Busy Bees Day Nursery at Wakefield
Good★ 4.3 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Wakefield 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 May 2023. 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 Wakefield
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Wakefield 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
WF1 2UNWhat 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.
- 23 September 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
- 2 December 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 31 May 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children enjoy the time they spend at the nursery. They develop strong and affectionate bonds with staff who know them well. Children show that they feel happy and safe as they eagerly engage with staff during play and turn to them for comfort and reassurance. Staff work in partnership with parents from the beginning to ensure that they complement children's interests and backgrounds.
The environment is stimulating and well resourced, which motivates children to explore and to lead their own learning. Babies show high levels of curiosity as they investigate the resources and enjoy sensory experiences. Pre-school children write for a purpose. For example, they ask each other what they have had for breakfast and record this on their clipboard. Some children confidently write their own name and sound out the letters of the inspector's name so it can be added to the list.
Children understand the behaviour that is expected of them. They kindly pass resources to each other. For instance, children wait their turn to fill cups and share trowels when planting seeds. They behave well and enjoy the positive praise that staff provide them for their achievements, such as good sharing.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop staff's ability to extend children's learning, particularly for toddlers and the most able children.
- 31 May 2023Good
- 13 June 2022Needs improvement
- 16 December 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Busy Bees Day Nursery at Wakefield
- 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.