Busy Bees Fitzsimmons

32 Portsmouth Road, Guildford GU2 4DJ
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9.5 54 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Fitzsimmons, Guildford
Busy Bees Fitzsimmons is located in Guildford, a short 10-minute walk from Guildford High Street and the mainline station. Your child will flourish during their stay at nursery with the endless opportunities available. There are several rooms that are tailored to suit different age categories and developmental stages, all are equipped with age-appropriate toys, activities so that every child enjoys their stay at nursery.

To help with your child’s development, the devoted team carefully select and plan activities in line with the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) curriculum guidelines so that your child is prepared for the next steps in their educational journey. There is also a fantastic foundation class which further supports your child's preparation for the next key stage.

No matter the age of your child or where they are with their development, the qualified nursery team are there to offer support and guidance so that you can be rest assured that your child is receiving the highest quality care possible while at Busy Bees Fitzsimmons.

In addition to in-person updates at drop off and collection, your child's key worker will provide updates of what your child gets up to throughout the day via the Parent Zone App. This is a fantastic way to stay connected during your child’s stay at nursery so that you never miss any of those important milestones.

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Care Provided by Busy Bees Fitzsimmons

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Bernie Thatcher (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 32
  • Total Places for Children
  • 128
  • 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
  • Parking

  • They have lots of car park spaces as well as a buggy park.


Busy Bees Fitzsimmons Reviews (54)

Total of 54, showing 41-54
9.5

Busy Bees Fitzsimmons has a Review Score of 9.5 (9.475) out of 10, based on 14 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Busy Bees Fitzsimmons has 54 reviews.

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  • 49
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Review from Andrea P (Mother of Child) published on 19 February 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We fell in love with this nursery at first sight... it just felt right; so homely with a fantastic atmosphere. All the staff have an extremely caring nature and the facilities are second to none (particularly following the refurb). My son loves every day he spends there and always comes home tired
yet satisfied. He learns new things and gets to play outside every day.

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Review from Hayley (Mother of Child) published on 19 February 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son started at the nursery in January 2017 for 2 mornings a week. The staff are so welcoming and caring, they made me feel happy to leave him there when I had to go back to work. When looking at nurseries, we were impressed by the homeliness and standard of the facilities. The current refurbishment
works look great too! My son has settled into the nursery now and enjoys his mornings there.

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Review from K S (Mother of Child) published on 19 February 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My twin boys have been at Fitzsimmonds for 2 years. I can’t rate the nursery high enough. The staff are all amazing and very caring. The activities that happen every day are varied and so much fun. The new rooms upstairs are brilliant and have a great home feel to it.

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Review from C G (Mother of Child) published on 16 February 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My eldest child attended Fitzsimmons Place from 2012-2015 and my youngest child, from 2015 to the present day. We have always been impressed with the quality of the facilities at the nursery, which has extensive gardens and room space which is unusual for a nursery which is so central to Guildford town.
The cleanliness and quality of the rooms for the smaller children is the best I've seen and the mix of different environments including the rooms, hall and gardens is really stimulating and nurturing for all the children. The nursery has recently undergone extensive renovation following a flood in the main building, which at times has been challenging for staff and children but they have shown great resilience during this period and the new rooms look lovely. Also, the recent introduction of external providers at the nursery who offer drama classes and Forest School has been a lovely addition to the children's learning. Staff are very kind and seem to know all the children by name.

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Review from Bernadette T (Mother of Child) published on 15 February 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have been using Fitzsimmons for my children for 3 years. There is a good selection of toys and activities and the staff are lovely.

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Review from Laura (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have two children at the nursery - a baby and a pre-schooler. My husband and I have been extremely happy with the care that both of our daughters have received at Fitzsimmons Place Nursery over the time they have been there. The current team atFitzsimmons Place Nursery are fantastic and I believe
is the reason why both my daughters seem so happy there. There is always a lovely atmosphere and the staff genuinely seem to care about the children.


The activities are varied and engaging, and it is nice to be able to see what they have been up to using the Interactive Learning Diary app.


Considering the nursery located in central Guildford, they are blessed with a large and beautiful garden which includes a dedicated Forest School. Unfortunately, the forest school area hasn't been used by the nursery for at least a year, which is one of my only disappointments.


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Review from Mel (Mother of Child) published on 24 October 2017
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

I have two children at the nursery - one is eighteen months the other is three and a half. They both enjoy their days there and I value that they not only get to spend time with their peers but also together. They have both learnt a lot from being at nursery and are continuing to do so. One thing I'm
a bit disappointed about is that the forest school program seems to have been discontinued.

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Review from Christopher A (Father of Child) published on 9 November 2015
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fitzsimmons Place Nursery is an excellent nursery. It is conveniently located in central Guildford and provides a safe and caring environment for babies through to pre-school. Not only do they look after all the active kids, but they find the time to rotate and develop their staff. This shows with the
excellent attitude of the staff and with the small toddlers/ babies in their care.

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Review from Hanna R (Aunt of Child) published on 22 September 2015
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I collect my niece once a week from nursery and it is always a pleasure. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful; nothing is ever too much trouble. When I go to collect my niece it is always so lovely to see her playing with new toys and friends. The outdoor facilities are wonderful and it is clear
for all to see that the Children are having a fun whilst learning new skills and making friends. Always a pleasure to visit and I look forward to my next weekly visit.

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Review from Jennifer B (Mother of Child) published on 22 September 2015
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am so pleased with how well my daughter has settled at nursery. She absolutely loves going every day and has already built up great relationships with the staff and other children. Everyone at the nursery is incredibly friendly and approachable and any worries we have had have been quickly put to
rest. My daughter has already learnt so much and enjoys all the activities and messy play. The fantastic outside space is a real bonus and being able to help look after the guinea pigs has been a massive hit. I can happily go to work knowing that my daughter is well cared for whilst enjoying her day in such a fun and stimulating environment.

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Review from Graham (Father of Child) published on 21 September 2015
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The only place I feel 100% comfortable leaving my daughter. The level of the staff’s knowledge is beyond my expectations. Well done on caring for individual needs and creating a fun environment. The staff are very kind and helpful everything about this nursery is fantastic. My child loves everyone at
the nursery. I feel confident here with the way they treat each child and their parents, they’re like a family. My child's development is very distinctive and clear to the point of my telling people about the nursery. Since my daughter started she has come on in leaps and bounds; from a little girl that cried before I said goodbye, she has turned into a confident little girl that cannot wait to go and play. I am so impressed with the things she shows me she has learnt.

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Review from Fiona G (Mother of Child) published on 28 August 2015
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fitzsimmons is a wonderful nursery at which my daughter has thrived. She joined two years ago and although we moved further away we have kept her at the nursery because she loves it so much and because we are so happy with the care she receives there. The whole team are clearly very experienced, friendly
and caring and our daughter has developed enormously under their expert care. The nursery is set in a fantastic building with an enormous amount of space. The children are outside every day and there is even a forest school. The food is all freshly prepared on site and there are boards showing what they will eat each day as well as tonnes of other useful information. There is online access for parents which is very handy and at the end of each day there is a comprehensive hand over from the key person who has been looking after her. All in all we could not be happier and would recommend a visit even if you have your heart set on another nursery. The staff, environment and space at this nursery sets it way ahead of others in the area. I have marked them as excellent in every area because they genuinely are.

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Review from Ami D (Aunt of Child) published on 28 August 2015
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Wonderful nursery with amazing facilities inside and out. Staff are caring and well trained to provide the best care
Great variety of nutritious food is offered every day with no two days are the same. Lots of different activities and learning every day!

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Review from SP (Mother of Child) published on 28 August 2015
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

A wonderful nursery; huge house with extensive grounds that the children play in all year round - lots of rosy cheeks and happily tired children!


Attentive, loving staff that go the extra mile to understand children and parents' needs; on-site chef and even a resident dog, guinea pigs and tortoise.


Centrally located in Guildford close to mainline station and ideal location for commuters.


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Current Review Score: 9.5 (9.475)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.5 (9.475) out of 10 for Busy Bees Fitzsimmons is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 14 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.5 out of 5 from 14 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 4.928 for Busy Bees Fitzsimmons is calculated as follows: ( (156 Excellents x 5) + (10 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 167 Ratings = 4.928

  • 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 4.547 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Fitzsimmons is based on 14 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 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • 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 128 number of registered child places is 25.6. 14 Positive Reviews ÷ 25.6 = 0.547

  • 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)

Bernie

Bernie Thatcher

Job Title: Centre Director

Hello, my name is Bernie and I am the Centre Director here at Guildford Fitzsimmons. I am very keen to provide a safe and stimulating environment for all the children, so parents can feel happy and confident whilst they are in our care. Being a mother, I realise how important it is that children have the best possible start in life.


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