B Magazine Spring 2024

Providing guidance, support and tools to help you live a healthier and happier life, because your wellbeing matters!

CEO FWD

Dear Busy Bees

As we embrace the arrival of spring and enjoy the longer, warmer days, it’s hard to miss the positive change in mood around us – a perfect backdrop for welcoming you to the latest Wellbeing issue of the B Magazine.

It’s hard to believe that the B Magazine is already marking its first anniversary today. Your ongoing feedback reminds us of just how essential communication is to your experience with Busy Bees. While we can’t possibly cover everything in one issue, I’m bursting with pride to showcase some of the incredible contributions from you and our extraordinary team members, who work tirelessly each day to give our children the best start in life.

I strongly believe that a healthy culture is fundamental to a healthy business. That’s why I was excited to see our new Benefits and Wellbeing app, Hive, launch earlier this March. I’m glad to see many of you appreciate the convenience of having all your benefits in one place and it’s impressive that within just one month, thousands of you are already

benefiting from savings and cashback rewards from over 1,000 high street retailers – what a result!

As we look ahead, we’re getting ready to support Mental Health Awareness Week in May, focusing on this year’s theme: Movement. Staying active is crucial for our mental wellbeing, but I, just as you, appreciate that life can get hectic. That’s why during the week, we’ll share tips on fitting movement into your daily routines, whether it’s a quick walk or an impromptu dance party in the kitchen – every little bit helps!

Also, did you know that Hive offers benefits like Gym Memberships, Smart Fitness, and Cycle to Work? Make sure to check out of all the available options!

During Love Your Team Week, we launched a new instant recognition scheme dedicated to recognising our outstanding team members who showcase our values every day. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who continues to share nominations and an even bigger thank you to those of you receiving the nominations. I’m proud to announce that

Chris McCandless Chief Executive Officer – Europe

1,050 LOVE vouchers have been issued already and the positive feedback keeps coming in.

Remember, every month, all those recognised are automatically entered into a prize draw for a chance to win one of our sought-after £25 vouchers. Nominating someone is easy – so why wait? Spread some joy and make someone’s day!

Finally, I’m excited to announce the return of our Day in a Life initiative for 2024. This initiative brings together the teams from the centres, the field and NSC into the nursery environment, aiming to strengthen connections and teamwork. It’s a chance to build relationships, mutual appreciation, and respect while adding value to the business, whether through improving processes or enhancing overall value. I’m looking forward to my own visit and hearing your feedback!

Thank you for being a vital part of the Busy Bees Family. Let’s continue to nurture a healthy culture where we prioritise caring for each other and ourselves as much as we do for our children.

Enjoy the magazine!

Direct Access to Busy Bees Benefits

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our latest initiative ‘Hive’, our one-stop shop for all things benefits and wellbeing related.

Hive offers 24/7 direct access to all of our Busy Bees benefits and wellbeing resources, alongside brand new discounts.

Save Money through the ‘Smart Spending’ app

From ‘Deals of the Week’ to instant reloadable cards, the Smart Spending app offers discounts across hundreds of retailers, helping you to reduce everyday expenses and earn cashback.

From Childcare Discounts to Cycle to Work, find all the information you need in one handy place.

Policies and Guidance

From recruitment to retirement, access our people policies and handbook when you need them.

Providing guidance, support and tools to help you live a healthier and happier life, because your wellbeing matters!

At the heart of Hive is our commitment to supporting our team members in every aspect of their lives, both inside and outside the workplace. Through the Wellbeing Hub we aim to empower our team members to thrive both personally and professionally by providing a holistic approach to wellbeing.

Move: Physical activity is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. With Hive, you can access a selection of the best exercise videos to help you meet your fitness goals from HIIT to yoga, find your groove with Move! Not only that, the featured articles provide key insights and advice to support you with your physical fitness.

only that, our partnership with Salary Finance provides financial products and services (loans, advance savings and financial education) to help you lead a happier healthier financial life.

Mind: Mental health is paramount, especially in today’s fast-paced world. Through Hive, we’re prioritising mental wellbeing by offering access to trained Mental Health First Aiders, a 24/7 Confidential Helpline featuring a Live Chat service as well as a collection of mindfulness audios and tips to reduce stress, increase productivity and help you sleep better.

Munch: Proper nutrition is fundamental to overall wellbeing. Hive offers access to a collection of deliciously simple, well balanced recipes and nutrition based articles to ignite your inner chef and support your overall wellbeing goals. Not only that, you can access discounts off your weekly shop at the click of button.

This dedicated wellbeing centre provides a safe and supportive environment to address mental health needs and cultivate resilience.

Why not channel your inner calm and check out one of our guided meditations?

matters Wellbeing

Money: Often overlooked, financial wellness forms a crucial part of overall wellbeing. Hive provides expert guides, tips, tools and discounts to help your money go further and improve your financial wellbeing. Check out the easy to use budget planner and Smart Spending App where you can save on your everyday spending. Not

HIVE is more than just a benefits platform, it’s a holistic approach to wellbeing that reflects our commitment to the health and happiness of our team members. We believe that by investing in the wellbeing of our team members, we can create a positive and thriving workplace culture where everyone can reach their full potential.

As we launch ‘HIVE’, we encourage you to take time to explore the multitude of benefits and resources available to you.

Prioritsing Mental Health through Movement

Supporting Mental Health Awareness Week

13 – 19 May 2024

As Mental Health Awareness Week approaches, we’re excited to join together and embrace the theme of ‘Movement: Moving more for our mental health’

Why is moving for mental health so important? It’s simple: physical activity has a profound impact on our mental wellbeing. Engaging in regular exercise releases endorphins, reduces stress, and boosts our mood. Whether it’s a leisurely walk, a yoga session, or a dance class, movement offers a powerful outlet for stress relief and self-care.

We understand that finding time for exercise amidst our busy schedules can be challenging. That’s why we’re here to offer some motivational tips and examples to help you up your movement game.

Start Small: Incorporating movement into your daily routine doesn’t have to be daunting. Start with small, manageable steps, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going for a short walk during your lunch break.

Find Activities You Enjoy: Exercise doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Find activities that you genuinely enjoy, whether it’s cycling, swimming, dancing or playing a sport. When you’re having fun, staying active becomes effortless.

Mix It Up: Keep things interesting by trying out different types of exercises. From outdoor adventures to online workout classes, there’s a world of options to explore. Mixing up your routine not only keeps things exciting but also challenges your body in new ways. Head over to the Wellbeing Hub on HIVE to access free online fitness classes.

Set Realistic Goals: Set achievable goals that align with your fitness level and lifestyle. Whether it’s aiming to walk 10,000 steps a day or completing a fitness challenge, setting milestones can help keep you motivated and focused.

Stay Connected: Movement is more enjoyable when shared with others. Encourage your team members to join you for a lunchtime walk or organise a group fitness activity. Building a support network can help keep you accountable and motivated on your wellness journey.

As we gear up to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, we invite you to join us in embracing movement for our mental wellbeing. Keep an eye out for further information and activities planned throughout the week, as we come together to prioritise our mental health and support each other on our wellness journeys.

Remember, every step counts towards a happier, healthier you.

You Said, We Did...

Your voice matters to us. Since our last full survey in April 2023, we’ve been hard at work implementing numerous changes and enhancements inspired by your feedback. As we gear up for our next survey, we wanted to share a reminder of all the things we have done so far and show you that taking the time to share your thoughts really does make a difference.

You’ve been heard ...

Pay and benefits could be better at Busy Bees.

We invested a whopping £11.2 million in last year’s pay review and this year we have committed to another significant increase.

We could improve our inductions.

Introduced a 12 week in-depth Centre Director induction programme and a Knowledge Hub with all information in one easy to access location.

Welcomed our new Centre Directors and NSC team members to face-to-face induction sessions and have held 8 so far!

We could be more consistent and timely with our approach to recognition across Busy Bees, celebrating those stand out moments when they happen.

Our brand new Live Our Values Everyday (LOVE) scheme launched in November 2023, with over 1050 LOVE vouchers already shared across Busy Bees. Not only that, our monthly prize draw has generated 84 winners so far!

Long Service Recognition is inconsistent and doesn’t recognise enough milestones

We revamped and relaunched our Long Service recognition scheme in Jan 2024. The new scheme celebrates a much wider range of milestones and offers consistency across the business.

Our uniform is uncomfortable and doesn’t suit all shapes and sizes

In collaboration with team members from across centres, we said we would review our uniform this year to seek a solution to meet everyone’s needs.

The childcare discount scheme is inconsistent, complicated and the rates aren’t high enough for some roles.

We launched our new childcare discount scheme in Jan 2024. The new scheme focuses on attracting and retaining our key roles and embedding consistency across the business.

We need to increase our focus on wellbeing.

We have trained 29 Mental Health First Aiders across Busy Bees, with more to come.

Our new wellbeing platform Hive launched in March 2024, with access to a wider range of wellbeing benefits and support.

We launched our very first B Magazine last year with the first edition dedicated to wellbeing. You are now reading our 3rd edition also focused on wellbeing.

More opportunities for all team members to be recognised and celebrated at Busy Bees.

We held our very first Be Brilliant Awards, a glitzy event with a variety of categories included to showcase our fantastic team members from across the business.

We need to improve our communication.

Held listening groups with team members focused on enhancing communication across Busy Bees.

Launched our very first company magazine, introduced communication road shows and a userfriendly knowledge hub with key information for our centres.

We need more resources in our centre

We have increased our resources budget this year (2024) by a huge 16% to £3m.

Some of our centres are looking a bit tired and have maintenance needs

Implemented ‘Expansive’, a new system to raise repairs and provide instant updates.

Welcomed 22 new selfdelivery contractors to bolster communication, quality, and consistency across our estate £3m.

Exclusively for Busy Bees

Team Members Issue 3

Save on a brand-new bike and equipment and start cycling to work today!

Cycle to Work is for everyone

Whether you want a new bike, equipment or both, top of the range or new starter, Cycle to Work will save you from 30% to 47% on the total cost.

Putting the fun into funding

Last year, the government made a historic commitment to invest significantly in early years childcare, as outlined in the spring budget. This initiative aims to remove substantial barriers, enabling parents to return to work and grow the economy by making childcare more accessible.

Since then, we’ve been diligently preparing for these transformative changes in England, which took effect from 1 April this year. Our efforts touch every area of our business, from engaging directly with the government on initial proposals to meticulously analysing the impact on our existing funding structure, we’ve been hard at work to ensure we deliver a smooth transition.

We cannot overstate the time and effort it has taken to prepare for these changes across our entire business. We owe an immense debt of gratitude to all of our dedicated Busy Bees team members involved in this journey so far. Whether you’ve been engaged from the beginning or will play a role in administering the new funding arrangements post-1 April, your unwavering support, dedication, and commitment are truly commendable – we simply couldn’t do it without you!

The additional funding provision will unlock opportunities for tens of thousands more families to experience the magic of Busy Bees and we look forward to welcoming them all into our nurseries, where they’ll receive the best start in life. Navigating childcare funding: your complete guide! to

KEY CHANGES TO NOTE

Terminology Changes

As the funding offer evolves over the next two years, we are changing our terminology to make it clearer for parents and internally which funding we are talking about.

Recap on how funded sessions are priced

Unless a child is fully funded, each session has an element of non-funded and funded hours.

Non-funded hours are charged at the hourly rate for that session.

Funded hours will attract an essentials and extras charge that we ask parents to pay and this rate is different for each session.

From April 2024, we will move to a standardised Essentials and Extras charge for all funded hours.

All 2 year old funded hours will now have a standardised E&E charge across all sessions. 3+ funded hours E&E charge will remain as they currently are.

Changes to the stretched weeks

In the majority of centres and with agreement from the local authority we will move to a 50-week stretch for anyone wishing to stretch their funding.

The move to a 50-week stretch will include existing funded children who stretch and newly eligible children who will be stretching their funding. There will be two non-funded weeks if the centre is open all year round, one in the summer (likely first week in April) and one in the autumn (likely last week in December).

Billing Calendars

By September 24, 75% of children will be in receipt of some form of government funding and would be on a 4/4/5 billing calendar. We propose a standardisation to 4/4/5 billing calendars for all children, funded and non-funded.

By moving all children to a 4/4/5 monthly calendar, there is no adjustment to the style of invoice during the child’s time with Busy Bees and removes several potential errors when data is not transferred between funding accounts when a child moves to a new billing calendar.

KEY STATS TO DATE

VIP visits

We’ve kickstarted 2024 with some wonderful VIP visits. From the Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise visiting Busy Bees Edinburgh Park, and Busy Bees Dudley showcasing their ‘Outstanding’ by Oftsed nursery to their local MP, our centres are always welcoming of these special visits.

We regularly host constituency visits by local MPs as a great way of advising them about the work we do within our communities.

Thank you to every team that has accommodated these visits and showcased how Busy Bees gives every child the best start in life.

Natalie Don MSP, Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise, visited Busy Bees Edinburgh Park nursery to see how the early years nursery team is delivering high-quality childcare in the city.

Ms Don was shown around the nursery by Centre Director Sharlene Cran and Busy Bees Scotland Managing Director Yvonne Smillie. During her visit, Ms Don spoke with the nursery staff about their professional learning and development and wellbeing.

After the tour, Ms Don said: “I’ve really enjoyed visiting Busy Bees nursery and seeing how they support every child in their care to thrive, learn and play. I want to thank the staff at Busy Bees for everything they do and for taking the time to talk to me about how we can support a sustainable, diverse and thriving childcare sector.”

Centre Director Sharlene Cran, who has been with Busy Bees for over 20 years, said: “We were thrilled to show the minister around our beautiful nursery and let her see how our highly trained team encourage and support our children in a warm and comfortable homely environment.”

Dudley MP Marco Longhi visited his local nursery to find out how Busy Bees is preparing for increased demand following the Government’s expansion of childcare funding.

Mr Longhi was welcomed to the Ofsted Outstanding nursery by Centre Director Katie Pearson and introduced to children.

After the tour of the centre, Mr Longhi said: “I couldn’t have had a friendlier welcome to Busy Bees! I was delighted to meet Katie Pearson and the team, and I could see how much fun the children were having. Parents should be confident their little ones are in safe hands. Their recent ‘Outstanding’ rating by Ofsted is well deserved.”

The nursery’s Ofsted report praised the centre’s management, noting that leaders had ‘built a wonderful environment where staff encourage children to be who they want to be’ and children’s individuality and creativity are nurtured.

Area Director Roberta Burrows said: “We were pleased to show our local MP what Outstanding childcare looks like. Our team at Dudley are dedicated to providing the best start in life for all our children and ensure they are provided with the highest quality learning opportunities.”

In 2023, Busy Bees introduced its very first Day in a Life Initiative, marking a significant step forward in encouraging connection and teamwork across our business. The challenges of lockdown unfortunately had hindered our ability to work closely together for extended periods, particularly in our nursery settings – the core of our business. This initiative presented us with a chance to regroup and reassert our collective efforts.

At Busy Bees, collaboration lies at the very heart of our strength, and the relationships we forge are not only crucial to our success but also essential for our personal happiness and wellbeing.

Last year’s initiative brought together teams from our centres, field, and NSC in nursery environments for the first time, providing a platform to build relationships, share insights, and understand our wider business roles. It offered opportunities to refine practice and make a collective impact We were delighted to welcome visits from over 230 centres, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those Busy Bees who supported and participated. The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, with both visitors and hosts valuing the experience.

Please keep an eye out for further details on how you can engage with the Day in a Life Initiative in 2024.

We look forward seeing you in 2024! A day in a life -

to 2024! n a life inal

Positive feedback received CDs - visited centres

“What an amazing day it was to take a break from my laptop and calls, and to dive back into the action on the floor, spending quality time with our wonderful children!”

“It was truly wonderful to have a visit from someone from NSC at my centre. My team takes great pride in our centre, and it was such a joy to showcase our hard work. Knowing that we’ve been seen, heard, and appreciated was truly heartening.”

“Love this idea, feel we need to do more of it and have more working groups throughout the year so people can feedback.”

“Stuart Mills and Nikki Ward were just wonderful people to spend the day with. Both really knowledgeable, with great ideas and I laughed with them both all day!”

Positive feedback received from NSC visitors

“It’s fantastic to witness the planning results of learning activities, along with the incredible engagement between staff and children!”

“It was a great experience, really helps to understand what is involved for those in our centres and see the amazing work they do.”

“This was the first time I have worked in nursery as I was based in the Gateshead head office. The staff were really helpful and friendly, all the children were so happy. It was nice to see the nursery side of the business.”

“My centre was well prepared and really welcoming. Had a really informative tour, spent time with the chef and observing activities outside with the children. The positive for me was being able to speak personally to the CD, ACD & Admin.”

Our centres and Ofsted results

In February, we opened our brand-new Montessori nursery in Loudwater, High Wycombe. The purpose-built nursery supports children with self-directed learning, independent exploration, and collaborative play in line with the Montessori method of teaching, originally developed by Maria Montessori.

Nitin Jain, Managing Director at Montessori by Busy Bees, said: “We are so proud to officially open our stunning new nursery, offering parents in High Wycombe the opportunity to discover more about the Montessori teaching method. Our Montessori nursery in High Wycombe is now our flagship centre in the UK, boasting a generous garden area and three floors with dedicated rooms tailored to the needs of each age group.”

Lisa Humphreys, Centre Director, said: “I’m delighted to be part of the team here at High Wycombe. It’s such a privilege to be able to share the Montessori method of teaching with the community.”

“We are proud to share that 98% of our nurseries are now graded as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’. The ratings reflect an absolute commitment to quality and dedication to giving our children the best start in life.

“Our regulators outline the minimum standards that are required for supporting the care and education of our children. At Busy Bees, our expectations are higher than the minimum standards, and this is reflected in the outcomes received and the exceptional service and commitment we offer to our families. We don’t do it for our regulators but for the best outcomes for our children.”

“Thank you to everyone who has contributed to these successes, both our centre teams and the NSC departments that offer support delivering the best every day.”

Deena Billings, UK Quality Director and Safeguarding Lead at Busy Bees

centres results

In this issue, we’re giving a shout-out to our centres that have recently achieved Outstanding reports from Ofsted and those who have maintained their Outstanding too.

“Everyone is thrilled to achieve a second Outstanding grade. Our team are committed to giving every child the best start in life and it is wonderful to see this recognised by the inspector. We are particularly pleased that our relationships with parents was highlighted in the report, as we believe that partnership is vital for our children.” Centre Director Bekki Grimes at Kids 1st Ashbrooke Sunderland

“The Outstanding result is thanks to the commitment of all our team who work tirelessly to provide high quality early years care and education for all our children.” Centre Director Emma Willis at Busy Bees Rotherham

“An Outstanding rating from Ofsted shows how dedicated all our team are to delivering excellent care and education for our children.” Centre Director Ella Shufflebotham at Busy Bees Sutton Coldfield

“An Outstanding rating from Ofsted is a testament to our dedicated nursery team – they are committed to ensuring children’s learning and development is at the forefront.”

Centre Director Katie Harvey at Busy Bees Ilford

Andover Weyhill

Belper Alton Manor

Belper Gibfield Lane

Birlingham

Birmingham Longbridge

Braintree Great Notley

Bromsgrove

Burntwood

Cambridge Ely

Cambridge Westwick

Chafford Hundred Drake Road

Chatham

Chelmsford

Chelmsford Springfield

Chester

Chesterfield

Barlborough

Chorley Brooke Street

Colchester Severals

Corby

Coventry Allesley Green

Coventry Walsgrave

Darlington Alderman

Leach Drive

Dorking Westcott Road

Dudley

Guildford Fitzsimmons

Place

Haywards Heath

Heathrow

Hertford Hartham Park

Ilford

Kettering

Kettering Queen of Hearts

Lancaster

Leamington Spa

Leeds Colton Mill

Leeds Guiseley

Leeds Pudsey Littlemore Road

Leeds Pudsey Lowtown

Macclesfield

Mansfield Vicar Water

Mardley Hill

Newcastle Quorum

Northampton Wootton Fields

Norwich Thorpe

Preston Bamber Bridge

Preston Hospital

Rotherham

Rugby Salford

Salisbury

Shrewsbury

Solihull Blythe

St Albans Hatfield Road

St Albans Hospital

Sunderland Ashbrooke

Sunderland Cleadon

Sunderland Ryhope

Village

Sutton Coldfield

Trowbridge

Walsall

Wandsworth South

Lambeth

Warwick

Watford

Welwyn Garden City

West Ealing Baby Unit

Winchester Sutton

Scotney

Wirral Beechwood

Wirral Irby

Wynyard

York

spotlight In the

In this issue, we’re shining a light on our centres that have gone above and beyond for our children and team members.

Busy Bees Melrose

Busy Bees Melrose nursery team have been praised for creating a ‘nurturing and high-quality environment for children’ in their recent Care Inspectorate visit.

The team at Busy Bees Melrose received a ‘Very Good’ rating for their leadership and staff team and a ‘Good’ rating for their care, play, learning and setting.

The centre received a ‘Good’ rating and recognition for ensuring ‘children were secure, confident and happy in the loving relationship they had formed with team memebers’, highlighting how the team members ‘recognised daily routines as a rich opportunity to promote close attachment’.

There was high praise from parents who say the nursery team is ‘truly exceptional, supportive and caring’, with one parent commenting that ‘it is a place full of love and happiness for team members and our children’. Parents also described the centre’s management team as ‘exceptional’ with the inspector outlining the management team’s commitment to fostering ‘creativity and engagement’.

BusyBeesEastbourne

Centre Director Sara Farquharson was happy to celebrate the achievement with her colleagues, saying: “We are over the moon to receive a ‘Very Good’ and ‘Good’ rating - this is a testament to our dedicated team who are committed to providing every child with the best start in life.

“Following our inspection last year, the team has worked tirelessly to turn things around through sharing best practices and increased training.

“We are especially pleased that the inspector noted our partnership with parents which has helped us foster a supportive and inclusive environment where every child can reach their full potential. We are looking forward to continuing to build on the solid foundation of quality we have in place, ensuring we can continue to provide high-quality care to children.”

Busy Bees Oxford Ardington

Busy Bees Eastbourne

The nursery team at Eastbourne truly go the extra mile for their families.

The team have gathered a range of clothing for babies and children as well as toys, books, formula, nappies, food items and toiletries. With the cost of living, the team want to be able to offer support to as many families as they can.

They also made parent packs for parents to take home to support children at home such as ‘welcoming a new baby’ story sacks.

Busy Bees Oxford Ardington

Sarah and her team at Ardington truly offer the best start in life for children.

In early 2023, the team faced some recruitment challenges and they had to make the difficult decision to close a room to families for three months. Since then, they have extended their team with a passionate and dedicated team who are committed to providing children with the best experiences.

They have created the most inviting outdoor learning environments and use the local surroundings (being next to a woodland) to support the children’s learning. This forms part of their vision and learning and will often take the children into the woods to explore.

Sarah is an inspirational leader who has supported her team on gaining their early years qualifications. She is fully supportive of the team’s professional development to ensure the very best care and learning opportunities are provided for the children.

Sarah and her team are what make the centre one where our children can flourish, learn and grow.

Kids 1st Blaydon

The team at Kids 1st Blaydon are an excellent example of teamwork and passion for childcare. The centre has faced many hurdles with finding the right team and recruiting individuals that all share the same vision for the centre.

Upon returning from maternity leave, Centre Director Shannon played a pivotal role in leading her team through a period of transformation. Through her tireless efforts and teamwork, they have successfully elevated the nursery to meet Busy Bees’ high standards. This commitment has yielded remarkable results – after three challenging inspections over the past 18 months, the nursery finally achieved the ‘Good’ outcome they have been striving for.

The nursery has continued to go from strength to strength, receiving brilliant feedback from parents and external professionals.

Well done Kids 1st Blaydon!

Ipswich Rushmere

Over the past year, Karen and the team at Ipswich Rushmere have overcome many challenges. From recruiting team members to a challenging inspection last year and a nearby children’s group closure, the team have worked tirelessly to turn things around and support as many families with childcare spaces as possible.

Following the recruitment of new Busy Bees team members including an assistant centre director, the centre has been able to focus on their shared vision of building a brighter future for the children.

In March 2024, the nursery received a ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted. Parents praised the nursery for ‘establishing positive relationships with their child’s key person’.

Congratulations Busy Bees Ipswich Rushmere! We are so proud of you all.

Busy Bees Melrose

Everyday Superstars Celebrating our Living Our Values

The Living Our Values Everyday recognition scheme has created a whirlwind of acknowledgement and appreciation since its launch in Love Your Team Week, November 2023.

Over 1,000 recognition vouchers have already been shared across the business, and 84 monthly prize draw winners have been announced and received a £25 voucher as a well done!

What is it?

An in-the-moment recognition scheme encouraging our leaders to stop and appreciate those stand-out moments as they happen! Focused on recognising the fantastic efforts of our team members as they showcase outstanding examples of Care,

Quality, Service and Value to deliver the best start in life.

How do you share the ‘LOVE’?

If you have seen something fantastic, speak up! Tell that person what a great job they are doing and if you don’t have a voucher book yourself, speak to your manager / Centre Director who can share one on your behalf.

Sophie experience children health

Sophie Haworth Care Swindon

Inspiration wall

Showcasing some of the amazing examples shared through our LOVE recognition scheme to date!

Consistently delivering and doing what’s right even when it’s difficult.

Vicky Higgins Service NSC/PEOPLE

Abby has recently taken in the role or EYR with such positivity and passion. In her short time in the role she has shown commitment to providing the highest standard of care, education to our children.

Abby Burgess Quality Glasgow Oakwood

Promoting the new funding and actively seeking parents to join the centre early, contacting enquiries old and new, taking the time for each parent.

Katie Mahal Value Leicester Blaby

Setting up a beautiful safari area in Bombos which the children love.

Nadara Nasiri Quality Kings Heath

Sophie created a lovely spa experience for the toddler children to highlight mental health week.

Haworth Swindon St Andrew’s Ridge

Conducting an amazing show around signing the family up on the spot!

Kara Lee Service Ashford Trinity Road

For her commitment to our nursery and gaining the role of Assistant Centre Director.

Jade Graham Service Kids 1st Sunderland Cleadon

Proving amazing quality activities for the babies.

Evgenia Michalostamou Quality East Keswick

Taze gave exceptional advice to a family around sleep routines at home, this revolutionised their experience of bed times from a stressful experience to a more enjoyable one.

Taze ServiceBurgaj Enfield

Georgie is our apprentice but has repeatedly demonstrated excellent service and values and works consistently hard and above her level. A highly valued team member.

Georgie White Service Central. Wellingborough centre

Mesmerising story reading time that captured the children’s imagination! A wonderful example of outstanding quality and practise.

Andy Robertson Quality Bradley Stoke

For supporting a child’s visit to the dentist by sharing a dentist story using the child’s favourite character. The parent of the child fed back that it really helped.

Megan QualityJubb Swindon Peatmoor

Click here

QR code or scan the

of Busy Bees like never before Explore the world

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new Global Website, showcasing the very best of Busy Bees brands across the world.

From vibrant new centres to heartwarming stories, our website is your window to the incredible experiences happening within our Busy Bees family across the globe!

Simon Irons, our Group Chief Executive, introduces a new phase for the Busy Bees global family.

We have launched a new website for our global business, something we’ve never had before. It will give us the opportunity to showcase the incredible work of our teams in centres across the globe and the difference they are making to each and every child we care for.

It’ll also be a new home to tell the ‘big picture’ story of our business and the work we are doing over and above the day-to-day operation of our nurseries.

“Our global reach offers access to new insights into the best educational approaches around the world and a good understanding of different childcare systems and training regimes which we can draw on to be a champion for our sector”.

When Busy Bees was founded over 40 years ago, we had a simple mission: to give the children in our care the best start in life by providing a safe and caring setting in which they could play, learn and flourish.

The aim was to lay the educational foundations that would set our children up to succeed at school and beyond.

From one centre in Lichfield, UK, which opened in 1984, we now operate in 10 countries across the world caring for around 100,000 children every day. But we remain focused on that same simple mission of providing the best start in life for every child we care for.

Over the past four decades we’ve honed and refined how we work, learning from every family that puts their trust in us and incorporating the latest educational thinking.

We’ve developed a child-centred approach that exceeds statutory requirements and maintains high educational and safeguarding standards, consistently practised in every Busy Bees setting.

After thirty years in the UK, back in 2013, we believed we’d developed a successful model that had lots to offer families beyond our borders.

We started to research other markets where the demographics offered the opportunity for us to grow: those where a high value was placed on their child’s early educational development in a safe and trustworthy setting. This process led to our first acquisition of Knowledge Universe, a chain of 60 centres in Singapore and Malaysia, and over the past decade that has been followed by our entry into Canada, Australia, Ireland, Italy, the USA, New Zealand and Vietnam.

We fully understand that every family’s expectations of childcare are individual, and that each seeks a personalised experience for their child. However, one of the benefits of our model is that behind that one-to-one experience sits decades of knowledge and expertise, as well as the stability and access to resources that comes with being part of a global network.

A great example of this is our Talent Exchange Programme through which our colleagues visit other Busy Bees centres around the world to see how childcare is delivered in different cultures and geographies, encouraging the sharing of best practices across the group.

Sharing the benefits of this experience with our many stakeholders is something

we see as our responsibility as a sector leader as we enter an important time for our industry.

Whether it’s HRH the Princess of Wales’ ‘Shaping Us’ campaign, or research to understand the impact of the long-term pandemic on young children, there is unprecedented interest in the early years sector.

And with general elections coming up in some of our key markets this year, and major childcare policy changes in the pipeline, we want to play our part in helping to shape a better future for our industry.

For us, that means being part of a diverse marketplace that offers parents real choice, with the right policies in place to support a sustainable funding model.

We want as many families as possible to have access to good quality childcare that they trust and can rely on, to empower parents to pursue their goals and offer more children around the world the best start in life. And we’re committed to working with other providers, stakeholders and governments across the world towards that goal.

Our people

After my first year at Busy Bees, I am thrilled with the success and achievements that the business has seen over the last 12 months and want to take the opportunity to reflect on our aspirations for the year ahead.

Last year, we celebrated our 40th anniversary, marking four decades of providing children with exceptional care and preparation for school.

I am proud to have joined an organisation that has always been committed to giving every child the very best start in life, and 2024 will see us continue to provide the most nurturing environment possible for the children in our care.

Each year brings new faces and families putting their trust in us to deliver the outstanding childcare we are known for, and I am excited for every child beginning their journey with us this year.

Alongside this, we look forward to welcoming new team members into our community, investing in their talent to maintain our exceptional support to parents, families, and children.

Ranked 13th in the UK Top 100 Apprentice Employers, Busy Bees hopes to recruit 300 new apprentices across the country over the coming year,

embracing their enthusiasm for childcare and growing the next generation of future talent. As we await the outcome of elections in some of the key markets in which Busy Bees operates, it is more important than ever that we provide our new colleagues with stability and the best possible start for their career in the early education sector.

In the UK at least, childcare will be a key issue in the election campaign. I hope this will be an opportunity to give serious consideration to the support the childcare industry needs to allow us to recruit and retain talent, expand our childcare provisions, and make sure even more children have access to early years education, which we know does so much to improve their lifetime outcomes.

As Busy Bees looks towards the future, we are also helping the children in our care prepare for the next steps in their own journey.

We are committed to preparing those children who

will be starting school, so that both they and their parents make the transition feeling confident and empowered. Having worked at the English regulator and inspectorate Ofsted for over 15 years and prior to that as a headteacher and teacher, I appreciate the positive impact that preparing children well for school has throughout a child’s education, and I know that Busy Bees will equip children with the skills they need to thrive.

Each year we work to enhance our curriculum across our centres to ensure that every child learns to be socially, emotionally, and physically well-prepared for the next chapter.

This constant development has been aided by our global footprint, which provides us with unique international insight into childcare and educational approaches.

Sharing learning from our centres across geographies, cultures, and communities has enabled Busy Bees to lead the sector in creating a learning

people

Royal recognition

Gill was awarded an MBE for her services to education in the King’s first New Year’s honours list and presented with her medal by the Princess Royal at an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

environment that serves every child and champions diversity.

Children leave Busy Bees with strong educational foundations supported by high standards of care that allows them to discover their individuality and truly flourish.

It is part of what makes working at Busy Bees so rewarding and the dimension of our work that I am most excited to continue expanding this year.

When Busy Bees was formed 40 years ago, the safety, education, and happiness of children was at the centre of our mission.

As we grow, it continues to lie at the heart of everything we do. Moving forwards through this new chapter of change for the sector, we will continue to provide industry-leading care and education, driving early years towards an even brighter future.

Gill said: “Ensuring every child gets the highest quality of education to thrive and succeed in life has been my passion from my first teaching role and I feel extremely privileged to have my work recognised in this way.

Receiving the MBE is an extraordinary honour and I was so proud to be able to share this moment with my family.”

Gill was formerly one of HM Inspectors and Ofsted’s Deputy Director for Schools and Early Education Policy and, prior to that, a headteacher. She joined Busy Bees to further develop our educational offering, drawing on her wide teaching and regulatory experience.

Team

Meet Gill Jones Group Chief Quality Officer

Make recycling fun: see opportunity, not waste

Every year, the Earth yields billions of tons of natural resources and, at some point, in the not too distant future, it will run out. That’s why we must think again about what we throw away – seeing not waste, but opportunity.

At Busy Bees, we’re committed to resource efficiency, minimising waste and extensive recycling. Earlier this year, we introduced upgraded recycling facilities across all centres, empowering our teams to segregate waste effectively.

Please take a moment to watch our video and explore how simple it is to recycle at your centre. Discover how recycling not only helps reduce waste but also provides fun activities for our children.

fun:

Calling allpotential EcoAmbassadors!

Busy Bees has a target to be Net Zero Carbon by 2040 and is working hard to reduce our scope one carbon emissions (gas and fuels, and mileage from company cars), scope two carbon emissions (electricity) and scope three carbon emissions (predominantly as a result of waste production, procured products and services, and commuting). As a result we have a big focus on reducing energy consumption, reducing single use plastics, reducing waste production, and improving on recycling, both in our centres and the wider community of children and parents that we work with.

An Eco-Ambassador network was launched in the UK last year to bring together likeminded, passionate colleagues with the aim of engaging and cascading Busy Bees’ environmental vision. We have since reinvigorated this network with a small group of volunteers who are interested in helping Busy Bees achieve its environmental aspirations and would love to offer the opportunity of joining this network to other like-minded individuals!

Our hope is that by having a close link between Jessica, our environmental manager who is based at NSC, and employees based in our centres, we will have a clear line of communication for exchanging new ideas, opportunities, challenges, resources and success stories to help improve our environmental performance. Whatever your job role, you have the potential to make change. The best ideas start in our centres, so we want to hear from as many of you as possible!

If you’re interested in finding out more or joining in, please drop Jess an email on jess.duffell@busybees.com.

Exclusively for Busy Bees

The new and exclusive Busy Bees curriculum, coming soon!

Watch to find out more

Events

It has been a busy few months in our centres and across NSC. We’ve come together to celebrate and recognise some wonderful events and moments. Here’s what we’ve been up to.

Winners Revealed: Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week Incentive

A massive thank you to all of our wonderful Busy Bees who took part in our Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week competition. The enthusiasm for raising awareness about mental health themes has truly warmed our hearts.

We were blown away by the activities you shared, with your creativity shining through and, as a token of our appreciation, all entries were entered into a prize draw to win some fabulous well-being children’s books!

After collecting all the fantastic entries, we randomly selected three winners, and now it’s time to give a round of applause to our amazing winners:

• Braintree Great Notley

• Cheltenham Wellington Road

• Leeds Headingley

Thank you to all our Busy Bees for embracing such a worthwhile uplifting week. We hope that taking part in this event has contributed to boosting the overall wellbeing of you and your nursery children.

World Book Day – where every story shapes a future

World Book Day isn’t just about books – it’s about shaping lives and spreading the joy of reading far and wide!

We’re passionate about the magic of books here at Busy Bees, and this annual celebration is the perfect opportunity to showcase our love for reading. We firmly believe that reading is not only fun and exciting but has the power to ignite imaginations and transform lives in the most extraordinary ways!

This year, our children immersed themselves in a world of book-themed activities, and it was an absolute delight to witness their imagination as they dressed up as their favourite book characters! Thank you to our amazing children, families, and nurseries for making World Book Day an overwhelming success.

National Apprentice Week

This year, we are looking to recruit 300 new apprentices as part of our continued investment in the future growth of the early years sector.

To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week in February, we spoke to Izzy Leagas, our winner of the Apprentice of the Year in our annual Busy Bees Awards.

How did you get into the apprenticeship – and what were you doing for work beforehand?

“I’ve always loved children, but my older sister is also a nursery educator so I had an understanding of the job through her. I have lots of first-hand experience of childcare growing up too with two younger siblings and baby cousins!

“When I was in Sixth Form, I waitressed but knew that I ultimately wanted to work in childcare. I thought to myself –‘why wait’ – so signed up to the apprenticeship and I’m so pleased that I did.”

What does a typical day involve?

“Honestly, no two days are the same. It’s a really varied job and as an apprentice at Busy Bees there’s lots of opportunity to experience all parts of the role.

“Obviously you’re responsible for caring for the children and helping them learn through play. But we also write up observations to keep track of their development and so parents know what they get up to.

“Each day we also have to plan and prepare activities for the following one – we try to tailor activities to suit the children’s interests.”

“It’s amazing to watch the little ones grow up and get more independent, and so rewarding when you see them develop new skills and hit milestones –especially knowing that you’ve played a part in it. Although I’ve had experience with different ages, I work with pre-school-aged children at the moment and many of them will learn to count and write letters or their name in that time.

“I also really love the bonds that you’re able to make with them and working with children with additional needs to ensure they get the right help and support.”

International Women’s Day#InspireInclusion

A big thank you to all our Busy Bees for coming together today to celebrate International Women’s Day!

We’re bursting with pride as we lead the charge in inspiring others to understand and value women’s inclusion. We also recognise that when women themselves are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging and empowerment. Together we can forge a more inclusive world for women.

Here’s to all the phenomenal women out there, fearlessly breaking barriers and making history every single day! #InspireInclusion

Izzy LeagasApprentice of the Year winner 2023

On Saturday 23 March, more than 80 early years practitioners from Busy Bees Scotland swapped their nursery uniforms for graduation gowns in celebration of achieving their Social Services (Children and Young People) SVQ 3 (SCQF Level 7) and SVQ 4 (SCQF Level 9) qualifications.

The ceremony comprised presentations of the graduates in front of their families and loved ones, as well as addresses from Yvonne Smillie, Busy Bees Scotland Managing Director and Marg Randles, Busy Bees Co-Founder.

Speaking at the event, Marg Randles, said: “It is wonderful to celebrate the fantastic achievements of all our graduates. There are so many opportunities for people to progress in the early years sector with the right education, training and support, and many of us within the Busy Bees leadership team have followed this journey. Congratulations to everyone at Busy Bees Scotland!”

1. What is the theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week?

2. What date does the Be Heard Survey Go Live this year?

a) 22nd April

b) 22nd May

c) 12th April

3. What percentage of Busy Bees Centres are rated ‘Good’ and ‘ Outstanding’?

4. Which part of the Magazine did you enjoy the most?

5. What else would you like to see in B Magazine?

We raised

We are delighted to announce that we raised over £50,000 for our charity partner Child Bereavement UK (CBUK) in 2023, and this is all thanks to you!

We set a target of £40,000 to mark our 40th anniversary. We knew if we could reach this significant figure, it would have a huge impact on the children and families who seek Child Bereavement UK’s invaluable support.

So far, we have raised over £275,000 since our partnership began in 2019.

Our Busy Bees family completely exceeded our expectations, and we are so grateful for your continued and unrivalled support.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your incredible generosity.

Click here QR code or scan the

The Big Bake – from bake sales to hosting an afternoon tea, there are lots of ways to raise some ‘dough’ for CBUK this summer. The charity has also just launched a lottery. Simply enter for just £1 a week to be in with a chance of winning up to £25,000.

From summer garden parties to fancy dress-up days, we’d like to thank all our nursery teams for their fundraising efforts last year.

Exclusively for Busy Bees Team Members Issue

Our Head of External Strategy, Karen Mackay MBE, took to the skies last August for a charity ‘wing walk’ in aid of CBUK

Our Quality Team completed a 400-mile charity bike ridefrom our Northampton Riverside and Ripon centres!

Upcoming fundraising events

This summer, CBUK is hosting a range of events.

Leeds Marathon Sunday 12 May

Quiz Night at the Museum Natural History Museum, London, Wednesday 15 May

Edinburgh Marathon Sunday 26 May

Manchester 10k Sunday 26 May

Kiltwalk Aberdeen Sunday 2 June

London to Paris Cycle Wednesday 5 June

Clay Pigeon Shoot, Buckinghamshire, Thursday 13 June

Great North Run Sunday 8 September

London to Brighton Cycle Sunday 15 September

Don’t forget for every Be Heard survey that is completed, we will donate £1 to CBUK. Thanks to you, last year we raised over £6,500!

Superhero day - Stevenage Great Ashby

Our promise to you

Our teams go the extra mile for us, so we’re always striving to go the extra mile for you. We want you to experience a fun and nurturing environment, where you can thrive.

We aspire to do this by:

Caring for you as an individual

Equipping you to deliver the best quality

Trusting & empowering you to provide an outstanding service

Care

Valuing & recognising your contribution

We do this through living our values everyday

Quality

Be caring – care deeply about what you do and be kind

Be proud – take pride in your work and do your best

Be mindful – show good judgement and consider your impact

Be bold – speak up when things aren’t right

Be inspirational – create a fun and inspirational environment

Be innovative – explore ways to continuously improve

Service

Be brilliant – deliver an outstanding service

Be accountable – do what you say you’re going to do

Be professional – act with honesty and professionalism

Value

Be respectful – show respect and recognise the value of every individual

Be supportive – foster a culture of wellbeing and support

Be creative – think outside the box and share ideas

Have you got a good news story about your centre you’d like us to feature in the next issue?

Send your story to BMagazine@busybees.com

The next issue of B Magazine is out Autumn ‘24