Little Bear's Nurseries in Wanstead and East Village join the Busy Bees family

Busy Bees is delighted to welcome three nurseries from the Little Bear’s Nursery Group, which have been at the heart of the community since opening their doors in 2005.

The nurseries, located in Stratford and Wanstead, care for children aged three months to five years, offering high-quality care and enriching activities catered to each child’s needs.

Under the previous ownership of Shona O’Neill, a teacher with over 25 years’ experience, the nurseries pride themselves on creating safe, secure and nurturing environments for children to develop and learn.

Wanstead Green, the first nursery to open in 2005, is conveniently located next to Wanstead Tube Station. The nursery caters for 70 children and features six rooms including a sensory room. There is also a large garden split into two areas for younger and older explorers, and a mini-Forest School with natural resources for children to extend their learning outdoors. 

The second nursery is Wanstead Village on Seagry Road which caters for 96 children. With four age-appropriate rooms, each room has an area for sleep/quiet time and ample space to explore. The nursery also boasts a large garden with 200sq metres of space and a wood workshop for the older children. 

In 2013, East Village on Cheering Lane was acquired. The 72-place setting has three rooms and operates a free-flow system with direct access from each base room to a garden, with custom-made resources to enhance children’s outdoor learning experiences. 

Marcia Brown, Divisional Director at Busy Bees, said: “We are delighted to welcome three of the Little Bear’s nurseries to our Busy Bees family. Shona has done a wonderful job with the nurseries, creating joyful and enriching environments where children feel safe and their individual needs are catered for.

“Alongside the long-standing teams, we are proud to carry Shona’s vision going forward, ensuring high-quality care for all families and the best start in life for children. We extend a warm welcome to all colleagues, children and families into Busy Bees.”

Shona O’Neill, Former Owner of Little Bear’s Nursery Group, added: “It’s been a privilege to nurture and grow Little Bear’s Nursery Group over the past two decades. From the very beginning, our mission was to create warm, inspiring spaces where children could feel safe, valued and curious about the world around them. I’m incredibly proud of the dedicated teams who have helped bring that vision to life every day.

“Joining the Busy Bees family marks an exciting new chapter. Their values and commitment to high-quality early years education align beautifully with ours, bring fresh opportunities for children and staff alike. I’m confident they will continue to build on the strong foundations we’ve laid. I want to thank all the families who have trusted us over the years – it has been an honour to be part of your children’s early journeys.”

Children attending the nursery will in time benefit from Busy Bees’ latest curriculum Bee Curious, the UK’s only independently evaluated early years curriculum, which has been designed to feed children’s natural curiosity and foster a lifelong love of learning. Children who attend Wanstead Village will also benefit from NHS-accredited menus and snacks, freshly prepared on-site by the nursery chefs.