Busy Bees Reading International

Basingstoke Road, (behind the Verizon Building), Reading RG2 6DA
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9.0 50 Reviews
  • Busy Bees Reading International, Reading
Busy Bees Reading International employs a highly-qualified nursery team who are supported by robust training initiatives and an excellent range of learning resources to achieve high standards of education and childcare.

On-site play equipment is state of the art, there are stimulating sensory play areas and parents have the benefit of a bespoke settling in package tailored to the needs of each child.

The provider is committed to the happiness and well-being of each child and staff encourage an atmosphere of common courtesy and mutual respect.

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Care Provided by Busy Bees Reading International

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Zina Miah (Centre Director)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 20
  • Total Places for Children
  • 105
  • 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 Reading International

  • Full Day - £82 per day,
    Morning - £49 per morning,
    Afternoon - £49 per afternoon.

Busy Bees Reading International Reviews (50)

Total of 50, showing 1-20
9.0

Busy Bees Reading International has a Review Score of 9.0 (9.003) out of 10, based on 12 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Busy Bees Reading International has 50 reviews.

Overall Experience

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38

Review from Tim S (Father of Child) published on 24 April 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter's been at Busy Bees, 5 days a week for two and a half years. Deciding where she'd go to spend such a huge amount of time in her early years was very difficult, but we've felt comfortable in our decision to send her to Busy Bees - helped by seeing her thrive and develop skills at sometimes
startling speed. She usually seems happy and certainly has lots of friends. The staff are kind, friendly, and engaged, and the environment feels safe and bright. The centre director is well-organised, informed, and responsive to queries. The food is good - she often eats better than I do! - and the rooms are clean, feel clean and comfortable. There's also a good amount of variety in the activities they get up to, and she hears, learns about and participates in a wide range of multicultural events and celebrations. We love the rich multicultural environment and I feel it is fantastic for her to be given early exposure to the differences in people that make up our diverse community.

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Review from M S (Mother of Child) published on 4 April 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Busy Bees has been excellent for my son (2 years old), although he only goes in twice a week they have still catered to all his needs. I particularly love the app where they constantly update his activities, food, nappies, sleep and naps. His key teacher is super nice and friendly to him, she is always
looking after him well. My son has always enjoyed going to nursery! The director of the centre is superb and always responds to our queries promptly! The nursery is also very well-maintained and clean!

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Review from Ilke C (Mother of Child) published on 4 April 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been thriving at nursery since starting there 6 months ago. He is always very keen to go to his key caretakers and always happy when I pick him up. I really appreciate the transparency of the nursery around how my son’s day was and anything that might have happened. I can see my son is well
stimulated at nursery and they put a lot of effort into including him in all the activities like water playing, arts and crafts and sensory activities.
Lastly, the nursery has been very respectful and accommodating on any request I might have on how I’d like something to be done e.g. weaning or following a certain routine when he was younger that was a bit different from the older babies. It’s hard as a mother to leave your baby in someone else’s hands for the whole day, but I quickly got to trust the caretakers and cannot wait to see how my son continues to thrive and reach his milestones as he approaches his first birthday.

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Review from V R (Father of Child) published on 3 April 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5

We have had a very disappointing experience with our 9 month old at Busy Bees Reading. Unfortunately it appears that they are not very inclusive and open to the mindset that every child is different and develops at their own pace. Instead they have seem to think our baby shows abnormal behavioural
characteristics after only 2 settling in sessions and hence do not want him to start before they discuss it with their inclusion team even though there are actually no clinical concerns as diagnosed by a paediatrician. We have had very limited communication with them since then. They do not seem to want to help or support a baby's development in any way. Shocking given the reputation the company holds. We have decided to pull him out and the staff member over the phone just said 'OK that's fine' and 'I'll issue you a refund' and did not seem to care or at least ask why were are doing this..

Reply from Emily Graves, Digital Content Assistant at Busy Bees Reading International

Hello, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback about Busy Bees Reading International. Providing children with the best start in life is of paramount importance to us and we are sorry to hear about your experience. At Busy Bees, we strive to cater to the diverse needs of all children in our care and ensure that procedures are followed correctly. Following your review, we'd like to discuss your concerns further to ensure that we address them appropriately and improve your experience with us. Please feel free to contact us at 0330 333 8133. Best Wishes, Busy Bees


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Review from T G (Mother of Child) published on 27 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I couldn’t be happier with Busy Bees.
The staff are so kind and caring, they all know my daughter and my baby girl absolutely loves them all. I can see she is happy when she goes and always comes back very happy. I am grateful for everyone who looks after her and makes her feel important, loved and
cared about.
It’s a home away from home.

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Review from Robbie B (Father of Child) published on 27 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been attending this nursery since the age of 1, since attending 3 days a week he’s come a long way with walking and more importantly communication, he’s always very happy to go to nursery and I always get told he’s had a very good day, I get daily updates with how he’s eaten and also pictures
of what he’s doing reassuring me as a first-time dad that he’s having a great time. The staff and management are lovely and very welcoming, they always give such positive feedback and always communicate with any events going on or any additional information they may have. Overall this is a great nursery and I couldn't be happier with the positive experience that we as a family are having.

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Review from A S (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Busy Bees is a warm and friendly environment, providing a home-from-home for my son. He has bonded so well with his key workers and management, who are always present and involved. There are regular spontaneous activities that take place which see both parents and staff getting involved and having fun
with the children, it’s during these times I've seen how passionate and responsive staff are to the children in their care. We are very happy to be starting our daughter next summer.

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Review from Michelle M (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are parents to a 2-year-old boy who is at nursery at Busy Bees Reading. This nursery has been exceptional for our little one. He has been here full time since 12 months old and the experience he has had as well as the care they have given him in the baby's room has been amazing! The staff truly care
about the children, give him so much love, he rarely wants to come home at the end of the day!
The nursery is also very clean, organized, strict on entry rules and engage in some fun activities to excite the children. The director of the centre is also fantastic. She adds that extra support to each of the rooms and the children adore her - ours included.
We are grateful for the work they do and would recommend this location to any new parent looking!

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Review from Liam G (Father of Child) published on 26 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Busy Bees Reading International have been excellent for my daughter. The staff have been brilliant at settling her in and helping with all aspects of her development. Everyone plays a part in this, from the centre director, assistant centre director and key workers, they are very personable and my daughter
is always excited to see them all in the morning. As a parent the team are great at putting all your worries about leaving your child for the first time at ease. I would thoroughly recommend.

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Review from Julia S (Mother of Child) published on 27 February 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am very pleased with this nursery. When I was choosing it for my child, I looked at many options, more than five nurseries I guess, and this turned out to be one of the best. The first thing I want to mention is the very professional staff, this nursery also ensures cleanliness and maintains good
food for the children. They engage with the children and teach them to count, read and write. Every day children get more knowledge. I am satisfied.

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Review from H S (Mother of Child) published on 27 February 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Busy Bees is an exceptional nursery, not only are each and every member of staff kind, welcoming and caring but they provide a place where, as a parent, you feel reassured that your child is safe and most importantly, happy! The team are led by the director who is passionate about providing the utmost
enriching environment for all children. She goes above and beyond to ensure every child is acknowledged as an individual, which is something that I value, as a parent, very much. Another lovely member of staff, the assistant director, who works closely with the director, is very much loved by my youngest. The assistant director always has a smile on her face and welcomes the children with open arms. The assistant director is considerate and kind and always makes the time to speak to the parents about their child in great detail. When I first sent my children, the team supported me with separation and rather than just ‘doing their job’, they went over and above and I can honestly say that the Busy Bees team became my family.

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Review from Kerry E (Mother of Child) published on 15 January 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Busy Bees Reading International is a fantastic nursery, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a nursery setting for their child. The team are fantastic and highly professional, and we know our daughter is in safe hands. The manager provides helpful weekly updates and information on activities
the children have completed, which is always lovely to read. She is very friendly and communication with her is very good too. The staff care about the children’s development, and we have seen our daughter come on leaps and bounds since joining the toddler and, more recently, the preschool room. We couldn’t be happier with the nursery, which has great facilities for the children and breakout spaces, as well as gardens, so they are not always in the same room. The key buddies really care for their children, and it is lovely to see. A great nursery.

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Review from Xiaoming N (Father of Child) published on 5 July 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My son likes Busy bees nursery. Compare to another nursery, which my son learned before, he feels relaxed and happy. Teachers took good care of my son, and accidents never happened. Teachers try more to help my son to start to speak English.

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Review from Jade J (Mother of Child) published on 20 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been attending this nursery since he was 1 and is due to move into the preschool room in the next few weeks. We have always been happy with the care he has received whilst there and he comes out every day with a smile on his face. Staff appear to really care about the children and they build
great relationships with them which is lovely to see. Staff also communicate well with parents and provide feedback on the child's day after each session. The children engage in a variety of activities which support their learning and development and it is nice to have an opportunity to see pictures and descriptions of what they have been doing via the parent app. The outside area at the nursery is fantastic and my son also appears to enjoy the food on offer provided by the onsite chef, often having second and third helpings! Management are also friendly and approachable and deal with any enquiries promptly.

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Review from Elisha M (Mother of Child) published on 19 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

An amazing nursery with the most caring and thoughtful staff. My son attends preschool and was very nervous when he first started but the team really make sure he was looked after and he now loves it. Would recommend Busy Bees to anyone who is looking for a nursery space.

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Review from Dee N (Mother of Child) published on 19 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Busy Bees is a wonderful nursery. The children have lovely indoor and outdoor areas to enjoy. The staff are what makes the nursery. They’re all friendly, professional, honest, and very caring individuals. I trust the nursery, and they have proven on several occasions that my child’s welfare is their
main priority at all times. I’m grateful that we came across Busy Bees, and would strongly recommend it to anyone looking for childcare.

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Review from David G (Father of Child) published on 17 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Great staff, great facilities, supportive, very secure, good team. Thank you.

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Review from Lauren L (Mother of Child) published on 17 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son started at Reading International in August 2020 and he is thriving under their loving care. When we arrive at nursery in the morning he is so excited he screams and giggles until I take him in. He has built such a special relationship with the staff members of the baby room he is more than happy
to go in and be comforted by them. I cannot thank them enough for making me feel at ease knowing he is happy and has someone that can make him smile. The nursery app is amazing and the team are excellent at sharing regular updates of my son's day at nursery with pictures showing me he is happy and content. The staff really go above and beyond for us and I cannot thank them enough.

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Review from Emma (Mother of Child) published on 5 April 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Staff are engaged, thoughtful and caring. The care is excellent and pragmatic, which as a single mum is essential. They provide good opportunities for young carers. It’d be nice to have more experienced staff too, as recently a very experienced staff member left, which has been a loss and just tipped
the balance. It’s reassuring when there’s experienced staff alongside to teach what’s not in the books.
Management’s fully supportive and takes the time to talk which makes me feel confident.
The space has lots of engaging toys, some are beginning to look tired but the children love them. It’s great they get to spend so much time outside.
The parent app needs work. I love checking in to see his day. On average it’s 1 to 3 days behind. I miss photos and observations only to find them weeks later. I also want to download pictures. It could be so brilliant but it’s just not that useful as it is. I’m very happy and have recommended it to my friends. They have the important core needs covered and the rest, in my opinion, is what will make it excellent.

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Review from Karolina (Mother of Child) published on 5 April 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Great Nursery. Our son was only 11 months since he started attending it and we never had any concerns regarding the safety of my child. Staff very helpful and informative. Plenty of indoor and outdoor activities provided and development provided via the app and during parents' meeting. My son loves
this nursery. He can't wait to move to the preschool room.

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Current Review Score: 9.0 (9.003)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.0 (9.003) out of 10 for Busy Bees Reading International is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.5 out of 5 from 12 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.5 out of 5 from 11 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 4.479 for Busy Bees Reading International is calculated as follows: ( (105 Excellents x 5) + (24 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) + (12 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 142 Ratings = 4.479

  • 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 4.524 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Busy Bees Reading International is based on 11 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 105 number of registered child places is 21. 11 Positive Reviews ÷ 21 = 0.524

  • 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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Zina Miah

Job Title: Centre Director

I have worked in Childcare for over 15 years, I began as an unqualified practitioner with a genuine passion caring for children. I worked my way through my Level 2 and Level 3 in childcare, followed by my BA Honours in Early Childhood studies. While studying I’ve carried out roles from a practitioner, room leader, supervisor, deputy and manager so I fully understand the pressures of each workload and aim to lead by example.


One of my favourite things about working with children is when they begin to walk, watching them waddle and topple over as they learn to find their feet is a special experience to witness. As well as when the first start to babble and desperately want to communicate using speech! 


I strive to work with my team to deliver the best possible care to the children, in my opinion a happy team is the foundation for a successful and happy environment for the children to excel in. I believe in a nursery being a home from home, providing the love and learning the children require when their parents/carers are leaving them with us. 


Frequently Asked Questions about Busy Bees Reading International

What is the Age Range of Children that Busy Bees Reading International accepts?

Busy Bees Reading International accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Busy Bees Reading International Open?

Busy Bees Reading International 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 Reading International have capacity for?

Busy Bees Reading International has capacity for a total of 105 Children.

How far is Busy Bees Reading International to the centre of Reading?

2.8 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 Reading International to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Busy Bees Reading International has an Enhanced Service – more info.