Busy Bees Great Denham

90 Saxon Way, Great Denham, Bedford MK40 4GP
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8.1 17 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Great Denham, Bedford
Busy Bees Great Denham is a high-quality nursery based on Saxon Way, Great Denham, just five minutes from Kempston, Wootton, Bromham and Biddenham. The setting serves the West of Bedford community, providing them a nursery with easy access to the major road links.

The nursery has been recognised over the years for its success. In October 2013, the nursery received an 'Outstanding' grading from Ofsted, a Children’s Food Trust accreditation and a five star food hygiene award.

Busy Bees Great Denham serves to provide excellent quality care for all its children. Staff understand that the learning environment plays a key role in extending children’s knowledge and development and take into consideration that all children develop and learn in different ways.

The nursery supports all children through the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and works with parents to provide each and every child a learning environment that will give them the best possible start.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Jen Grimshaw (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 25

Total Places for Children

  • 73

Age Range

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

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:00-19:00
    Tuesday 07:00-19:00
    Wednesday 07:00-19:00
    Thursday 07:00-19:00
    Friday 07:00-19:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays

Busy Bees Great Denham Reviews (17)

8.1

Busy Bees Great Denham has a Review Score of 8.1 (8.066) out of 10, based on 3 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Busy Bees Great Denham has 17 reviews.

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Total of 17, showing 1-17
Review from J K (Mother of Child) published on 24 October 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery is very good especially in terms of education, personal development & management and baby has really made him confident.
Beyond the excellent care for the children, the staff and management at Great Denham have shown real sympathy and understanding for parents going through difficult circumstances
at home. They've been flexible, communicative, and emotional support has been offered when needed, which has meant a lot to our family.
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Review from Kate R (Mother of Child) published on 15 August 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We've had a relationship with Busy Bees since September 2019, when our daughter started at 8 months old. There is a family feel to the nursery with many of the staff still around who also know our daughter when we go in to drop off or collect our son who is currently in the Toddler room. It is a warm
and nurturing environment, with a great outdoor space and a wide range of activities for the children to explore. We're delighted with the level of care and clear commitment to providing a great experience for our children.
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Review from Samuel S (Father of Child) published on 13 August 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has attended busy bees in Great Denham for nearly 3.5 years. She has absolutely loved her time at busy bees. She made a great friendship group and the staff were all very friendly and caring. I would recommend this nursery to all friends and family.
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Review from R C (Mother of Child) published on 22 June 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 2.0 out of 5
Disappointing dip in the quality of childcare with recent events leading me to look elsewhere to remove my daughter from this facility. It is a great shame as the quality of care and staff support were fantastic when my eldest son attended but the quality of care is now heavily reliant on a small number
of great individuals in the team. Attention to safeguarding and children's personal care is falling far short of what I would expect.
Reply from Chrysanthi Kremmyda, Busy Bees Team at Busy Bees Great Denham
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. Providing children with the best start in life is our number one priority. We welcome and value constructive feedback; hence the nursery's Area…read more
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Review from Ben M (Father of Child) published on 5 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Toybox is an excellent nursery, and I'm very happy for my son to attend. He has been there since he was 9-months, first in the baby suite, then under two, the toddler and now pre-school. He loves the social interaction and seems as though he is challenged regularly by the staff and other children, helping
him more and more to grow and learn.
They have responded incredibly well to the COVID situation and work hard to keep the nursery safe for all. The daily feedback is good both at handover and on the app.
The only negative feedback is that as it has been a few years since build, and the kids are (obviously) a bit rough on the building, it would benefit from a refresh inside with a lick of paint. It is very clean inside but really seems to be tired.
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Review from Lucy W (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been attending Toybox for 18-months now, and we are extremely happy. The staff are amazing, and he adores them. The staff layout a great variety of activities that focus on skill development as well as being fun. The children spend a great amount of time outside as well. We find communication
with the nursery really easy and are really comfortable discussing anything that’s going on at home as well. Throughout Covid, the team have been fantastic. Restrictions have been in place to keep everyone safe, and they have been really successful. The staff have continued to work throughout and access to other children has been amazing for our son. We can’t thank them enough.
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Review from Carrie S (Mother of Child) published on 1 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son has been going here since he was 8-months-old (now 4) and our daughter also started going about 8-months-ago. We couldn't be happier with the service that they provide. Our kids are well looked after, and they love going there. We get regular updates about their da,y and informative reviews
about how they are progressing. The transitions between rooms are handled seamlessly, and they take great care in making sure that our son is ready to move up. Their keyworkers are very attentive and set imaginative homework each week, which keeps our son motivated and interested. They are always willing to support any needs we may have and provide advice when needed.
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Review from Vicki G (Mother of Child) published on 25 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have put both children through Toybox, and having experienced nurseries elsewhere, can say that Toybox benchmarks high against what we are looking for; development of the children is at the heart of what they do, communication with parents is transparent, and the site itself is very well looked after
with great facilities. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a top-rate nursery in the area.
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Review from Audra L (Mother of Child) published on 25 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been attending Toybox for the last 3-years and has grown into a happy confident little boy, which I have no doubt is largely down to the amazing care he receives from the team here.
All the staff are so friendly and caring and know all the children by name regardless of the room they are
in. The teaching he receives is outstanding and has set him on a great track for starting school in September.
My second child is due to start nursery in the summer, and there was no question as to which nursery she would be attending.
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Review from Tom (Father of Child) published on 17 October 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son has now been in the nursery for over 12 months and absolutely loves it. He has made tremendous relationships with staff especially his key workers who go above and beyond to ensure he is developing whilst having fun. He has also just made the transition to the next age group and we have been
extremely satisfied with how this has been dealt with. The consultations delivered (previously face to face) are thorough and ensure us as parents are fully involved in our child's learning.
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Review from Sarah M (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my children have been to Toybox and I have always been so happy with the care they have received. My son has a dairy allergy and reflux problem and they have always been so accommodating to his needs. The staff are kind and friendly and the activities they plan are engaging and fun for the children.
They have both made amazing progress while they have been there and it was a great foundation for my son who started school last September.
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Review from Miriam W (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been attending toy box nursery since she was about 7months and is still there now. She has enjoyed her time at the nursery and has made many friends and enjoys all the activities that they do. She has taken part in a number of activities like teddy tennis and has received stickers and
certificates. She took part in the Christmas activity play which I thoroughly enjoyed. I couldn’t thank toy box enough for the hard work and effort they provide to the children. As she won’t be attending school until this September she has been given reading books and homework each week that will help her for when she does start school. As well as wearing uniform since age 3 that has helped her for when she does start school. Would highly recommend this nursery.
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Review from K H (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
This is an incredible, nurturing nursery, with extremely caring, friendly and knowledgeable staff. We had a smooth transition when my daughter began at 1, and have had a seamless transition into the toddler's room now she is 2. They are flexible, for example, they use our cloth nappies, and timed the
transition between rooms to minimise the stress due to the arrival of her baby sister just before her 2nd birthday. Toybox were invaluable at helping my daughter to adjust to having a sibling. Her key worker has also given us amazing feedback on her development during the review sessions – they clearly know and cherish all the children. All staff will say hello to her by name when they see her, and they are also very helpful, for example allowing me to feed my new baby in the comfy chair in the baby room when I had needed to feed during pick up. The facilities always smell clean but not overly sterile. My only improvement would be for more muddy play and more outdoor play in winter.
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Review from Caz B (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our eldest daughter attended Toy Box until she went to school and she loved it. She flourished at Toy Box. Our youngest daughter is still at Toy Box and always skips heading in. She loves the staff. She's truly happy and I would not consider her going anywhere else. The management of the nursery is
second to none. Professional, caring, exceptionally maintained. I always go to work knowing that our most precious people in the world are happy and safe. Thank you Toy Box!!
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Review from Kevin R (Father of Child) published on 23 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We chose Toybox due to its Ofsted rating of Outstanding and after visiting a number of nurseries in the area. With its purpose-built facility and friendly, enthusiastic and professional staff, Toybox has not disappointed and I’d recommend it to anyone with a little one.


Some of the features that

have been particularly good compared to other nurseries are:
- use of digital diaries to keep you informed every day
- great homemade meals every day (other nurseries were taking oven chips out every time we visited)
- safe and quiet outdoor space where children can play
- location is convenient as it’s near shops to grab something on the way home and just off the main road so easy to get there and to park
- attention of staff is excellent and they have spotted some injuries and ails that I had not and even advised on best care
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Review from Tara B (Mother of Child) published on 23 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Fantastic nursery, I would definitely recommend to other parents as a first priority. The team go above and beyond to ensure my child is happy, which enables me to go to work without any worry.
The food is excellent and my daughter absolutely loves it going there each day.
5 star! Cannot find a
fault.
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Review from Cristina C (Mother of Child) published on 23 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little one absolutely loves being at Toybox, it makes me really happy to know she is in good hands, having fun, enjoying healthy meals and playing all day long.
Would definitely recommend!
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Current Review Score: 8.1 (8.066)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.1 (8.066) out of 10 for Busy Bees Great Denham is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.6 out of 5 from 3 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.5 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 4.611 for Busy Bees Great Denham is calculated as follows: ( (25 Excellents x 5) + (8 Goods x 4) + (3 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 36 Ratings = 4.611
  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 3.455 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Great Denham 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 73 number of registered child places is 14.6. 3 Positive Reviews ÷ 14.6 = 0.205
  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)

Jen

Jen Grimshaw

Job Title: Centre Director Joined: 2013

Hello, my name is Jen and I am the Centre Director at Busy Bees, Great Denham. I have worked in childcare for the last 13 years and have a real passion for quality and development. I have a BA Hons degree in Early Years and a range of other qualifications including Special Educational Needs and Leadership & Management.


I opened Great Denham Nursery in April 2013 and have welcomed lots of local families over the years. Now both of my children attend the nursery and love to come and experience new and exciting activities every day. 


At the heart of Great Denham we are a busy nursery and sometimes don't always have space for all of your children but please call us and we can let you know our current availability.


I look forward to meeting you very soon.

Frequently Asked Questions about Busy Bees Great Denham

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

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

What Days & Hours is Busy Bees Great Denham Open?

Busy Bees Great Denham is open: Monday 07:00-19:00, Tuesday 07:00-19:00, Wednesday 07:00-19:00, Thursday 07:00-19:00, Friday 07:00-19:00.

How many Children does Busy Bees Great Denham have capacity for?

Busy Bees Great Denham has capacity for a total of 73 Children.

How far is Busy Bees Great Denham to the centre of Bedford?

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