Busy Bees Day Nursery at Rothamsted Lodge
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Harpenden for children from birth to 5, open 07:15 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 February 2023. Open since 1993, with 70 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
AL5 2JSWhat 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.
- 8 April 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 1 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The nursery is a calm, warm and welcoming place for children to learn.
Practitioners have a gentle approach with the children. They speak to them calmly and encourage children to take ownership of their learning. Children are encouraged to take appropriate risks and challenges as they play and learn, both indoors and outdoors. Children are particularly supported to develop their physical and emotional health.
Children enjoy learning new language through stories and singing songs. Children hear the melody of the nursery rhyme 'Wheels on the Bus' to their delight and happily join in with the words. Older children confidently express their opinion, commenting on their likes and dislikes. Children engage in meaningful conversation with one another, with one child saying, 'I picked apples and pears to make a crumble.'
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: - monitor the quality of the curriculum across the rooms for different age groups to ensure that it is consistent and children's learning is embedded.
- 1 February 2023Good
- 31 May 2017Good
- 10 June 2016Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Busy Bees Day Nursery at Rothamsted Lodge
- 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.