40 Years of Busy Bees

WELCOME TO BUSY BEES

Nursery in
Darlington

Rated Good by Ofsted

8 Reviews

Busy Bees

READY TO TAKE YOUR FIRST STEPS?

Book your visit today Use our funding calculator

New parent? Call 0330 333 8133

Existing parent? Call 01325 460440

Opening Times:

From 07:30 to 18:00 Mon - Fri

Discover our Busy Bees nursery in Darlington, where your little one can unleash their full potential. Welcoming children from babies through to preschoolers, your child will receive a seamless and enriching early years experience as they grow and learn with us.  

Inside the nursery there are multiple tailored rooms filled with age-appropriate activities and resources, thoughtfully designed to support each child's development. But the excitement doesn't stop indoors! With our outdoor playground offering a safe and supervised space, children can continue their learning journey while embracing safe risks. 

Here at Busy Bees Darlington, we want the very best for your child. Which is why our highly qualified nursery team go the extra mile to provide every child with the best start in life. From carefully curating a range of fun-filled activities, to preparing children for the next key stage, our dedicated team team will fully support your child throughout their development journey.  

Not only do the excellent team provide children with endless opportunities to play and learn while at the nursery, but Busy Bees also provide you with the opportunity to continue the fun at home with the UP – Unleashing Potential app.  

So, if you're seeking exceptional childcare in Darlington, look no further than Busy Bees. As a trusted day nursery in Darlington, we take pride in creating unforgettable memories, and empowering young minds to learn, flourish and thrive. Book a visit today! 

Pebble flexible childcare at Busy Bees at Darlington

We understand that parents and carers lead busy lives, and we want to do everything possible to help. That’s why Busy Bees at Darlington offers the flexibility of booking additional sessions for when you need them.​ Find out more about our nursery session booking app, Pebble.

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Busy Bees

Busy Bees at Darlington

19 Newton Lane

Cockerton

Darlington

DL3 9EX

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Suzanne Cartwright-Powton - Centre Director

Suzanne Cartwright-Powton

Centre Director

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Nursery Facilities at Busy Bees at Darlington

Here's a snapshot of just some of the wonderful facilities we offer at our Day Nursery in Darlington. Click on each facility to find out more.

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Car Parking
We offer ample parking on-site for your safety and convenience.

Buggy store
A safe place to store your pram while visiting the nursery.

CCTV
Our nursery is fitted with CCTV for the safety and security of our team and the children in our care.

Secure Access
Our entrance ways are fitted with an intercom system and all access points are safe and secure.

Nappies and Wipes inclusive
Fees are all-inclusive to include nappies and wipes.

Formula Milk provided
Fees are inclusive to include formula milk if required.

Meals and Snacks Provided
All meals, drinks and snacks are prepared on-site by our chef and NHS accredited.

Outdoor Facilities
Our outdoor environment offers space to explore and take safe risks with the support of our team, aiding child development.

Sensory Room
Our Sensory Room is a relaxing space providing a unique sensory experience with activities and equipment to explore, engaging and stimulating children’s senses.

Parent Room
Our parent room is a dedicated safe space for us to get to know your family and you to speak in confidence with our nursery team about your child's nursery life.

Smart Board
Our Interactive Smart Board is used daily to bring learning to life and provides children with a hands-on approach with technology.

Funded Childcare
We offer government funded places for children aged 3 to 4 years, please speak to the Centre Director for more information.

Teacher
We have a fully qualified Teacher in our pre-school room who delivers exciting learning opportunities, whilst ensuring statutory and legal welfare requirements are met for every child.

Foundation Class
The foundation class nurtures each child's natural curiosity within a structured framework providing pre-school children with an early introduction to school life.

ParentZone
We keep families informed through ParentZone, an online learning journal platform, which can be accessed via a smartphone app.

UP
Exclusive to Busy Bees, UP is a learning and development app used by educators in our nursery and parents at home. Search ‘UP by Busy Bees’ on the app store to find out more.

Book Extra Sessions Online
We offer online booking for extra ad-hoc sessions at this nursery with Pebble.

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Food at Busy Bees at Darlington

Here, at Busy Bees Darlington all the meals, snacks, and drinks we provide are packed with natural goodness. They form part of our NHS Startwell-accredited menus, which have been carefully created to help children enjoy a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet. It is all included in your nursery fees too – so, there is no extra to pay.  

Our talented nursery chef prepares all food and drinks, on-site, using fresh, local produce where possible. Do you need us to adjust the food your child is served, because of an allergy or dietary need? We can do that - simply let your Centre Director know. 

Get a taste of what your child might eat while at our nursery in Darlington: 

Breakfast  

Fresh fruit with a selection of cereal or porridge. 

Morning Snack  

Fresh fruit with wholemeal toast or baked goods, served with a cup of milk or water. 

Lunch  

Moroccan chickpea and vegetable tagine, served with couscous and a cup of water. Followed with banana and low sugar custard for dessert.   

Afternoon Snack  

Fresh fruit or vegetable sticks served with a cup of milk or water. 

Early Evening Snack 

Hummus with vegetable sticks to start, followed by a cheese and apple scone served with grated beetroot and a cup of water. 

See food menu
5* Food Hygiene
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Our Fees

We believe in an open and transparent approach to nursery fees. 

Click the button below for weekly, daily, and session rates for our exceptional childcare. 

Covering the cost of childcare isn’t always easy, so we’re pleased to offer Government funding to eligible three and four-year-olds. Designed to give working families up to 30 hours of funded childcare a week (1,140 hours per year), it could help you save on lots of happy, adventure-filled sessions at Busy Bees, all year round. 

To find out more take a look at our ‘Funding Options’ page and whatever your childcare needs, come and talk to us. 

Download fee sheet

Preparing for School

In order to best prepare the children for the next big chapter of their lives, Busy Bees do all that they can to support and celebrate the transition. All of the planned activities and experiences which take place within our Busy Bees Nursery in Darlington are designed to provide a foundation of skills that will help them grow in becoming confident and capable learners.

Learn more about how we support the journey from nursery to school by taking a look at our "My Journey to School Tracker". To read more and learn about the other ways our expert team supports the transition to school level, take a look at our Starting School page.

Busy Bees Nursery Darlington Location

You will find our nursery just a 5-mintue drive from the Centre of Darlington on Newton Lane in Cockerton.  

With excellent transportation links, rest assured if you are arriving via car, the nursery is located just off the A68, with the A1 (M) at Junction 58, just a 5-minute drive away. With parking available on-site, you can trust that your arrival and departure will be a smooth and hassle-free experience.  

Arriving via public transport? There is a bus stop a short walk from the nursery at Cockerton cricket club, serving routes 2 frequenta and 2A. 

Find the exact location of Busy Bees at Darlington by using our What3Words:

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Book a Tour

Our friendly, expert team of staff are always happy to welcome you and your child for a tour of the facilities on offer at our nursery in Darlington. Book a visit today to arrange a personal tour to see Busy Bees Nursery Darlington for yourself.

Reviews

Laura Z.

03/01/2024

"Very friendly kind genuine warm staff who I feel very comfortable leaving my child with "


Lucy T.

20/07/2023

"Great staff, clean and fun environment for the kids. Communication was fab getting updates and photos through the day"


Emma B.

28/09/2022

"Suzanne and the team at Busy Bees Darlington are fantastic in what they do. Friendly, approachable and absolutely amazing with the children and parents. My son attend and now my daughter and despite there being a 5 year gap in them attending there was no doubt my daughter would be attending too. Supportive, knowledgeable a first class nursery."


Katy H.

05/05/2022

"Friendly,helpful,nutritious meals for the children and the little updates via their app keep us connected with our child's activities,would highly recommend."


Amy S.

24/02/2022

"Caring and friendly service "