Busy Bees Sevenoaks

1 St John's Road, Sevenoaks TN13 3LR
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9.3 46 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Sevenoaks, Sevenoaks
Busy Bees Childcare is the largest UK day nursery provider with its own National Support Centre that allows professionals to draw on an extensive range of expertise.

The Busy Bees commitment has always been to support children in getting the best start to life, thanks to fun and stimulating play environments where they can pick up new skills and abilities. Robust recruitment and training procedures keep standards high and draws the most committed individuals to the company's portfolio.

The business has gone from strength to strength since being formed in 1983, which occurred because owners found a lack of quality childcare available to them. Children are supported in learning and developing at their own pace, with parents kept up with progress.

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Care Provided by Busy Bees Sevenoaks

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Melissa Seabrook (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 28
  • Total Places for Children
  • 92
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 0 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:30-18:15
    Tuesday 07:30-18:15
    Wednesday 07:30-18:15
    Thursday 07:30-18:15
    Friday 07:30-18:15
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Busy Bees Sevenoaks Reviews (46)

Total of 46, showing 21-40
9.3

Busy Bees Sevenoaks has a Review Score of 9.3 (9.333) out of 10, based on 10 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Busy Bees Sevenoaks has 46 reviews.

Overall Experience

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Date Published

46
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Review from Jill B (Mother of Child) published on 2 September 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Starting nursery in lockdown is tough but the team at Busy Bees has been super helpful. They’ve been really reassuring, great at being open and in touch and helped my little boy settle in really well, despite the extra measures. He clearly loves his time there and doesn’t want to go home now. Staff
are always friendly and really helpful and happy to let you know what he’s been up to and answer questions. Facilities were great when I visited before lockdown, especially the outdoor area.

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Review from Caroline M (Mother of Child) published on 2 September 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child joined last month age 1. He has settled in very well and seems happy there. The staff seem kind and are friendly. They also took trouble caring for him when he was not feeling very well. Management are efficient at responding to queries and dealt well and promptly with reopening following lockdown
which was a relief to me. The menu is healthy and varied. I am confident he is being well looked after. My only request would be to improve the efficiency of the afternoon pick up process.

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Review from Alex S (Mother of Child) published on 2 September 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Between them, my sons have been at Busy Bees Sevenoaks for nearly 6 years, with my youngest just about to leave for school. During their years here, my boys have both been so happy and I have felt very comfortable leaving them in the care of the nursery where they have been so well cared for and nurtured
by the wonderful team. They have built great relationships with their key workers and I have really felt that they have cared for my children and their welfare. Very highly recommended and we have been very pleased with this nursery/preschool over the years. No negative comment to give.

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Review from Caoimhe M (Mother of Child) published on 2 September 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

What makes me love this nursery and choose to send my two children here every day is the loving, friendly, professional staff. They are passionate about the children who attend and give them lots of attention. They all seem to know all the children, even those not under their direct care. Food is not
always eaten and there are some occasions I need to give snacks/drinks to both children when they are home however, this is always fed back to the chef. Overall this is the second nursery I have sent my children to and they are both extremely content here and look forward to their days at Busy Bees.

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Review from Peter H (Father of Child) published on 2 September 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My children have been with Busy Bees for 2 years and the care that they have received throughout this time has been outstanding. They have had a number of carers during this time but they have all been excellent, both at caring for the children as well as helping them developmentally. Also, management
have been proactive and visionary in constantly improving the nursery, maintaining high standards and most especially, dealing with the covid crisis swiftly, efficiently and intelligently. Nowhere is perfect and the only small, adverse comment to note is that on some occasions (very few though they've been!) messages given to staff are not always passed on to other staff but having said that, once highlighted, this is always rectified immediately. It's a testament to the nursery that this is the only criticism I can find. Overall, it's evident that all staff have the welfare of the children as the highest priority and their experience and professionalism is always exemplary.

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Review from Emma V (Mother of Child) published on 2 September 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our boys are really happy at the nursery and that’s the main thing from my point of view. I think this is mainly due to the caring atmosphere, the friendliness and caring nature of the staff and the opportunities for play along with interaction with their peers. We are always all welcomed by a friendly
face and any concerns or feedback is welcomed and acted on. We’ve always been happy with Busy Bees Sevenoaks and will continue to send our boys there until school.

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Review from Sarah k (Mother of Child) published on 29 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My eldest son is very happy at Busy Bees and my youngest is due to start later in the year. The majority of the staff are very caring and facilities are great, especially the garden. It’s a real shame a lot of the good staff have left. Generally, there has been a lot of change which can be unsettling
for the children. My son enjoys the majority of the food although some of the meals are not very appealing and he comes home hungry on occasion. The communication by the nursery management has improved greatly and there have been a lot of new initiatives which have been very welcomed.

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Review from Hannah (Mother of Child) published on 29 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The nursery has good facilities and longer commuter friendly opening hours compared to some others in the locality, which is attractive. Almost without exception, the staff are friendly and all seem to make an effort to get to know the children. They also greet my child by name whenever passing and
take an active interest in the children’s development. My child is always very happy to go to nursery and talks fondly of it when she is not there. Unfortunately there do seem to be some issues with staff retention which is quite unsettling. There have been a number of notable departures in recent weeks which is sad. They have some excellent individual staff members and they should work hard to try and retain them as continuity is important for both children and parents. Notwithstanding that I have, and do, recommend the nursery to others.

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Review from Anon (Father of Child) published on 16 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Busy Bees is a nursery that will look after your little ones with enthusiasm and good care. The management is passionate about all children and filters down to the individual key workers. Each key worker has their different attributes but mostly positive. Great outside space for the children to utilise
and great toilet facilities for children who are going through toilet training. The food could be better selected as some dishes appear to cater for the few rather than the masses. Staff turnover appears to be well managed.

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Review from Lorna (Mother of Child) published on 16 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child took a while to settle into the nursery but all the staff were fantastic at finding ways to reassure me and my child. Now I have to drag them home! So many new activities and experiences are had that my child has grown and developed before my eyes. Although more expensive, the location and
care are worth it.

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Review from Camilla S (Mother of Child) published on 16 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

A really lovely setting with a home from home environment.
Fantastic caring staff and lots of activities for children.
My two have both been there since very little and truly love it.

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Review from Laura B (Nanny Carer of Child) published on 16 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

I really recommend this nursery. The staff are always nice to everyone and happy to help if you have any enquiry! The manager is always able to help with everything.
My child gets really excited to enjoys all the messy activities and the garden that they have.

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Review from Jennifer F (Mother of Child) published on 16 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My daughter has been at Busy Bees for two years now. She has always been extremely happy there, her learning and development have been very good. I was unhappy with the quick turn around of staff and managers when she was first there, however, this has noticeably improved with the current manager. Communication
and response to emails was also poor which was frustrating, however this has also improved. When we first joined I also felt that some staff were not very communicative when I was picking my daughter up and new staff did not introduce themselves. However, this is now also not the case in her current room. Overall I am impressed by the facilities offered and the activities my daughter does seem creative, she clearly enjoys her time there. The staff are very friendly and my daughter has strong bonds with them which is lovely to see. I would recommend (and have) to others.

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Review from Elizabeth S (Mother of Child) published on 16 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am very happy with the care my son has received over the past year. The most positive thing I can say is that I’m very re-assured going to work knowing he is in his carers hands. He has a lovely close bond with his carer and has developed so much within her care. He’s a very happy boy and absolutely
loves going to nursery! Management and staff project a very friendly caring environment, which I feel is important. The food is really varied but I can see this only as a good thing, my son will often have seconds. The paperwork/invoicing has been the weakest area (from the day he started under positive steps) but this is of minor concern since this does not affect my child. The outdoor equipment and use of space are fantastic and is his favourite part of the day. He is due to leave older babies soon for toddlers and I happily look forward to him starting and progressing into his next stage at Busy Bees!

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Review from Melanie R (Mother of Child) published on 16 January 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic resources and care from staff towards my child. My 6-year-old son used to go to the nursery too. Busy Bees have been exceptional and the management team are great as well as my Sons keyworker.

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Review from Sarah H (Stepmother of Child) published on 17 November 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child loves the nursery and always comes home very happy and clean. He is progressing extremely well and we think this is due to the great team, management and nursery.

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Review from B J T (Mother of Child) published on 15 August 2017
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

There are positives and negatives to this nursery which I will state;
Positives are that the activities are fun and varied, the outside space and equipment is good, learning at pre-school is Ok. However, it is very overpriced and the staff are all very young and inexperienced.
There is not a lot
of continuity of care, my son often didn't know who his care worker was. The management is very disorganised and my invoice was wrong every time there was a change in hours; only after numerous emails and phone calls did it get sorted. The food is too fancy and not enough of it.

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Review from Jade P (Mother of Child) published on 29 September 2016
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

I'm very happy with Positive Steps. In a short while staff have come and gone but old and new have all been lovely, polite and would do anything to help. The girls who have helped my son settle in have been wonderful. My son always has a busy day and comes home with gorgeous pictures and a big smile.
They provide good meals/snacks and I am happy with Positive Steps. You all do a great job!

Reply from Donna Beech, Manager at Busy Bees Sevenoaks

Thank you so much for taking the time to review us, we appreciate your thoughts.


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Review from L S (Mother of Child) published on 25 August 2016
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has enjoyed his time at Positive Steps. He loves all the activities on offer and the care that the staff take with the children is wonderful. I will be sad to leave and will be singing up my youngest child when old enough.

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Review from Rebecca F (Mother of Child) published on 25 August 2016
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both my children attended Positive Steps and they absolutely love it. They always skip in very happily. All the staff are brilliant, very welcoming and loving. They learnt so much in pre-school which prepared them for infant school.

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Current Review Score: 9.3 (9.333)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.3 (9.333) out of 10 for Busy Bees Sevenoaks is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 10 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.5 out of 5 from 10 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 4.790 for Busy Bees Sevenoaks is calculated as follows: ( (95 Excellents x 5) + (23 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 119 Ratings = 4.79

  • 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 4.543 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Sevenoaks is based on 10 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 92 number of registered child places is 18.4. 10 Positive Reviews ÷ 18.4 = 0.543

  • 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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Awards / Recognitions (1)

Top 20 Large Nursery Groups 2018

Recipient: Busy Bees Nurseries Ltd

Date: Thursday 01 Mar 2018 More details

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Meet the Team (1)

Melissa

Melissa Seabrook

Job Title: Centre Director

My name is Mel and I am the Centre Director here at Sevenoaks.


I have worked in childcare since 2009 and have my Level 3 in childcare and Level 5 in leadership and management. I enjoy supporting the staff, children and families to provide the best outcomes for children and to give them the best start in their early years.


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