Busy Bees Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Alresford for children from birth to 8+, open 08:30 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2025. Open since 1992, with 26 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 Hampshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hampshire 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
SO24 0AAWhat 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 June 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 20 January 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children separate from their parents with ease as they happily enter this warm and welcoming pre-school. They greet staff with a big smile as they run over to their friends. Children display a strong sense of belonging and show that they feel safe and secure. For example, children sit on the lap of staff and cuddle into them, chatting away excitedly about their home life. Staff listen well, showing genuine warmth and kindness.
Staff implement a fun and stimulating curriculum, which focuses on developing children's independence and confidence. Staff carefully consider children's next steps in learning. They use the information they identify to plan targeted experiences to help close gaps in learning.
Staff ask children what activities they would like to carry out. Children become excited as they say they want to make 'sausage pizzas' out of modelling dough.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to consistently help children to understand the expectations for their behaviour and the impact of their behaviour on others.
- 20 January 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 14 May 2019Good
- 5 May 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Busy Bees Pre-School
- 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.