Busy Bees Day Nursery at Ipswich Rushmere
Good★ 3.1 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Ipswich for children from birth to 5, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 February 2024. Open since 2004, with 112 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 Suffolk
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Suffolk 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
IP4 5REWhat 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 February 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children receive a warm welcome when they arrive at the nursery. Staff get down to children's level and show a genuine interest in what they have to say. Photos of children's experiences from home are celebrated in vibrant displays throughout the nursery. This helps children to feel valued and supports their strong sense of belonging. Staff develop particularly nurturing bonds with babies. They are attentive to changes in babies' behaviour and communication and respond well to signs that they are feeling tired or unsettled. This helps to reassure babies and ensures that they feel happy and safe.
Leaders and staff share a strong passion for promoting children's enjoyment of books and reading. They inspire children to listen to stories and use books to discover information about the world around them. For example, pre-school children refer to books to find out more about different types of weather. The introduction of a lending library and 'borrow bags' offers children opportunities to extend their early literacy skills even further.
Children's behaviour is good. With gentle support from staff, children learn to negotiate in games and consider others when minor disagreements arise. Toddlers are encouraged to follow guidance and rules that help to keep them safe. For example, staff remind them to wait for their turn on the slide to avoid a collision.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to manage times of transition between activities more effectively to ensure that younger children remain engaged in their learning.
- 7 February 2024Good
- 15 February 2023Needs improvement
- 24 July 2017Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Busy Bees Day Nursery at Ipswich Rushmere
- 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.