Busy Bees Reigate

Priory Park outings, cooking classes and a dedicated sensory area give Busy Bees Reigate a recognisable character. Refurbished in 2023, the Lesbourne Road nursery combines outings with separate spaces for younger and older children.

Children can attend from three months to five years. Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its August 2022 inspection, with effective safeguarding arrangements. That judgement is dated: the current facilities include changes made afterwards, while the improvement points from that visit remain useful questions for parents.

Morning, afternoon and full-day bookings sit within opening hours of 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. On-site parking and two buggy storage areas support different ways of getting there; the attendance rules and funding arrangements deserve equally close attention.

Rooms and Ages

Dedicated rooms separate the under-twos from children aged two to five. The youngest children have access to a sensory area, which is also usable by other children. This gives sensory exploration a physical place in the nursery rather than leaving it solely to occasional activities.

For babies, the day includes exploring textures and colours, outdoor play with practitioners, and stories followed by quiet time or sleep. Naps follow the child's routine at home. The practical emphasis is on a day that can accommodate both exploration and rest, rather than expecting every baby to follow an identical rhythm.

Older children have a morning song, age-appropriate activities, outdoor exploration and stories before lunch. Afternoon activities draw on Book of the Moment, using a selected book, and Curious Mind, involving maths, problem-solving or sensory experiences. Shared activities alternate with quieter periods.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, communication, physical development and everyday routines all contribute to learning. Alongside that required framework, the group-wide Bee Curious curriculum connects planned experiences and care routines with children's interests and individual pace.

Storytelling and role play support communication; mark-making and phonics introduce literacy. Counting, patterns and problem-solving develop mathematical thinking, while guided group activities practise listening and attention.

In August 2022, older children worked with staff to construct models, deciding how pieces could connect. Babies explored water, while outdoor balance activities and ball games gave children opportunities to practise movement. These examples show the connection between handling materials, discussing ideas and trying things physically.

In August 2022, planning for younger children sometimes lacked clear learning intentions, limiting its educational value. Teaching varied following staff changes, and coaching had yet to produce its intended effect. Enjoyment needed a clearer learning purpose.

Outdoor and Community Life

Weekly outings take children to Priory Park. Monday brings Football, while Thursday includes Playball, an extra class; cooking classes add another practical activity. These experiences broaden the setting beyond indoor play and offer different reasons to move, participate and handle materials.

Outdoor learning also features in the daily programme, with guided play in themed spaces. For older children, exploration continues in different weather conditions. Families seeking regular time outside therefore have both the nursery's own outdoor experiences and its named park outings to weigh.

Relationships and Communication

At the August 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that babies had close relationships with their key person, children communicated confidently, and staff used professional advice to plan support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Those findings describe care at that visit, rather than a promise about every child's experience today.

In August 2022, staff used gestures and picture cards to help children understand emotions and practise considerate behaviour. Parents received daily information about care and learning. These are useful examples of support operating through ordinary interactions, rather than only through formal activities or meetings.

The Busy Bees App provides progress updates during the day, helping parents stay connected with their child's nursery experiences.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Babies' sleep follows home routines, while quiet play or rest follows lunch. The day accommodates differing needs for sleep.

Independence was a mixed picture in August 2022. Children could feed themselves, but adults sometimes helped with shoes or handwashing before children had enough opportunity to try. More consistent encouragement of self-care was an improvement priority. This is a practical issue for parents: support should make a task manageable while preserving the child's chance to practise it.

Meals, drinks and snacks are prepared on site by the nursery chef, and the two seasonal menus have NHS Startwell accreditation. Dietary requirements, allergies and cultural preferences are discussed with the centre director so suitable alternatives can be arranged.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Lesbourne Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 7JP. Opening hours run from 7.30am until 6.30pm on weekdays, with year-round operation and Bank Holiday closures. The opening window is longer than the standard full-day booking, so the session chosen matters.

A Full Day runs from 8am to 6pm. Morning bookings run from 8am to 1pm, and Afternoon bookings from 1pm to 6pm; a Full Week follows the full-day hours from Monday to Friday. The minimum weekly commitment is one full day or two morning or afternoon sessions. Childcare is booked by session rather than by the hour.

Early Session covers 7.30am to 8am, and Late Session covers 6pm to 6.30pm. Both require advance booking. These extensions are free for families ineligible for funding; whether they are free alongside funded sessions depends on the child's attendance pattern.

Fees are paid monthly ahead of attendance and calculated across 52 weeks. Bank Holiday closures remain chargeable, and sickness or holidays do not bring replacement sessions, refunds or credits. Minimum notice requirements apply. These terms make the regular booking pattern important even when a child occasionally misses a day.

Getting There

The nursery is close to Reigate High Street, with on-site parking set away from the main road. Two buggy storage areas provide a practical alternative for families bringing a pushchair.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the 15 hours scheme and 30 hours scheme, with provision for eligible two-year-olds under the 15 hour local authority scheme. Funding is stretched across 50 weeks: the respective weekly maximums are 11.4 and 22.8 hours. Additional attendance beyond the entitlement is paid for separately.

Two non-funded weeks fall on 5–9 April and 3–7 May 2027, with another non-funded day on 31 August 2027. Standard charges apply, so stretching funding still leaves paid periods.

Meals, drinks and snacks are included in privately paid session fees. During funded sessions, food and consumables such as wipes, nappies and sun cream carry separate optional charges through Busy Bees One, the group package combining those items. The distinction matters when comparing a funded booking with a private one.

A non-refundable registration charge applies, with part credited against the first invoice. A fully funded place requires a refundable deposit credited against that invoice, waived for funded two-year-olds using the 15 hour local authority scheme. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the Reigate funding calculator gives illustrative estimates.

• Learning intentions and independence. August 2022 improvement priorities concerned precise planning for younger children and giving children more opportunity to manage self-care. During a visit, ask staff to explain a current activity's learning intention and how they support a child trying a task independently.
• The booking commitment. One full day or two morning or afternoon sessions is the weekly minimum, and early or late attendance requires advance booking. Match the proposed pattern to the times your family actually needs.
• Funding across the year. The stretched arrangement includes non-funded periods and optional food and consumables charges. Request a written quotation showing the complete attendance pattern and how opting out of those extras works.
• Settling and dietary care. Babies' sleep follows home routines, while dietary needs are discussed individually. Use the visit to discuss settling sessions, your child's sleep pattern and, where relevant, current allergy arrangements.

Busy Bees Reigate suits families seeking either morning or afternoon sessions as well as full-day attendance, with booked extensions for the edges of the working day. Priory Park outings, a sensory area and cooking classes give its offer concrete substance, while parking and buggy storage help with everyday logistics.

The August 2022 Good judgement is a dated reference. Planning and independence deserve attention, alongside the cost of the complete booking pattern.