Busy Bees Worthing

In March 2023, fossil hunting, books borrowed for home and a garden with trees and bushes shaped children's experiences at Busy Bees Worthing. At its March 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, with learning through conversation, stories and practical exploration among its strengths. The detail matters more than the label: children discussed discoveries, shared tools and pursued activities that interested them.

The nursery at 84 Poulters Lane, Worthing, BN14 7SZ accepts children from birth to five and has 72 places in total. Its attendance choices include full-time care, mornings and afternoons. That gives families more than one way to organise the week.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the required framework for children's learning, development and care. In parent language, it connects learning with everyday play, communication and growing independence, rather than treating education as a separate part of the day.

In March 2023, fossil hunting brought several of those elements together. Children uncovered bones and footprints, talked about dinosaurs and exchanged what they remembered. Staff used questions to extend children's learning during the discussion. Sharing the tools also made cooperation part of the activity. For a child absorbed by a particular interest, this was a practical route into both conversation and discovery.

Water play supplied another example that month. Staff paired new vocabulary with actions, demonstrating how tools worked as they introduced words. This linked language to something children could see and try themselves. The activity gave younger children a concrete context for unfamiliar words.

Books had a substantial place in the March 2023 day. Children chose books themselves and examined the illustrations, while adults brought stories to life through expressive reading. A lending library allowed families to borrow books, connecting nursery reading with time together at home. It was a simple, useful bridge between the two settings.

Outdoor and Community Life

In March 2023, the garden included trees and bushes around which children rode bicycles. Ball games introduced turn-taking, while scavenger hunts encouraged exploration of nature. These were different uses of the same outdoor space: movement, shared play and close observation could all happen there.

The useful point for families is the variety of physical experiences within the garden. Cycling involved steering around natural features; games involved other children; searching for natural objects encouraged attention to the surroundings. Outdoor learning was woven into the day's activities.

At the March 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, observed sensitive relationships between babies and staff, and recognised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities through individual plans and communication with other professionals. These findings describe practice at that visit.

During March 2023, babies explored toys with adults close by, receiving encouragement as they experimented with movement and sound. Comfort and exploration worked together. For families choosing care for a baby, the relevant detail is the adult response to small discoveries, as well as support when reassurance is needed.

Individual care arrangements were shared with staff through room leaders in March 2023. This made children's particular needs and plans part of the team's working knowledge. Communication with professionals outside the nursery provided another connection for children receiving additional support.

Family communication that month included access to children's learning and daily activities through an online tool, alongside ideas for activities at home. This gave parents something practical to build on beyond a verbal account of the day. Staff also had access to professional development courses intended to extend their knowledge and practice.

There was a clear improvement point. In March 2023, changes to older children's lunchtime routines were not consistently explained or reinforced, and children needed more guidance about handling risks associated with items such as cutlery. Independence needs teaching as well as opportunity. This belongs alongside the positive account of play and relationships.

Sessions and Attendance

Busy Bees Worthing opens from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with bank holidays closed. Full-time attendance and morning or afternoon choices provide different patterns within that opening window.

The address is 84 Poulters Lane, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 7SZ. Enquiries can be made through the nursery's contact form or by calling 01903 260016; new parents can also contact the enrolments team on 0330 333 8133. Visits can be booked online by choosing a date and time.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare options include 30 Hours working families funding, 15 Hours universal funding for children aged 3 and 4, and 15 hours for 2-year-olds receiving support. Eligibility determines which option applies to a family. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, so the attendance pattern and funding arrangement should be considered together when budgeting.

• Independence at mealtimes. March 2023 brought a recommendation to strengthen children's independence and understanding of risk. On a visit, ask how staff now guide children through lunchtime routines and using cutlery.
• A baby's daily care. Close adult support during exploration was a feature in March 2023. Ask how settling, sleep and continuity of care will work for your child today.
• Your funded attendance pattern. The nursery offers morning, afternoon and full-time choices alongside funded childcare. Request a written breakdown showing how funding applies to your chosen pattern, including the treatment of meals and consumables.

Busy Bees Worthing suits families considering morning or afternoon attendance as well as full-time care, with places spanning babies through to children approaching school age. Its March 2023 account gives useful substance to the Good judgement: interest-led exploration, books shared with home and a garden used for several kinds of play.

The balance is clear. Relationships and practical learning are positive reasons to consider it; the March 2023 recommendation about independence and risk makes mealtime guidance a worthwhile part of a visit.