Published: 29/09/2026
Busy Bees at Eastbourne, where children form ‘positive bonds with staff and develop meaningful friendships’ is celebrating its Ofsted result following its latest inspection.
Achieving ‘Strong Standard’ across all categories, the nursery team received high praise for their ‘warm and caring’ interactions and for placing a ‘significant focus’ on children’s emotional wellbeing including the time and care taken to help babies settle.
The youngest children receive ‘heartfelt encouragement as they develop their physical coordination and early language skills’ while the older children demonstrate confidence and independence, using ‘broad language skills to engage in conversations’. As a result, children have the ‘emotional resilience, practical skills and knowledge they need’ for school.
The nursery, located on Larkspur Drive, is led by Ashley McGhie who brings more than 20 years of experience. Ashley is supported by a longstanding team with over 280 years of experience, providing exceptional care and education for families in the local community.
Ashley McGhie, Centre Director at Busy Bees Eastbourne, said: “We are immensely proud of our Ofsted success which is a true reflection of the team’s dedication to providing nurturing care and creating inspiring learning environments where they feel happy and safe.
“The strong trusting bonds we have with our children and families are at the heart of everything we do. They are why we pour our hearts into giving every child the best start in life and we’re looking forward to working with our families further to ensure children are supported every step of the way!”
The nursery was commended for its inclusivity, with leaders providing practical and emotional support to families to support children’s achievement and wellbeing. In addition, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities progress extremely well in their learning and development, with ‘incredibly positive’ feedback from parents.
Parent partnerships and working with the local community is a ‘key strength’, with initiatives such as food bank collections help the children to ‘develop positive attitudes to helping others’. Families of the nursery also praised the ‘kindness’ of leaders and feel well informed about the day-to-day life of the nursery as well as their child's progress and future learning goals.
A parent whose son attends the nursery, added: “From the very beginning, the team have been incredibly supportive, caring and understanding, and we’ve always felt that there is open and honest communication between us and the nursery. They have played such a huge part in his development and confidence. Since starting nursery, we have seen such a positive change in him - his confidence has grown so much, and he has come on tremendously in such a short space of time. We always feel listened to and reassured, and it’s lovely knowing that he is genuinely cared for and supported while he’s there.”
Families highlighted that leaders go to ‘great lengths to support families’, ensuring that children benefit from the full Bee Curious curriculum. The ‘ambitious’ curriculum was recognised for reflecting the ‘interests and learning needs of all children taking part’, with staff recognising the ‘importance of providing children with time and opportunities to consolidate their learning and embed new skills’.
To find out more about Busy Bees Eastbourne and to book a visit, please call 0330 333 8133 or click here.
To view the full report, click here.