Busy Bees Colchester

Phoenix Square, Wyncolls Road, Severalls Industrial Park, Colchester CO4 9AS
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8.9 35 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Colchester, Colchester
Busy Bees Colchester offers Outstanding care as graded by Ofsted in February 2020. The spacious base rooms offer the children stimulating and inspiring environments where staff are passionate about providing exceptional care and learning.

The nursery cares for children from 3 months to 5 years. The Foundation Class is designed to support the children in their final year of nursery, before they head off to Primary School. The children take part in Science experiments, Numbers and Phonics and much more.

Homemade meals are provided to the children and these are cooked freshly onsite by their amazing Chef. Parents are provided with a Parent Zone account where they can see their child's progress and share in their learning using links from home.

The staff team is so passionate and dedicated to their roles and share in the Manager's values and vision for the centre.

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Care Provided by Busy Bees Colchester

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Kate Whitnell (Nursery Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 27
  • Total Places for Children
  • 84
  • 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

Busy Bees Colchester Reviews (35)

Total of 35, showing 21-35
8.9

Busy Bees Colchester has a Review Score of 8.9 (8.929) out of 10, based on 6 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Busy Bees Colchester has 35 reviews.

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Review from E C (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2020
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have two children at the nursery and even though they only attend one day a week all of the friendly staff know their names and say hello. The classrooms are lovely and clean and we feel like our children are well looked after. The staff are always so lovely and attentive and always on hand to answer
queries. An amazing nursery.

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Review from Carl (Father of Child) published on 5 December 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our little girl attended Busy Bees from one-year-old four days a week and I cannot thank all the girls enough for the love and care they gave my little girl. It’s the staff that really make this nursery, they are all so friendly and give the children all the care and attention they need. At every pickup,
you got to have a chat to see how they had got on that day and they would listen to any concerns you might have and help you address them. The food was always really good and the energy the manager had really made the nursery shine. Yes, it’s not cheap but they are looking after the most special person in your world and I couldn’t have thought of a better place for my little girl to spend the first three years of her life! On a final note, it really got her ready for school and it was a seamless transition for her, just a shock for us! Oh and the pirate ship in the garden is awesome!

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Review from Katherine R (Mother of Child) published on 25 September 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son attended Busy Bees from the age of 13 months right up until he started school last week and I have to say I cannot recommend this nursery enough. I looked around a couple of other nursery settings locally and I am so pleased we chose Busy Bees. All the staff are helpful, friendly and so caring,
right from the outset I was more than happy to leave my son there when I returned to work. Any queries/issues were dealt with quickly and professionally by the management. Sending him to nursery has been one of the best decisions we made and has definitely given him the best start for his schooling from both a social and educational point of view.

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Review from Sarah H (Mother of Child) published on 6 September 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has attended Busy Bees since 2016. During her time at the nursery she was always looked after with great care, love and kindness. All the girls at the nursery are professional but treat the children as if they were their own. They clearly love all the children at the nursery and my daughter
developed some close bonds with several members of staff during her time at the nursery.
The way the foundation room has been set up is a supportive environment that works to prepare your child for schooling and my daughter is most definitely set for starting school.
The staff at the nursery have become an extended part of our family and we will miss them greatly.

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Review from Lili R (Mother of Child) published on 4 September 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I was so nervous about my daughter starting nursery but the girls at Busy Bees made me and my daughter feel so at ease and comfortable. My daughter absolutely enjoys all her time at nursery and has come on leaps and bounds in her development. Always a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I would 100% recommend
Busy Bees Colchester to any Mum searching for a nursery for their child! The staff are wonderful and my daughter loves every second. Thank you so much.

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Review from Sam (Mother of Child) published on 10 May 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has recently joined the nursery and I cannot praise the staff enough for their care and compassion. The nursery has such a welcoming atmosphere and we feel part of the nursery family already.
The activities provided are outstanding and the nursery is always set up to help encourage the
children.

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Review from Emma B (Mother of Child) published on 24 April 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending nursery since she was 8 months old. She is now nearly 2 and a half and still loves every minute of it! The staff could not be more attentive if they tried, and they always ensure that my child's needs are met. The relationship and effort made with parents is at an amazing
level. Regularly sending items home that have been made. Thank you for all that you do, would definitely recommend!

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Review from Hannah (Mother of Child) published on 24 April 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little girl has been attending this nursery since January 2018 and thoroughly enjoys her time here. The activities and facilities that are on offer are excellent. She loves painting, playing, creating, learning and lots more with the new friends she has made. The staff are wonderful - they are very
kind, caring and professional which makes me feel very safe leaving her in their very capable hands. We love that they always have events which reflect special times in the yearly calendar (Mother's Day, Easter, World Book Day etc) so my daughter can dress up and have lots of fun! My husband and I are very pleased she attends this nursery and are looking forward to seeing how she develops in this lovely environment in the coming year.

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Review from Kari C (Mother of Child) published on 21 September 2017
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both my children have attended this nursery and I can't recommend it highly enough. It's extremely organised and well run with communication to home, from all levels, exceptional. When my son was having a difficult time staff worked with me to support him. My older daughter was extremely well prepared
when she left to go to reception and still loves to go back and visit! I am confident that the start Busy Bees has given both my children couldn't be better anywhere else.

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Review from Carly J (Mother of Child) published on 21 September 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff cared for my daughter from the age of two. She suffers from juvenile arthritis in her knees and I cannot begin to explain the level of care they demonstrated to ensure my daughter could be included in all activities! She came home full of energy, telling me lots of stories about all the wonderful
activities she had done that day at nursery! The staff are extremely helpful, friendly and caring, and I would highly recommend this childcare provider to anyone.

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Review from Louise C (Mother of Child) published on 21 September 2017
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little girl has spent 4 years at nursery and my little boy 2 years, with 1 year to go.


I have to say that the staff have been fantastic in all areas of the service I have had. Both of my children have additional needs and I have had support from the minute the referrals have been made and they

are responsible for how well my daughter is now doing at school.
The job they do is fantastic, the staff are great, caring and I'll be sad when my little boy leaves for school next year. Great support, loads of help, always listening and my children's best interests is key to everything they do.

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Review from Stacey P (Mother of Child) published on 16 August 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter started attending this nursery when she was 9 months old. I looked around many different nurseries and this one was the most welcoming and inviting. The staff and managers were so polite and made you feel at ease whenever you walked through the door. My daughter soon adapted to the routine
at nursery and the staff were very understanding with this and they also made her transition into the next room as easy for her as possible. She is so settled within the setting and gets on with all the staff.

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Review from Rosie D (Mother of Child) published on 19 May 2017
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My husband and I are very happy with our son's nursery. He is 22 months old and has been going to Busy Bees since he was 9 months old. He attends on a full-time basis and it's like a home from home for him. He is so happy there and the girls that work in his room are lovely. He is always coming
home with artwork or cake that he has made and he's always smiling and giggling when I pick him up. The girls seem very invested in his development and happiness. 10/10!

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Review from Megan S (Mother of Child) published on 2 May 2017
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

When my train was delayed the girls were so helpful and it was not made to be an issue. One lady was particularly helpful, she looked after the girls and was so polite when family members arrived. Thank you so much to everyone at Busy Bees, Colchester Phoenix Square! It's a joy the girls coming here.

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Review from J C (Mother of Child) published on 2 May 2017
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The staff at Colchester BBs are always so welcoming and helpful. My son loves going and doesn't always want to go home!

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Current Review Score: 8.9 (8.929)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.9 (8.929) out of 10 for Busy Bees Colchester is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 6 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.0 out of 5 from 6 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:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.972 for Busy Bees Colchester is calculated as follows: ( (70 Excellents x 5) + (2 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 72 Ratings = 4.972

  • b) 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 3.957 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Colchester is based on 6 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 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 = 3.6

    • ii) 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 84 number of registered child places is 16.8. 6 Positive Reviews ÷ 16.8 = 0.357

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • 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 (2)

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Meet the Team (1)

Kate

Kate Whitnell

Job Title: Centre Director

Joined: 2008

My name is Kate Whitnell and I am the Manager here at Busy Bees Colchester. I work full time and I have been with the nursery for 16 years.


I am married to Matthew and we have two wonderful boys, Lewis and Owen who attended the nursery for 2 years and 15 months. They have now both left school and I truly feel that Busy Bees gave them the best start in their early years of education.


I started as a part-time qualified nursery nurse in 2008 where I worked in the Pre School. I soon progressed into the management team firstly as a Room Leader, then to Third in Charge before becoming the Assistant Manager in 2011. I was delighted to become a joint manager in 2014 to fulfil my lifelong dream. I then became a full-time manager in May 2018.


Having been here for such a long time, Colchester Nursery is my second home and close to my heart, I love seeing the dedication my staff have to children and parents in the nursery and seeing children thrive in our stimulating environment.


I am passionate about providing the best care for our children and creating new and exciting learning experiences for them. I am very proud of the nursery team and they share my values and vision for the nursery.


I was so proud to be voted Manager of the Year in March 2019 at the Busy Bees Awards.


In February 2020 we were graded Outstanding by Ofsted after a full day inspection. It was an amazing day and I was so proud that we received the recognition of how we provide outstanding care to our children every day. 


Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Busy Bees Colchester to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Busy Bees Colchester has an Enhanced Service – more info.