Busy Bees Day Nursery at Bishops Stortford Thorley Park
Good★ 4.9 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Bishops Stortford for children from birth to 5, open 07:30 to 18:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2023. Open since 1995, with 55 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 Hertfordshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hertfordshire 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
CM23 4EGWhat 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, 5 January 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this warm and nurturing nursery. They form strong bonds with staff, which makes them feel safe and secure. Babies' individual needs are well met. They enjoy reassuring cuddles as they become tired and are gently soothed as they settle for a sleep. Older children enjoy playing with their friends and smile and laugh together as they play the traffic light game in the garden. Children's behaviour is good. They share and take turns. Children are polite and kind and say 'please' and 'thank you' when asking their friends to pass the water jug.
Children show good attitudes to learning. They have access to a range of exciting activities that are well planned and link to their individual needs and interests. For example, babies explore the texture of the flour during sensory play. They learn new words, like 'soft', as they stir and mix the flour using their hands and wooden spoons. Younger children listen to stories, such as 'The three little pigs'. Staff use intonation and expression to create anticipation at story time. When the wolf appears in the story, children call out 'oh dear!', as he huffs and puffs and blows the house down. Older children's curiosity ignites as they add fresh fruit to play dough. They ask visitors to smell the play dough and guess the fruit they have added.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- enhance staff teaching skills, so that all staff are able to extend and challenge children's learning, ensuring that they all make the best possible progress.
- 5 January 2023Good
- 5 June 2017Good
- 14 April 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Busy Bees Day Nursery at Bishops Stortford Thorley Park
- 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.