A childhood education expert at The Open University has found Busy Bees’ curriculum “improves the knowledge and confidence of educators” in an independent report.

Dr Jackie Musgrave, associate head of school with responsibility for learning and teaching at the Open University’s School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport (ECYS), carried out research into the nursery group’s Bee Curious curriculum including a questionnaire sent to educators, nursery visits and meetings with Busy Bees area managers.

The report found the curriculum provides clear guidance to enhance educators knowledge and understanding, is based on the latest scientific research, including Oxford University’s Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) project, and can be adapted to meet the unique needs of each child, including those with special educational or additional needs. Musgrave said the curriculum “helped develop children’s creativity” and had a “positive impact of the development and learning of babies and children”. 

Busy Bees has rolled out Bee Curious across more than 300 nurseries following a pilot. The group claims the curriculum is the first in the UK to be independently evaluated.

Gill Jones, Busy Bees chief quality officer, said: “There is a statutory early years framework for preschool learning, but this framework does not bridge the gap between theory and application. The Bee Curious curriculum has been developed to do just that, providing our educators with a clear programme and enhanced training that stimulates creativity and learning in babies and children to give them the best start in school and life in general.”