Funding hours available for all children eligible
About Bumblebees Day Nursery in Woolwell
Proudly caring for Plymouth's children since 2006.
We are passionate about providing the very best childcare, and we always have been. As a family-run nursery in Woolwell, we've spent 20 years building a setting where children feel safe, loved, and excited to learn. When you drop your child off with us, you're not just choosing a nursery, you're choosing a community that genuinely cares.
Our Story
Bumblebees Day Nursery was founded in September 2006 by Gemma, Jamie (Gemma's husband) and Ian (Gemma's father). After many wonderful years working as a nanny for a lovely family, I discovered my passion for caring for children and helping them learn, grow, and flourish. Wanting to develop my knowledge and experience further, I began working in nurseries. This inspired me to create a setting built on shared values, genuine compassion, and a commitment to putting children at the centre of everything we do.
Setting up this nursery was not just a business decision - it was a dream born from years of experience, dedication, and a deep love for early years education. I wanted to create a place where children feel safe, valued, and excited to learn; where families feel supported and where staff feel happy, respected, and empowered to make a difference every single day.
As a parent myself, I understand the enormous trust families place in those who care for their children. That understanding is at the heart of everything we do. Every decision is made with children's wellbeing, happiness, and development in mind. My vision has always been to create a warm, welcoming nursery that feels like an extension of home, a place filled with laughter, curiosity, kindness, and meaningful relationships.
Most importantly, I wanted to build a nursery where every child is celebrated as a unique individual, encouraged to reach their full potential, and surrounded by adults who genuinely want the very best for them. Seeing children grow in confidence, make friendships, and develop a lifelong love of learning is the reason I started this journey, and it continues to inspire me every day.
Our Philosophy
We believe children learn best when they're happy. That's why everything we do at Bumblebees is rooted in learning through play, giving children the freedom to explore, discover, and make sense of the world around them at their own pace.
Through our purpose-built garden, Story Hut, and carefully designed indoor spaces, we create an environment where curiosity is celebrated and no two days look the same.
Setting up this nursery was not just a business decision - it was a dream born from years of experience, dedication, and a deep love for early years education. I wanted to create a place where children feel safe, valued, and excited to learn; where families feel supported and where staff feel happy, respected, and empowered to make a difference every single day.
Our Team
Bumblebees is a family-run business, and that family feeling runs through everything we do, including the team we've built. With over 45 years of combined experience, our staff are not just qualified, they're genuinely passionate about early years care.
All team members are qualified to at least NVQ Level 2 and are First Aid trained. But beyond the qualifications, we invest in our people continuously, through internal training, external courses, and keeping up to date with the latest developments in early education and childcare.
Many of our team have been with us for a number of years, which reflects the strong, supportive culture we have built together. Faye, Carly, Sam, and Fawn have all played an important role in helping the nursery grow and develop since 2006. Their dedication, experience, and commitment to our shared values have helped shape the warm, nurturing environment that we are so proud of today. The long-standing relationships within our team provide consistency for children and families and demonstrate the passion and loyalty of the people who make our nursery such a special place.
We operate a Key Person system, meaning your child is assigned a dedicated member of staff from day one - someone who gets to know them, their interests, and their needs, and who keeps you informed every step of the way through our online learning journal, Famly.
What Makes Us Different
Est. 2006 - nearly two decades of trusted childcare in the Plymouth community
Family-run - decisions are made by people who care, not a corporate board
Low staff turnover - familiar faces matter to children demonstrated through our long standing members of the team
Weekly sports sessions with District Sports Plymouth, keeping children active and healthy
Community Rooted - We are proud to play an active role in our local community. We have strong links with our local primary school, regularly attending events and supporting children with their transition to school.
Ladybirds 0-12 Months
The Ladybird’s main room has been designed to promote a feeling of warmth and calm to make the children feel at ease and free to explore.
The sensory room is filled with equipment designed to engage the children’s senses and expose them to various materials, light sources, and sounds. There is also a large cot room, separated from the Ladybird’s main room to ensure they can sleep peacefully, watched over by a member of staff.
Caterpillars 12 Months - 2 years
The main room is a large play area for the Caterpillars, where we encourage them to learn through play and socialisation. The room is equipped for various planned and unplanned activities, and we aim to respond to children's individual interests.
The side room was created to inspire awe and wonder in the children, giving them sensory experiences and the opportunity for quiet exploration. The open-ended resources in this room allow children to learn at their own pace, with the support of their key person. We have also developed a special under-twos garden for the Caterpillars use, where they can explore and discover the outdoors safely.
Bees 2-3 Years
The Bees are an active group, at an age where their curiosity leads them to explore the world around them.
A large play area is the centrepiece of the Bee’s main room, and a side room is dedicated to messy play, imaginative play and more! There is a book area in the Bee’s room, where we read together and encourage an interest in stories. The Bee’s room also opens up to a large, covered deck where the children can enter the garden for free-flow play or planned activities, discovering the natural world.
Butterflies 3-4 Years
The Butterflies have a main room with age and stage appropriate resources for the children, and they can make use of the Hive space throughout the day.
Whilst the Butterflies take part in many planned activities, they are encouraged to develop their independence with the use of self-selection toys and materials, open-ended resources, and free flow opportunities to explore the garden. We want to develop children’s self-confidence at this stage, especially on the build-up to moving to school, so their individual interests are encouraged and activities adapted to be accessible to all.
The Hive - The place to bee
For school-aged children, we run a breakfast club and holiday club. As part of our mission to support families in the local area, The Hive has been created as a place for children to play, socialise, and continue their learning.
The Garden
Our large garden is a secure space which all the children have access to through either planned or free-flow activities.
The garden is filled with play equipment for the children to climb and explore, as well as a sand-pit and water area. By letting the children follow their natural inclinations, the garden allows them to develop their motor and sensory skills, as well as learn more about the world around them.
The gardening zone gives children the opportunity to learn about the natural world. We introduce them to some of the animal and insect-life that is in the garden, and teach them about growing food and healthy eating.
One of the highlights of the garden is the Story Hut, a covered, comfy outside space to encourage the children to read.
Sport Sessions
With the help of District Sports Plymouth, we run weekly sports sessions for the children.
These sessions focus on teaching the children the importance of being active and staying healthy, as well as having fun and working as a team.
Get Our Free Parent Pack
We’d love to send you a FREE parent pack, full of helpful information about Bumblebees Day Nursery…
Get Our Free Parent Pack
We’d love to send you a FREE parent pack, full of helpful information about Bumblebees Day Nursery…
Get Our Free Guide
We know how hard it can be choosing the perfect place for your little ones to learn and grow. So we have made it simple for you to find out exactly what to look for when choosing the perfect nursery. Get your copy now…
Woolwell Rd, Woolwell, Plymouth PL6 7JW
