Busy Bees Day Nursery at Canterbury
Good★ 4.8 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Canterbury for children from birth to 5, open 08:00 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 October 2023. Open since 2006, with 80 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 Kent
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Kent 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
CT2 7PHWhat 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.
- 26 June 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
- 15 April 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
- 15 March 2024 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 10 October 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children and their families are warmly welcomed at this unique setting. Staff support them well. For example, staff regularly liaise with the children's centre staff to ensure families access support where needed. All children make good progress.
Staff promote children's happiness and safety well. For example, leaders and managers ensure that the setting is secure and that staff are vigilant when working with children. Children benefit from a well-planned curriculum which is based on their needs and interests. Staff set up motivating and engaging activities for children. For example, babies enjoy exploring animal puzzles and finding ones they know with staff. Older children enjoy exploring paint and talking about autumn time. These experiences effectively support children's communication and thinking skills.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who speak English as an additional language are well supported. For example, staff model good use of language when playing alongside children in the water tray.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review and improve daily routines so that children do not wait for long periods unnecessarily, including at lunchtime.
- 10 October 2023Good
- 16 August 2019Good
- 23 July 2013Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Busy Bees Day Nursery at Canterbury
- 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.