About Busy Bee Preschool Petersfield

Our Team

Busy Bee is a family run nursery preschool and was founded in 1985 by Mrs Jackie Pipe, and is currently managed by Sophie Gray

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Jackie
I began my career with young children as a primarynursery school teacher. After having my own four children I decided I would set up a Montessori nursery school from my home. I spent 6 months on a Montessori course which is the foundation of BusyBee’s. I have run the nursery school for over 30 years and have recently passed down my wealth of experience on running and managing the school to my daughter Harriet. However I still like to be in the nursery school now and then and I still work behind the scenes. I love having the young children about my home – it keeps me feeling young!!
Sophie

I have worked in Early Years for 20 years. I trained at The Montessori International Centre in London in Montessori Pedagogy to gain my Montessori teacher status.  In my career in early years I have held a variety of roles including a practitioner at a Children’s Centre facilitating courses to help parents and their young children, I have managed a pre-school attached to a primary school and I was the manager of a large day nursery .  I am passionate about the early years of a child’s life and ensuring young children have the foundations in place to enable them to thrive throughout their future education. Children learn through play and it is the adult’s role to support that play and ensure they experience learning opportunities through their play.  I believe children need to be free to choose what they want to do and therefore can follow their individual natural path of development and if a child is interested they will naturally concentrate and learn.  It is the early years that form children’s social and emotional skills the Montessori ethos of care of self, care of each other and care of the environment provides the children with the freedom to learn through activities of their choice within boundaries that create a social and emotional structure and awareness.

Alongside my work I have two boys one of which is now at University.  I enjoy yoga and incorporate aspects of this in my time with the children at Nursery.  I like to play the piano, paddleboard and spend time by the ocean.

Lizzie

I have worked with children for 14 years. I started my career as a primary school teacher, during this time I taught in KS1 and EYFS. After having my son (who attended Busy Bee) I decided to leave teaching so I could focus on my young family. In 2020, I started working as an LSA at a local primary school. This has given me the opportunity to provide a more nurturing role alongside supporting the children in their learning. I particularly enjoyed my time working with the children in EYFS, and enabling them to discover through play.

I feel fortunate that I have been able to work with children of different ages. It has given me an insight into children’s development and how to create an enriching environment in which they can flourish.

Sue
I have three boys who all attended Busy Bee Nursery School. I have worked alongside Jackie and her team for many years as a nursery assistant engaging in many diverse activities including cooking, craft etc. as well as ensuring that the children enjoy a safe and nurturing environment.

Peripatetic Team

 
Fiddlesticks Music

My name is Lyndsey Gilbey and I’ve been singing with the children of Bus Bees since 2003. I am married to Keith and have two teenage sons. My background is in the performing Arts working as an Actress for nearly 10 years before having my sons. Fiddlesticks Music specialises in the musical and cognitive development of pre-school children through singing. The singing voice is our first instrument and at Busy Bees I develop singing, confidence, rhythm and pulse and introduce simple musicianship using puppets, visual aids and percussion. Singing also develops language, listening and processing skills as well as introducing numeracy and literacy through sequencing, pattern, rhythm and rhyme. Of course we also have a lot of fun!

 
French

The children are introduced to the French language through ‘La Jolie Ronde’ which is a structured programme which has been in operation for 30 years and is widely accepted as a highly successful teaching method in this country and abroad. Songs, stories and games are used to introduce the children to vocabulary related to themselves, greetings and events such as Birthdays, Christ, Easter etc.

 
Active8 Minds

Active minds come to Busy Bees once a week to interact with the children. The children are encouraged to engage in physical activities which aim to improve self-confidence, concentration, social interaction and general wellbeing. It has proved to be very popular with the children.

Visits from

 

Zoolab

Zoolab comes to Busy Bees once a year to introduce the children to the world of mini beasts and nature. It is a hands on experience for the children.

 

 

Living Eggs

Every other year we bring in Living eggs to hatch in the nursery school so the children can experience first hand new life and watch the chicks grow and develop. The chicks are then passed on to a local farm to be raised into chickens.

 

 

Nature Walks

We believe that experiencing nature first hand is really important for the children’s development and understanding of their world around them. This year we took the children up to Ditcham Park School to visit their bluebell woods.

 

 

Charities

We also encourage the participation in activities supporting charities including:

Pudsey - BBC Children in Need fundraising.

Marie Curie - Care and support through terminal illness fundraising.

Canine Partners – funding and training dogs for disabled people.

Food & Drink

We provide an organic snack, which is a choice of organic milk or water with a choice of organic/fairtrade fruit and also a choice of a plain biscuit or breadstick.

Children help prepare and distribute the snack for themselves and each other.

We promote healthy eating with our many cooking activities we practice with the children.