Butterflies Nursery

An open-plan main room, a quiet and sensory room and enclosed gardens give Butterflies Nursery in Cannock different spaces for shared play, individual attention and time outdoors. The contrast matters: children can take part in group activities, then use a quieter space for a story or time with a practitioner.

Butterflies cares for children aged two to five and has 49 places in total. At its November 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that arrangements supported children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Attendance can be organised around full days, half days or individual hours. That flexibility is a substantial practical attraction, while the learning offer combines gardening, baking, physical activity and contact with people working in the local community.

Rooms and Ages

The main room accommodates both shared activities and individual play, with direct access to the rear gardens; the quiet and sensory room is used for stories and one-to-one time with staff. These spaces give the day a change of pace rather than requiring every activity to happen in the same busy area.

Outdoor toys are available in the enclosed gardens, while the main hall also provides room for exercise. Indoors, children can paint, make things, dress up, explore role play and listen to music. Practical materials and movement sit alongside books and conversation.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning through play, including language, physical development, relationships, early mathematics and creative expression. Butterflies combines activities led by adults with play initiated by children, indoors and outside. Its curriculum places independence alongside acquiring new knowledge and skills.

Planting seeds gives children something to observe as it grows. Baking provides another practical activity, and PE sessions with sports for kids add organised physical experiences. These are concrete additions to the day, rather than a curriculum name standing alone. Meeting community helpers such as a dentist and police connects learning with people whose work children may encounter beyond nursery.

Assessment begins shortly after a child starts, with parents contributing to the initial picture of development. Termly assessments then consider milestones and how the child learns. Day-to-day observations help staff decide when to offer support and when to let a child continue exploring. Memory books capture achievements, giving families a record of their child's experiences.

Outdoor and Community Life

Trips to nearby parks and walks around the area extend activity beyond the nursery gardens. Charity fundraising also forms part of the curriculum. Festivals and special occasions can involve tasting food, dressing up, dancing and visitors, connecting shared experiences with creative play.

The daily routine includes periods for learning, meals, rest and outdoor activity. Adult-led experiences are balanced with children's own play, so the timetable provides a structure while allowing staff to respond to individual interests.

Relationships and Communication

A designated key person supports each child and acts as the family's contact. Settling is planned gradually with parents, taking account of the child's needs and the family's preferences. The key person gathers information about home routines, favourite comforts and ways of helping the child feel settled. Familiar objects from home can be part of that transition.

Communication during settling can happen in person, by telephone or through digital updates, according to parental preference. Updates cover adjustment, participation and development. This makes settling a shared process, with information moving between home and nursery rather than ending at the registration form.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The team includes a SENCO and designated safeguarding lead roles. Support for additional needs includes reasonable adjustments, individual support and collaboration with parents and professionals such as therapists. Assessments can help identify children needing extra help, and staff can discuss learning with other professionals involved with a family.

Calm spaces give children somewhere to pause when they feel overwhelmed. Rest arrangements take account of individual sleep patterns and comfort needs, while daily routines are planned with parents around health, diet and personal preferences. These mechanisms are useful for families whose child needs a familiar rhythm or a quieter place during the day.

Information is shared with receiving schools in summer, and a leaving assessment brings together development, interests and relevant comments. That supports continuity in learning as children move on.

Sessions and Attendance

Butterflies offers full-day and half-day attendance alongside bookings for individual hours, with packages tailored to a family's requirements. It charges hourly, and attendance is not tied to fixed days or session blocks. Opening hours are 6am to 10pm.

The nursery operates seven days a week, including bank holidays, with closures between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day and on Easter Sunday. Enquiries can be made by telephone or email. Registration gathers emergency contacts, medical details, allergies, dietary requirements and information about individual needs, giving staff the practical information needed to plan care.

Getting There

The address is 61 Union Street, Cannock, WS11 0BS. A small number of parking spaces sit at the front of the building, which makes the parking arrangement relevant when planning collection.

Funding and Paid Extras

The 15 and 30 hours of funding are stretched across the year, giving 11 and 22 hours per week respectively. Additional hours beyond the funded allowance, or outside its applicable time window, are charged at nursery rates. During funded hours, food and snacks carry a separate charge.

A registration charge includes a diary book, and current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The menu includes breakfast, snacks, lunch and tea, with dishes such as fish pie, chicken dinner and pasta with vegetable sauce. Dietary needs and allergies are taken into account in meal planning.

• Older children's independence and language. In November 2021, adults sometimes intervened too readily and asked questions without giving older children enough language to build their vocabulary. During a visit, ask how practitioners now give children time to manage tasks and model richer conversation.
• The funded-hours start time. Funding information gives both 7am and 8am as the beginning of the funded window, each ending at 6pm. Confirm the applicable start time before agreeing an attendance package, especially if an early start is essential.
• Individual care and extras. Settling plans draw on home routines, comfort objects and dietary information, while food during funded hours is charged separately. Discuss current allergy practice.

Butterflies suits families wanting half-day attendance as well as full days, or individual hours arranged around changing commitments. Its open-plan room, quieter sensory space and garden access give children different ways to participate, while gradual settling and a designated key person provide a clear structure for the relationship with parents.

The curriculum has practical substance: growing plants, baking, physical activity and community encounters. The dated Good judgement offers an inspection reference point; older children's independence and language development remain useful areas to explore when deciding whether the nursery fits your child.