Busy Bees Day Nursery at Chatham
Outstanding★ 4.2 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Chatham for children from birth to 5, open 07:00 to 19:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in July 2022. Open since 2004, with 79 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 Medway
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Medway 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
ME4 4AFWhat 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 July 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children positively flourish in the nursery where they are enormously happy, settled and safe. Children form incredibly strong bonds with the nurturing staff who know them exceptionally well. Staff work seamlessly with parents to provide emotional support and a curriculum specifically tailored to the needs of every child. Staff consistently follow children's routines from home to help reassure babies and young children.
Children's behaviour is exceptional. They are highly motivated and deeply focused on tasks. Staff support young children superbly to understand rules, such as turn taking. Older children learn to adapt and negotiate with others so that play can be sustained and extended. For example, children listen to one another's ideas and stories as they create highly imaginative role-play scenarios, such as a trip to the hairdresser. All children are highly engaged and stimulated as they play and learn.
Children explore the inspirational environment where they play with exciting resources alongside excellent teaching. Staff recognise that during the COVID-19
- 7 July 2022Outstanding
- 29 April 2014Outstanding
- 11 October 2011Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Busy Bees Day Nursery at Chatham
- 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.