Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital

Macmillan Way, Off Hardwick Lane, Bury St Edmunds IP33 2GJ
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8.5 32 Reviews
  • Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds
Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital has an ideal interior for supporting pre-school learning, as well as healthy growth, having been awarded a five-star environmental health rating. There are resources to interest all children, as well as a two-storey play house and secure outdoor play areas.

The nursery is aided in its early learning objectives by access to a National Support Centre, thanks to being part of the UK's largest childcare providers which is a proactive and forward-thinking company.

Meals cooked on site support a healthy diet and parents get regular feedback on progress.

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Care Provided by Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Laura Knowles (Centre Director)
  • Admission Criteria
    • None
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 23
  • Total Places for Children
  • 96
  • 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

Funding & Fees Guide for Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital

  • Full Day - £62.00 / Half Day - £35.00

  • (NHS Discount available)
  • Parking

  • Parking available at the nursery for visitors, drop off and pick up.


Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital Reviews (32)

Total of 32, showing 1-20
8.5

Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital has a Review Score of 8.5 (8.479) out of 10, based on 4 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital has 32 reviews.

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Review from A S (Mother of Child) published on 14 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child has been attending Busy Bees for three years. She enjoys going and has made some great friends. The staff are friendly and approachable. Throughout her time there my daughter has learnt a lot and staff have provided her with activities to push her further.

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Review from S P (Mother of Child) published on 14 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I highly recommend Busy Bees nursery. My son has been there for 4 months now and I'm so glad I chose Busy Bees. You're made to feel so welcome when you come in and do the drop offs and pick ups, you're always greeted by a friendly face that acknowledges me and my son. All the staff are so kind and welcoming,
my son is always fed very well there. We also have an App called ParentZone where me and my husband are able to get updates of our son throughout the day which is so lovely seeing what activities they have been doing and I love getting sent photos of him, not to mention the updates you get too of what they have had to eat, the breakfast, lunch and dinners they serve always sound so lovely too. They also have plenty of toys in the baby bit so I know my son is occupied throughout the day. When I pick my son up the staff always give updates of how he has been through out the day too. You all do a wonderful job. Thank you.

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Review from C A (Father of Child) published on 14 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our second child is currently attending Busy Bees and we put his name down when my wife was pregnant because we loved it so much for our first child. My son loves coming to nursery, he settled in straight away at 9 months old. The staff are friendly and attentive, are happy to give advice when needed
and give regular updates throughout the day. The variety of food is brilliant as my son wasn't a great eater to start with but has come on leaps and bounds with the support of the room staff and chef. I would recommend Busy Bees to anyone.

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Review from Zoe H (Mother of Child) published on 14 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been going to Busy Bee's for the last 2 years and honestly, I can't fault them. Not only have the staff been incredibly kind, caring, supportive and nurturing to my son as he grows, learns and develops - they have given me the support as a first-time mother when I've needed it.
It's like
dropping my son off to family. They care, truly care. They know my son inside and out and I feel so comfortable having them care for him. I recommend them to everyone who mentions needing a nursery.
My son has come on incredibly both developmentally, socially and emotionally and it's thanks to the team at Busy Bee's! The manager is also just incredibly supportive with any funding difficulties. Incredible!

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Review from L A (Mother of Child) published on 4 November 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been attending Busy Bees since September 2021. He was very unsure to start with and it took him a few weeks to settle in. The staff were so patient and understanding towards my son and myself. They helped him get settled in and feel comfortable. My son now loves going to nursery and often
asks to go on days which he is not scheduled to go. I absolutely love getting updates and pictures about his day on the app and seeing and hearing about all the wonderful activities he is doing. I would highly recommend this nursery! In the two months he has been going to nursery I have seen how much he has developed. He has truly come out of his shell and is becoming quite the personality.

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Review from Becky B (Mother of Child) published on 4 November 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My 2-year-old loves going to Busy Bees Nursery and has built some very strong relationships with her peers and staff. I have noticed that my daughter has thrived during her time at Busy Bees and the development of her speech has been unbelievable. I have found that the staff are always supportive,
very professional, kind and caring. I also love the app that is available for parents to keep an eye on what their little one has been up to during the day, especially when there is photo's published as well. I cannot recommend Busy Bees enough.

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Review from Vinita M (Mother of Child) published on 1 November 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is our first baby and first experience of the nursery in the UK.
We are based in India and we, as parents are very new to the culture here.
Despite all these factors, our very short initial nursery experience was utterly relaxing and overwhelming at the same time.
They posted a first-day picture
of our 7 months old baby. He was obviously not well settled, but we were quite updated about his activities from the app.


The staff was helpful to understand the situation and helping the baby in settling.


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Review from Nikki M (Mother of Child) published on 1 November 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My Son absolutely loves coming to preschool. Since he moved into the Pre School room in January he has gained so much confidence, has learnt so much and finally feels happy to walk in without getting upset.
All the staff are friendly and kind and I feel happy dropping him off knowing he's having going
to have a good time.
I like the use of ParentZone to update us on what he's been up to and what he's eaten.

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Review from Charlotte C (Mother of Child) published on 1 November 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is a wonderful nursery! Both my little ones love going. The staff are lovely and all are welcoming and friendly and couldn’t do enough for the children! They are always happy to help and it’s really reassuring as a parent. Also, the ParentZone app keeps you informed and is updated throughout the
day, so you are aware of what your little one is up to while you are away!

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Review from A G (Mother of Child) published on 20 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Love the team! My son seems to enjoy his days at the nursery. Wish I could see more pics like when we first started though so I can have a better idea of how his day went.

Reply from Evleen Price, Senior Digital Manager at Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital

Hi, thank you for your lovely comments about the team at West Suffolk Hospital. We’re sorry to hear that you’re not receiving as many photos of your child as you once were. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention will investigate internally and identify any areas for improvement.


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Review from M N H (Father of Child) published on 19 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Really happy with the service. Staff are hard-working, friendly and professional. Excellent learning environment. Take care of the children high standard. Highly recommend to our friends. Really appreciate all the help during the pandemic.

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Review from Daniel T (Father of Child) published on 19 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has been going to Busy Bees since he was about 2 and he is now almost 4 years old. He goes to two separate nurseries on a weekly basis and Busy Bees are the most reliable by far. I am definitely more satisfied with the care they provide for my son. The staff are amazing - friendly, helpful and
invested in the ongoing development of my son. The activities that they do are varied and I am provided with regular updates as to the progress of my son. He always comes out with a smile on his face and tells us about how he has enjoyed his day. They provide good meals which are made on-site and they accommodate for various dietary needs with enthusiasm rather than seeing it as an annoyance. My son is dairy-free and there have been no issues with the meals and snacks that Busy Bees provide. It is rare that I write reviews for anything, but I know as a parent it can be a difficult decision to choose which nursery to use, so from my experience, I cannot rate Busy Bees highly enough.

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Review from Agnieszka W (Mother of Child) published on 13 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

When looking for a nursery for my child, I have had visited plenty of places in my town. Busy Bees was one of the last I had a chance to look at. After the visit, my choice was simple. Busy Bees had everything I was looking for. High cleaning standards, spacious areas indoor and outdoor, their own kitchen,
absolutely lovely, welcoming and thoughtful staff. It felt straight away like it was the right place for my child when I have to go back to work. My son has been in Busy Bees nursery for 3 years now and he absolutely loves this place. I can check his progress on a daily basis with the staff face to face or by using an online journal. The communication I excellent. And so much help with everything that concerns my child. I can highly recommend this place to all parents for their children.

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Review from Chloe C (Mother of Child) published on 13 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot recommend Busy Bees Bury St Edmunds enough. My 18-month-old daughter has now been there for 6 months and is thriving. For us, we were anxious as she is hearing impaired and were unsure how nursery would be for her but she has loved it and all the staff have been fantastic. They’ve undertaken
specific training to help with her hearing needs and couldn’t have been more accommodating. It’s so lovely knowing she goes off for the day and comes out smiling (with a lot of artwork!) Thank you for all your support, it’s a wonderful environment and we’re very happy to have such a lovely team look after our little girl!

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Review from Sarah B (Mother of Child) published on 13 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Busy Bees has provided a safe and secure environment for my two little ones for the past two and a half years. They look forward to attending, have forged strong relationships with staff and their peers. They provide innovative learning opportunities and provide daily feedback and access to an app,
UP, with lots of ideas to try at home. The food looks fantastic and my children love it. They are happy to share recipes. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to other parents.

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Review from Victoria G (Mother of Child) published on 13 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our experience at Busy Bees has been excellent; the care taken of the children is fantastic and more than I'd assume would be possible with so many children to care for. My son has always loved his key workers along with all the other staff. Even the chef is a familiar friendly face to the children
and she always makes time to smile and have a chat with either us or our son. The centre manager and deputy manager are genuinely brilliant people with great people skills and attention to detail. They are always in hand to help, answer questions and get involved with the child care.
Busy Bees is clean and has a great variety of toys, outside space and activities for the children.
My son enjoys his time here and has lovely friends that he talks about a lot. It's lovely hearing what he's been up to while we've been at work.
Busy Bees also utilises a great app to allow for regular communication and live updates of what's been happening in the day including what's been eaten.


Brilliant!


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Review from Lauren (Mother of Child) published on 13 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Busy Bees at West Suffolk Hospital holds a special place in my memories of raising my two boys. Both have attended and thrived there both being happy to leave mummy and go in for the day. The staff are caring and nurturing and I have absolute faith in their care and attention when I leave or have left
my sons. They take time to get to know their individual personalities and ensure lots of activities are readily available. The app that details your child’s day is very useful too. Finally, the food and nutrition are varied and yummy.
Would highly recommend.

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Review from Chris W (Father of Child) published on 13 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Firstly I can only highly recommend this Nursery to all no matter what age your child and starting time you will be made welcome and your child will love it here. My little boy has been coming to Busy Bees since he was a baby and the growth has been tremendous, we were nervous initially about him going
to preschool but every day he is the happiest child ever and can’t wait to tell us what he has done and how many friends we have including the staff.

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Review from Julia V (Mother of Child) published on 13 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter is almost 2 1/2 years old and has been going to Busy Bees in Bury St. Edmunds for 7 months now. We have had nothing but great experiences with every staff member. Our daughter loves going there and has learned/developed so much since starting. She always comes home fed and happy. We love
that we can see what she has been up to during the day on the parent zone app which is updated regularly. They have made the difficult transition from being in lockdown and isolated to being an outgoing and curious child very easy. We are happy we chose Busy Bees in Bury St. Edmunds.

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Review from Leah G (Mother of Child) published on 13 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been at Busy Bees since he turned 1. I always send him with every confidence he will be cared for as well as he would at home. The staff are caring, kind and compassionate. The food is excellent and he always eats so well at nursery. I would recommend the centre to anyone.

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Current Review Score: 8.5 (8.479)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.5 (8.479) out of 10 for Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital 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 4 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.6 out of 5 from 4 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 4.896 for Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital is calculated as follows: ( (43 Excellents x 5) + (5 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 48 Ratings = 4.896

  • 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 3.583 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital is based on 4 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 = 3.375

    • 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 96 number of registered child places is 19.2. 4 Positive Reviews ÷ 19.2 = 0.208

  • 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.

Child Vacancies

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Meet the Team (1)

Laura

Laura Knowles

Job Title: Centre Director

Hi, my name is Laura and I am the Centre Director here at Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital.


Frequently Asked Questions about Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital

What is the Age Range of Children that Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital accepts?

Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital Open?

Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital is open: 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.

How many Children does Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital have capacity for?

Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital has capacity for a total of 96 Children.

How far is Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital to the centre of Bury St Edmunds?

1.1 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 West Suffolk Hospital to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Busy Bees West Suffolk Hospital has an Enhanced Service – more info.