell
Hello, wow! Thank you for this glowing review! We are delighted your little one is having a good experience at our Southwell nursery.
40 years of Busy Bees – 40 years of best beginnings. We’re…read more
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Review from F S (Mother of Child) published on 19 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Amazing nursery with kind, personable and welcoming staff. The facilities are modern and the outdoor space is brilliant. There’s always lots of new daily activities and resources out for the children to play and learn. The communication is always prompt and informative. The staff always greet you with
a smile and form great relationships with the children. They always go above and beyond to help. Highly Recommend.
Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees Southwell
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 Georgie F (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Such a great nursery. From the day we went to look around to now, we can’t fault Busy Bees. The staff are all so lovely, helpful, kind and my little boy adores them all. Since him starting there, you can see how much he has grown. It’s the nicest feeling taking him in the morning with a big grin on
his face to picking him up with a smile too and knowing he’s in safe hands. The activities they do sound so much fun, they are outside as much as possible. The food always sounds great, thank you staff. You’re updated throughout the day with what your child gets up to. They always have events going on and they make sure the families are included as much as possible. I can’t fault Busy Bees. Thank you so much for all you do.
Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees Southwell
Hello, we love reading feedback like this! Thank you for sharing it with us; we will pass on your lovely comments to the team at Southwell. 40 years of Busy Bees – 40 years of best beginnings. Join…read more
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Review from R B (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have been really happy with Busy Bees right from when our daughter first started. She is always happy to go, the staff are lovely, kind and caring and send regular updates of what the children have been up to. She enjoys the activities and food, has developed socially and made some great friendships
and feels like she is well prepared for starting school. Will be sad to leave!
Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees Southwell
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 J P (Mother of Child) published on 16 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has attended Busy Bees since he was eleven months old, he is now four years old. He loves his time there. The staff are all lovely. They do a very wide range of activities both inside and out. They tailor-make activities to suit your child’s interests. My son loves the food they provide and really
enjoys the baking activities that they do.
Would highly recommend Busy Bees, Southwell.
Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees Southwell
Hello, wow! Thank you for this glowing review! We are delighted your little one is having a good experience at our Southwell nursery.
40 years of Busy Bees – 40 years of best beginnings. Celebrate…read more
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Review from L P (Mother of Child) published on 10 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son started in November 2022 in preschool. The staff are kind and caring towards him. They listen to what I have to say and implement that in their learning with him. They do a lot to support independence and encourage him to explore new things. They also have gotten to know him really well and set
out things for him to do that they know he will really enjoy. I am really pleased with how he’s settled in and the development he has gone through in such little time being with Busy Bees Southwell. Thank you.
Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees Southwell
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 S H (Mother of Child) published on 31 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My daughter loves it at Busy Bees. She loves playing with the children and staff. The staff are very friendly and helpful. My daughter loves the daily activities they do and often brings home things she has made.
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Review from Claire B (Mother of Child) published on 31 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little girl has only been at the nursery for one year but she has absolutely enjoyed every day she has attended, in fact on those days she wasn't attending she still wanted to go. The staff have been really friendly and welcoming and she has come on leaps and bounds throughout the year, turning into
a lovely little girl. Her confidence, attitude and awareness has improved and we know that she is now fully ready for her school adventure. The staff have also been really supportive with us with our food allergies and have helped me to manage the challenges that we face. When we started the re-introduction of foods, they again, were able to support me throughout the process. The outdoor space is great and as my little girl loves being outdoors this has really allowed her to explore and understand the natural world around her. Honestly, this is a great nursery and one I would recommend to any other parents.
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Review from Anna S (Mother of Child) published on 14 July 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
One word...outstanding! Our little boy has come on leaps and bounds since attending Buy Bees Day Nursery. As a parent, it's reassuring to know that Bees always go that extra mile in supporting every child's needs, especially their development! The fantastic team at Bees are always there to answer any
questions and we would definitely recommend Busy Bees to any parent!
We honestly can't say enough high praise and thanks for taking such care of our little man!
The feeling it gives us when dropping him off is like leaving him with family! Thank you Busy Bees.
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Review from Helen H (Mother of Child) published on 13 July 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our youngest now goes to Busy Bees, so we've been at the nursery for over five years. We've always been very happy with everything, and we know our girls have been cared for and well looked after. They both enjoyed the activities (especially in pre-school), and we noticed with both that their confidence
grew ad they became more independent as a result of going to Busy Bees. The staff and keep workers are great. We've recommended the nursery to others. Thanks for taking care of our girls!
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Review from Katy G (Mother of Child) published on 5 July 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent, accommodating and attentive staff and nursery.
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Review from F D (Mother of Child) published on 1 July 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has been attending Busy Bees Southwell since 2019 and is currently loving her time in pre-school, so much so she often asks if she can go to nursery at the weekend! All the staff are fantastic and so welcoming. Our 9 month old son is due to start next month and we have no reservations about
him starting - we’re excited to see how he changes and develops with the support of the Busy Bees Southwell team (and big sister)!
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Review from S T (Mother of Child) published on 21 June 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Busy Bees Southwell has always been outstanding, with excellent and hardworking staff. However, the changes and additions made over the last few months have been invaluable and have excelled the nursery. Some of the changes and additions include allowing the children to borrow books and educational
activities from the nursery. They have more frequent and detailed uploads on the app, such as what activities the children are doing that week and they put on more event days at the nursery throughout the year. A great variety of new activities at the nursery, including baking and gardening. They have provided a new weekly email update to parents and a new welcoming, informative and interactive reception area which is regularly updated. The whole nursery has recently been refurbished to a very high standard with new toys, and sensory and learning equipment. The nursery staff have created an engaging, interactive and fantastic learning environment which the children love. Our child loves going to nursery, and loves all the staff!
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Review from Jon N (Father of Child) published on 24 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have been bowled over by how fantastic the team are at Busy Bees Southwell. Our eldest has come on leaps and bounds since he started there. Lots of time was put in by a number of the staff to help our son acclimatise to being away from home and he now looks forward to nursery days and can’t wait
to tell us about all the fun things he’s been up to. The app provided to keep us up to date on what he has eaten is also really helpful.
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Review from N S (Mother of Child) published on 19 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We love Busy Bees! Our son happily leaves us at the door without a backwards glance and comes out with a smile on his face! The staff are friendly and helpful and show a great deal of warmth towards the children.
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Current Review Score: 7.8 (7.797)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 7.8 (7.797) out of 10 for Busy Bees Southwell is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.2 out of 5 from 4 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.6 out of 5 from 3 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 4.234 for Busy Bees Southwell is calculated as follows: ( (31 Excellents x 5) + (7 Goods x 4) + (3 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Poors x 2) + (5 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 47 Ratings = 4.234
  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 3.563 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Southwell is based on 3 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 = 3.25
    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 48 number of registered child places is 9.6. 3 Positive Reviews ÷ 9.6 = 0.313
  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)

Amy

Amy Hilton

Job Title: Centre Director

Hello, my name is Amy and I am the Centre Director here at Busy Bees Southwell.

Frequently Asked Questions about Busy Bees Southwell

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

Busy Bees Southwell accepts Children aged from 0 years 2 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Busy Bees Southwell Open?

Busy Bees Southwell 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 Southwell have capacity for?

Busy Bees Southwell has capacity for a total of 48 Children.

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

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