Busy Bees Nursery

Priory Road, Newton Hall, Durham DH1 5HW
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10 185 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Nursery, Durham
Busy Bees Day Nursery provides quality and inspirational learning for children up to eleven years old.

They provide a nurturing and caring environment where everyone feels welcome and valued in their own right. They have established an enviable reputation for delivering a high-quality childcare service and this is recognised by both parents and Ofsted.

The children are cared for in a stimulating environment where each child can reach their full potential. Children are actively encouraged to explore, learn, communicate and interact with one another.

Busy Bees is very proud of its staff who you will find are enthusiastic, dedicated and highly qualified and this is what makes the nursery so special.

There are extensive separate gardens where the babies and children can explore and feel safe, but most of all have fun.

There is an open door policy to ensure there is effective communication at all times between the nursery and parents/carers.

The staff would love to show you around their wonderful nursery.
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Type of Service

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

Owner

  • Busy Bees (Durham) Ltd
  • Privately Owned

Person in Charge

  • Carey-Anne Bonser (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 64

Total Places for Children

  • 170

Age Range

  • from 0 years 0 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 & 1 week at Christmas

Busy Bees Nursery Reviews (185)

10

Busy Bees Nursery has a Review Score of 10 (9.966) out of 10, based on 33 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Busy Bees Nursery has 185 reviews.

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Date Published
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Total of 185, showing 61-80
Review from R H (Mother of Child) published on 5 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has attended nursery since she was 6 months old. She is now four and starting school in September. I can honestly say that the last 4 years at Busy Bees Nursery have been amazing and I cannot recommend them highly enough. The support and kindness they have shown not only my daughter, but
myself as well has been amazing. They have always been there to offer support, advice, a hug or a friendly word of reassurance. They treat you like family and love every single child that they take care of. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for an incredible journey.
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Review from Lauren P (Mother of Child) published on 5 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We cannot recommend Busy Bees Nursery enough. Our little boy has been there from 15 months to starting school. The staff have been fantastic - they have reassured me when drop offs have been difficult in the early days, and have always been approachable. They have given excellent care to our little
boy.
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Review from Jane M (Grandmother of Child) published on 9 June 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My Granddaughter attended Busy Bees from September to May and has had an excellent experience at such a happy, friendly nursery. It has been delightful to watch her grow and develop, particularly with her social skills as a result of the excellent environment provided and the wonderful support given
by all of the staff. The warm friendly and nurturing staff helped her to settle and enjoy exploring the wide range of exciting activities and experiences. She loved going to Busy Bees and only left due to moving home. I am delighted with the wonderful start to nursery education my granddaughter has had and would highly recommend Busy Bees nursery. Thank you very much to all of the staff.
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Review from Alison S (Mother of Child) published on 20 April 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has attended Busy Bees for the past 9 months and absolutely adores her time at nursery! From day one the staff have made her feel so welcome, happy and safe. She settled in so quickly I was able to leave her each day without a worry which I wasn’t sure would be possible! She has so much
fun she always has the biggest smile on her face when I come to collect her and even after an initial hug runs back to keep playing! One of her favourite things is the fab outdoor space which is available for play and exploration. I love that she gets to spend time outside. What a great space to have! I have also been very impressed with the range of delicious food she gets to eat. She is a very lucky girl! I think attending Busy Bees is really bringing her on in so many ways so thank you to all the staff!
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Review from Victoria H (Mother of Child) published on 22 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has attended Busy Bees since January 2020. She might have only had a few weeks before lockdown came along, but she loved her time in the Caterpillar room. The staff were so welcoming and looked after her like she was their own. Once she returned in September 2020, she hadn’t remembered anything,
but once again, she just skipped in each day to her new rooms. I never get a goodbye! She’s too busy telling the staff her story for the day! As she’s moved up through the rooms, she’s gained more and more confidence and always talks about the staff and children, especially her key workers when she’s at home. She does so much at nursery and absolutely loves her time there. I would highly recommend the nursery and she is only leaving due to moving to school nursery which makes it easier, as it’s closer to my other daughter’s school. I wouldn’t be moving her if I could manage two drop-offs/pick-ups in separate directions! You won’t regret sending your child here! All the staff are fabulous!
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Review from A J (Mother of Child) published on 1 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child (and older child) love Busy Bees. The staff are brilliant and it is so good to know that they will be so well cared for every day. The communication app is a little temperamental but the face-to-face communism and care is excellent.
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Review from Helen F (Mother of Child) published on 29 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I cannot fault this nursery! My two-year-old little boy absolutely loved it here and we are sad to be leaving due to our recent house move. All the staff are friendly and invested themselves in my son's development. He’s come on leaps and bounds since starting last April. We will miss all the lovely
ladies here!
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Review from Craig P (Father of Child) published on 29 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Since my one year old son started nursery in August this year, he has settled in really well and loves his time there. It is great to be able to see what he has been up to with lots of regular updates and photographs on the app, and even when he has been a little unsettled or feeling unwell the staff
have always been very attentive to his needs and made me feel at ease that he is being well looked after. I feel that his carers have gotten to know him well as feedback from his day is always personal to him and reflects what he likes to do at home too. I am very happy with the nursery, facilities and my son's care, and would not hesitate to recommend this nursery to others looking for childcare.
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Review from Chris H (Father of Child) published on 1 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We are absolutely delighted with the level of care for our baby. Busy Bees provides a warm, welcoming and friendly environment. She loves coming to nursery each day and loves visibly growing in confidence. As working parents, our minds are totally at peace with our daughter at Busy Bees. The app is
a brilliant way to communicate throughout the day so we know how she is getting on. Perhaps the best aspect of her care is the genuine interest shown by all the staff who work here. Everyone loves the children, knows them by name, and takes the time at the start or end of the day to talk. Busy Bees is an excellent nursery and one we would recommend to other families wholeheartedly. Keep up the brilliant work.
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Review from Nicola D (Mother of Child) published on 13 August 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We cannot praise Busy Bees enough. Our daughter loves her nursery and teachers and we are so happy that we chose this nursery for her. The staff are all wonderful, caring and attentive to her needs and she loves the girls in Honeys.
My husband and I work variable shift patterns and the nursery have
been very accommodating in allowing us to flex our sessions around them throughout lockdown when things have been difficult for all. We’ve really appreciated the feedback, updates and photos via the ParentZone app. It’s lovely to see what they’ve all been up to so that we can share her experiences at home.


Our daughter has grown in confidence so much in the 8 months she has been at Busy Bees and we look forward to watching her further blossom during her final year in Bumbles, before starting school.


We would 100% recommend this nursery to anyone.

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Review from Fiona K (Mother of Child) published on 22 July 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy will soon leave Busy Bees to start school and that will be the end of a five and half year association with the nursery for our family. During that time the nursery staff have provided excellent care for my children and I’d be happy to recommend Busy Bees to anyone seeking childcare in
the Durham area.
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Review from Melissa M (Mother of Child) published on 20 July 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our little girl has been going to this nursery since September 2017. The staff are amazing and their care is second to none. Our little girl is now leaving to start school but our little boy will be joining in September! Thank you so much for all you's have done Busy Bees!
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Review from Donata L (Mother of Child) published on 16 July 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The Busy Bees Nursery is a really great place where I leave my child every day with complete peace. The staff are extremely warm, competent, creative and carefully observing children. My son loves to walk here. In nursery, importance is attached to healthy eating, physical activity, and positive values
are consolidated in children. My son is bilingual thanks to this nursery, we can speak Polish at home, only in nursery my son speaks English, what more could you want. I recommend it all!
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Review from Simon S (Father of Child) published on 1 July 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son loves going to Busy Bees - he has great fun, learns so much, and always comes home happy with a story to tell. The staff are always extremely helpful and considerate and do a wonderful job. Highly recommended.
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Review from Lauren M (Mother of Child) published on 29 June 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy has attended since September 2020 at the age of 8months. Since then the nursery has had a huge impact on my son's development and has brought him on loads. The care he receives is outstanding, the quality of food supplied for the children is outstanding and the staff at the nursery are
all outstanding. It certainly meets the Ofsted rate of outstanding. Would certainly recommend this nursery.
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Review from Anna P (Mother of Child) published on 29 June 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter transitioned to busy bees from another nursery when she was 2. The staff were so supportive when she joined her new childcare setting and she's loved being at busy bees from day one. The staff are all absolutely brilliant, so positive, caring, and supportive. The food is great with my daughter
regularly eating way more variety whilst at nursery than she does at home. Finally, the level of creativity that my daughter experiences whilst at nursery is amazing, the activities that fill her day are so varied and engaging. I'd have absolutely no problem recommending busy bees to others.
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Review from Stephen R (Father of Child) published on 17 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We were delighted with our daughter's time at Busy Bees. They played a great role in her development and she made many friends. The staff are friendly and approachable and go above and beyond. They have shown real care in knowing our daughter well and understanding her needs. She always came home full
of stories about her day, telling us all of the wonderful things she had done and learned. I would recommend Busy Bees to anyone and will always remember the role they played in our lives.
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Review from Pablo L-A (Father of Child) published on 7 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have been bringing our three years old twin little girls to Busy Bees Nursery since November 2020. During this time, I only have good words to say about the nursery. My daughters really love going there and they enjoy all the activities they do. The feedback from the nursery is amazing, which we
get almost in real-time, of what the kids are doing and eating, with a lot of pictures too!
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Review from Helen S (Mother of Child) published on 27 January 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been at Busy Bees since she was 9 months old. She’s now almost 2. I have been thrilled with the nursery since my very first visit - which happened to be the day they were being inspected by OFSTED and received OUTSTANDING - and I have to say I wasn’t a bit surprised! Working in Education
myself, I was quite particular about what I was looking for my little one and I do think I’ve found that at Busy Bees. Outdoor opportunities galore, child-led learning, well-trained, friendly staff, excellent and speedy communication and flexibility. It’s clear staff understand how children communicate, play and learn and this feeds into the environments provided for the children; the invitations to explore and the planned activities. The ParentZone app keeps me up to date throughout the day on meals, naps, snacks and learning. I love getting photos of what she’s up to whilst I’m working. My older (school-age) children have also accessed the wrap-around care and LOVED it!
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Review from Helen R (Mother of Child) published on 15 January 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy started Busy Bees in October 2020 and I can honestly say, it was the best decision we have made. He has a wonderful time every time he is there, it makes working so much easier knowing he is happy and incredibly well looked after by the fabulous staff and management team. Management are
extremely helpful and always attempt to accommodate to any changes in our schedule, and the carers couldn’t do enough for my son; they have a genuine connection with him that makes me very happy to know he is getting plenty of love when he is at nursery. There are a range of activities they provide for him that encourage all areas of his development, he is always exploring something new and exciting and reading the daily feedback on the app is very reassuring for me. The app also provides photos, as well as other necessary information so I always know what's been happening throughout the day. I would 100% recommend Busy Bees nursery to anyone.
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Current Review Score: 10.0 (9.966)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 10 (9.966) out of 10 for Busy Bees Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 33 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 33 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 4.995 for Busy Bees Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (393 Excellents x 5) + (2 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 395 Ratings = 4.995
  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 4.971 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Nursery is based on 33 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 170 number of registered child places is 34. 33 Positive Reviews ÷ 34 = 0.971
  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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