Published: 08/12/2025
More than 350 children across three Busy Bees nurseries in Wales are about to embark on a journey where their natural wonder, confidence and curiosity are celebrated. The new Bee Curious curriculum - an industry-leading approach to early years learning - is set to spark imagination, nurture independence, and help give children a strong foundation for school and beyond.
The Bee Curious curriculum has been thoughtfully designed to give children the best start in life and is launching at Busy Bees Cardiff Gate, Bridgend and St David’s Park. Rooted in joyful, play-based experiences, it encourages every child to explore and discover the world around them at their own pace. Building on The Curriculum for Wales framework, it offers broader, deeper and richer learning opportunities that support children to grow beyond what they thought possible.
Developed by a team of early years education experts, the curriculum was shaped by leading early years experts including Gill Jones, Busy Bees’ Group Chief Quality Officer (MBE) and Jenny Shaw, Lead Academic Researcher and Developer. Together, they set out to develop a curriculum that ignites curiosity in young learners, with a focus on tailored learning to every child’s individual pace, style and interests.
Grounded in the latest child behavioural science research, the curriculum engages children in core areas of learning including communication and language, physical education, wellbeing and belonging. It also celebrates the unique culture of Wales, weaving the Welsh language into everyday interactions.
Each area has been designed to support children to build essential life skills, from physical skills, language, independence, cognitive abilities, social interactions and a positive attitude to learning. Parents can expect to see children being introduced to rich vocabulary while developing a love for stories, exploring early numerical concepts through practical activities, gaining independence through self-practice, and building a deep appreciation for self-expression through art.
Gill Jones, Group Chief Quality Officer at Busy Bees said: “We believe that every child is born as a natural explorer. Combining our 40 years of early years’ experience and global best practice, we have designed a curriculum that nurtures children’s natural curiosity and fosters their lifelong love of learning, preparing them for school and beyond.”
The curriculum - the UK’s only independently evaluated early years curriculum by the Open University - follows a sequenced progression model, ensuring each child fully understands and is secure in each stage of learning before progressing to the next. This solid understanding at each stage of learning will enable children to build key skills and knowledge throughout their formative years.
Jenny Shaw, Academic Lead at Busy Bees added: “We are hugely excited to launch the Bee Curious curriculum at our nurseries in Wales. Thanks to the guidance of industry-leading experts on child behaviour and development, and insight from scientific research, as well as our global network of practitioners, the Bee Curious curriculum combines a wealth of knowledge to encourage play-based learning that taps into the natural curiosity of our children. Supporting better outcomes for children is at the heart of what we do, and we look forward to nurturing a love of learning in each child.”
To find out more about the Bee Curious curriculum in Wales or to book a visit, click here.