Busybees at Harlesden
Good★ 4.3 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in London for children from birth to 8+, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 December 2024. Open since 1997, with 76 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 Brent
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Brent 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
NW10 3TYWhat 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, 18 December 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff greet children in a friendly and caring manner on arrival. Children feel safe and secure. They build positive relationships with staff. For example, key persons comfort children who are settling in with cuddles. The key-person system is well embedded within the setting. Staff spend time developing secure bonds with children, who show that they feel happy within these trusting relationships. For example, babies demonstrate they feel secure as they eagerly take musical shakers to share with staff. Staff have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn. They plan a relevant curriculum that meets children's individual needs. As a result, all children make good progress in their learning.
Staff act as positive role models and their expectations for children's behaviour are good. Children behave well. They share, take turns and learn to understand the importance of being kind to their friends. Staff support children to persevere when they encounter a challenge in their play. Older children build their resilience, such as when cutting vegetables with safety knifes. Staff encourage children to keep trying and this helps them to not give up easily. As a result, children learn how to use tools and equipment with increasing skill.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- allow children sufficient time to think and respond to questions asked n build further on developing staff's practice to extend children's independence.
- 18 December 2024Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 6 March 2019Good
- 24 April 2018Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Busybees at Harlesden
- 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.