Busy Bees Clare Park

Beech Road, East Malling, West Malling ME19 6DY
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8.2 53 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Clare Park, West Malling
Busy Bees Clare Park is located in park-like surroundings in the grounds of the Malling School in East Malling.

The nursery provides childcare services for children who are of a range of ages and is ideally situated for local schools in Leybourne, Aylesford, Larkfield and East and West Malling.

Children in each age group at the nursery have their own fully-equipped play room with a skilled and dedicated care team who plan a range of activities both in and outside of the nursery. All rooms have access to the nursery's outdoor space and the communal garden offers a sensory experienice for children as they investigate and explore.

The nursery offers an after-school and holiday club facilities and is located near to junctions four and five of the M20, and is situated between East and West Malling railway stations.

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Care Provided by Busy Bees Clare Park

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Kelly Maskell (Centre Director)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 28
  • Total Places for Children
  • 84
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:00-18:00
    Tuesday 07:00-18:00
    Wednesday 07:00-18:00
    Thursday 07:00-18:00
    Friday 07:00-18:00
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays
  • Parking

  • Located in the grounds of the Malling Secondary School, parking is available to the front of the nursery and also at the top of the car park.


Busy Bees Clare Park Reviews (53)

Total of 53, showing 1-20
8.2

Busy Bees Clare Park has a Review Score of 8.2 (8.202) out of 10, based on 2 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Busy Bees Clare Park has 53 reviews.

Overall Experience

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Review from Jodie D (Mother of Child) published on 9 August 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has just finished her last day at Busy Bees after 2 and a half years and I honestly could not recommend them enough!! The staff here are fantastic, and caring and go above and beyond for every single child that walks through their doors every morning (this goes for both management and all
the key workers). As parents, all you can ever ask for is that your child is cared for in a space that is like home from home and this is exactly what Busy Bees has been for us during our time there - just like one big family! It has been an absolute pleasure watching our Daughter thrive and be so happy when we were once so anxious about whether she would enjoy going. We couldn't have wished for a better start for our daughter so thank you all so much!

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Review from Ashleigh C (Father of Child) published on 9 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both of my daughters have attended Busy Bees at Clare Park from the age of 11 months, and both had a lovely experience throughout. The staff are lovely and caring and we are always greeted with a smile. Thank you for looking after my girls so wonderfully. We appreciate it and they have both benefited
hugely from attending Busy Bees. Keep up the great work!

Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees Clare Park

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's the best start in life with us.
40 years of Busy Bees – 40 years of best beginnings. Join us as we celebrate our milestone year, visit our Busy Bees website or search for ’40 years Busy Bees’ to find out more and how to participate! We’re grateful for your trust and the opportunity to provide your child with the best start in life. Best wishes, Busy Bees


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Review from Clare D (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter absolutely loves going to Busy Bees. My husband and I were unsure about sending her to nursery at such a young age (11 months) but it was the best decision we have made. She is a confident little girl who is making friends. The care she receives is second to none and I know that when she
is there she is having the time of her life. With everything that is currently going on in the world meaning that she is not able to see many people or experience new things, Busy Bees allows her to explore and learn so much. The communication is outstanding, especially the portal where I am able to see regular updates on her activities and even photos. I have no doubt in my mind that she will be happy going to Busy Bees at Clare Park until she starts school.

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Review from Andrew J D (Father of Child) published on 24 July 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our girls have thrived at Busy Bees, the care and support we have had has been great. Staff are always friendly, approachable and we have been kept informed of progress throughout their time there. The same nurturing environment is complemented by a variety of activities and clear communication and
organisation. We shall miss them.

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Review from Anne V (Mother of Child) published on 12 December 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been at Busy Bee Clare Park in the green room for all of last year. He had a wonderful time and he often still talks about 'His' nursery. The staff were very knowledgeable, attentive, kind and friendly. The nursery offered a variety of events (very keenly remember the Christmas period!),
the environment is stimulating and there ould always would be someone available for the children to have a cuddle should they need one. I would definitely recommend this nursery to any parent that is looking for the perfect place for their children, the only regret they could have is not to try it! Lovely people and lovely place!

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Review from Adam G (Father of Child) published on 3 December 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter was at Clare Park for just over three years and the level of care she received was excellent. The nursery team were constantly improving and bring new ideas to the children’s care. Can’t thank the staff enough their hard work and care for my daughter.

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Review from Gemma M (Mother of Child) published on 13 November 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our twins attended this wonderful nursery for 3 years from the age of 1 year to 4 years old.
The whole team at Clare Park were supportive, caring and professional every step of the way.
Both our children enjoyed their time at Clare Park and we would definitely recommend it to new parents.

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Review from Natasha N (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have always been very happy with the nursery ever since my daughter first started nearly a year ago. The staff are always lovely and nothing is too much trouble. My daughter really enjoys her time here and she has made strong bonds with a number of staff members, which as a parent, is lovely to see.
I cannot recommend them enough. Thank you.

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Review from Jane D (Mother of Child) published on 7 November 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot recommend Busy Bees at Clare Park enough. The staff are all so incredibly warm, caring and helpful. Our son does so many varied activities, including lots of messy play and painting which means I don't have to do this at home! The feedback at the end of the day is really useful and the food
provided by the onsite chef is healthy and clearly delicious, as our end of day report almost always says: 'Ate all.'
As someone who works in education, I also like the fact that they are so open. Every parent has a key fob so you can enter the building and walk straight into your child's room. I have never heard a raised voice from a member of staff and their genuine affection for the children is obvious. The manager and her team are also very hands-on and happy to help with any queries that arise.
Our son has blossomed since he has been there and I look forward to seeing his continued development in the next year. Thank you Busy Bees!

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Review from Claire H (Mother of Child) published on 7 November 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has been coming here since he was 10 months (he's now nearly 4) and his baby sister will be joining in March. Cannot recommend enough, we have never had any concerns and our son loves it so much that when he has to have a day off due to illness, he cries as he wants to go. All the team are fabulous
and it's just a great environment.

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Review from Will (Father of Child) published on 4 November 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We had to change our child from another nursery because of moving home. We had our concerns of how this would affect our daughter but from her first day she was settled and she was fond of all the staff that looked after her and from the feedback from her and what we saw ourselves she couldn't have
been happier and at the end of the day that was the most important thing for us.

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Review from Catherine D (Mother of Child) published on 28 October 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This nursery is a warm, lively community-based place. Our children have been extremely well looked after in the two rooms she has already been looked after in. The staff are highly trained; engaged with the children and parents and offer outstanding knowledge and care to the children. Key workers are
chosen based on the best possible relationships with the children. The nursery staff and management go above and beyond in arranging out of hours events to celebrate festivals and charities as well as observing festivals and themed weeks in the rooms. The financial administrator goes above and beyond certainly my expectation to provide information to parents and the children are provided with exceptional healthy on-site cooked food. We couldn't be happier with the service.

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Review from Nicholas M (Father of Child) published on 16 October 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

When my wife and I had our two twins, we were worried about me having to work full time and my wife having to return to work after her maternity leave.
We looked far and wide for a nursery that could offer our children the best possible start in life and in Clare Park, we found it.
Over the last 3
and a half years, our kids spent a couple of days a week under the excellent care and support of the ladies in Busy Bees. From day one, in the 'baby room' to their last in Preschool, they enjoyed every second, making friends and learning key skills that they've now taken to their new school.
Without a doubt, this was all down to the staff who were all very good with our children. If we were to consider having more children, there would be no hesitation in using the services Clare Park has to offer again.

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Review from Lucy (Mother of Child) published on 16 October 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I can’t recommend Busy Bees enough. The manager and her team are so professional and really care about the children. Both my children went there and love it. Even though my son had additional needs, they happily accommodated them and made him part of the group.

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Review from Nicola W (Mother of Child) published on 6 February 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My eldest son left last year to start primary school. He was so prepared for school, thanks to all the care and support from the staff at busy bees. The staff were also very helpful with strategies to help with behaviour at home.


My youngest son is currently in the toddler room. He goes in willingly

every day and always has a smile on his face when I pick him up.


I would thoroughly recommend this Busy Bees to everyone!


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Review from Megan C (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Busy Bees is a fantastic nursery! Working in education myself it's sometimes hard to find somewhere you can trust but the team are so professional, knowledgable and friendly that I couldn't take my little boy anywhere else now. He absolutely loves his days at nursery as they squeeze in so many great
activities and it's great that the team share these memories via the parentzone app. Couldn't recommend them more!

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Review from Numrata N (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We would recommend Busy Bees to friends and family. Our son took some time to settle in but the carers all were amazing with me as a parent very reassuring and our son. He now loves it at the nursery.
Thanks Busy Bees team.

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Review from Hannah P (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Busy Bees at Clare Park, have the most caring and reliable staff. They monitor and review the children to ensure their every need is met, as well as providing a fun and safe environment for them to grow.

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Review from Jenny G (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

I think the staff at Busy Bees Clare Park are fantastic and have a great relationship with the kids. It’s a relief to know my daughter is happy with the people she is with as it’s not a nice thing to have to leave your child with others when they are still small anyway so this definitely helps. She
is very energetic and loves being outside so I’m glad she has the opportunity to go outside as much as she does. The food also seems good from what I have had of it!

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Review from Habeeda O (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Despite this being a ‘chain’ nursery the team here are fantastic and it very much has a family feel. We now have both our toddler and baby here and love it. They are happy and thriving. One thing in particular I recently discovered is that siblings often spend together in the day and have tea together.
This was not something we’d have even thought of when looking as we only had the one child but an example of the nursery keeping the children at the centre of everything they do.

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Current Review Score: 8.2 (8.202)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.2 (8.202) out of 10 for Busy Bees Clare Park 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 2 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.2 out of 5 from 2 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 4.958 for Busy Bees Clare Park is calculated as follows: ( (23 Excellents x 5) + (1 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 24 Ratings = 4.958

  • 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 3.244 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Clare Park is based on 2 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 = 3.125

    • 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. 2 Positive Reviews ÷ 16.8 = 0.119

  • 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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Meet the Team (1)

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Kelly Maskell

Job Title: Centre Director

Joined: 2008

My name is Kelly. I am the manager here at Clare Park. I joined the team here in 2008 as an Assistant Centre Director and progressed to Centre Director in 2009.


I have worked with babies and young children since 1998, and this is my 2nd managerial role. I have two children, both of which attended the nursery, and holiday club.


I hold a CACHE level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education and achieved an NVQ level 4, and more recently, a Level 5 in Leadership and Management since joining the team here at Clare Park.


My passions for the nursery are providing varied and stimulating outdoor play for all children as well as making strong links with our local community. There is nothing I enjoy more than an extra curricular event, we have been very lucky to enjoy some fabulous events over the years ranging from Royal Weddings to Scarecrow celebrations!


My personal passion is providing children with awareness of our world and how we can protect nature and support our own wellbeing simultaneously. Our exciting new Friday Club for our preschool children, promotes skills and awareness of these important features of our daily life whilst also encouraging healthy lifestyles.


Frequently Asked Questions about Busy Bees Clare Park

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

Busy Bees Clare Park accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Busy Bees Clare Park Open?

Busy Bees Clare Park is open: Monday 07:00-18:00, Tuesday 07:00-18:00, Wednesday 07:00-18:00, Thursday 07:00-18:00, Friday 07:00-18:00.

How many Children does Busy Bees Clare Park have capacity for?

Busy Bees Clare Park has capacity for a total of 84 Children.

How far is Busy Bees Clare Park to the centre of West Malling?

1.2 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 Clare Park to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Busy Bees Clare Park has an Enhanced Service – more info.