Busy Bees Day Nursery at Norwich Thorpe
Outstanding★ 4.9 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Norwich 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 Outstanding by Ofsted in November 2022. Open since 1999, with 72 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 Norfolk
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Norfolk 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
NR7 0HTWhat 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.
- 3 August 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 10 November 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are excited as they follow the instructions on the 'welcome walk' into the nursery, where friendly and attentive staff meet them. Children are happy to separate from parents swiftly, as they are confident within their surroundings and have developed secure attachments with staff. The exceptionally motivating environment is planned around the interests and needs of children. Learning starts immediately and children are extremely motivated in their learning. They demonstrate curiosity and pleasure as they participate in activities of their choice, or those led by adults. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, advanced concentration and perseverance skills that far exceed expectations for their age. Children's behaviour is impeccable. They show respect and kindness for both adults and their peers. Staff are superb role models, setting clear expectations for children's behaviour. As a result, younger children are learning to share and take turns. Older children can resolve their own conflicts and understand the emotions of others.
Leaders and staff are immensely dedicated to ensuring children and families are at the heart of everything they do. The key-person system is highly effective. Staff know their key children and their families extremely well. They plan activities across all areas of learning, building on what children already know and can do. As a result, children make swift progress and remember what they have learned. For example, babies recite familiar rhymes and songs, such as 'Wash, Wash the Plates', as they wash up in the role-play kitchen. While making birthday crowns, older children demonstrate their newfound knowledge as they identify shapes in the environment and recite the alphabet song as they press the letters on a keyboard in the role-play airport.
- 10 November 2022Outstanding
- 17 March 2017Good
- 1 May 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Busy Bees Day Nursery at Norwich Thorpe
- 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.