St Peters Busy Bee's Pre-School
OutstandingBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Maidstone for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in May 2023. Open since 1991, with 30 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 Kent
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Kent 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
ME15 8NJWhat 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, 11 May 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children flourish and thrive at this exceptional setting. They run in, beaming with smiles, to see their friends and favourite adults. Children settle immediately to engage in exploring the wide range of rich experiences and opportunities that adults have purposely planned for them. They delight in digging for bugs outside and checking them off their lists when they have found them. They remain intently focused and highly motivated. Adults have high expectations for children. They provide thought-provoking questions and challenges for children. For example, children excitedly discuss with staff how they can make their flower tower models even taller than them.
Adults' interactions with children are excellent. They support children to develop high levels of independence. Before going outside, children complete checks to ensure that it is safe for their friends to play. Adults expand on every opportunity to support children's communication and language. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is exemplary. Those who did not talk when they started at the pre-school are now confident communicators.
Children are extremely happy and safe. They display very high levels of respect for each other. Older children help younger children to use the equipment outside, showing kindness and care towards them.
- 11 May 2023Outstanding
- 18 July 2017Good
- 3 June 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for St Peters Busy Bee's 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.