Busy Bees Day Nursery at Bedford
Good★ 4.6 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Bedford for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2022. Open since 2002, with 100 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Bedford
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Bedford from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
MK41 7NUWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 7 November 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children have a good relationship with staff, who provide activities that meet their needs and interests. For example, babies have shown an interest in the 'Elmer'
book, and staff provide a variety of resources to support this. Older children take part in risk assessments and check the garden area, to ensure that it is safe for them to use. Children experience a range of trips. They visit the local elderly persons' complex, sharing artwork with them. Babies enjoy visiting a local orchard and forest.
Children undertake exploratory play which supports and extends their knowledge.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to strengthen their questioning techniques to give children time to think about and respond with their answers.
- 7 November 2022Good
- 9 March 2017Good
- 16 April 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Busy Bees Day Nursery at Bedford
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.