Buttons Daycare Nursery

A converted church hall, a baby snug and gardens leading from the main rooms give Buttons Daycare Nursery its character. On Boston Road in Spilsby, this is the younger-child starting point in a journey that can continue at the separate Buttons Kindergarten. The distinction matters: the nursery and Kindergarten occupy different sites.

At its February 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged Buttons Good overall and found safeguarding effective, with reassuring relationships between children and staff but improvements needed in baby-room language modelling and toddler-room turn-taking. Those findings provide a balanced starting point for choosing it.

Buttons has 36 places in total and accepts children from three months; its overall age range extends to seven years. Funded sessions and additional paid wraparound care form part of the attendance offer.

Rooms and Ages

The former church hall contains a baby snug, toddler room and separate sleep room, alongside a kitchen and children's toilets. Two gardens lead from the large rooms, connecting indoor accommodation with outdoor play. A dedicated room for sleep also gives rest its own space rather than making it compete with activity.

In February 2023, babies explored materials through their senses, experimented with spoons and objects, and used steps and equipment to practise balance; toddlers tackled practical problems by arranging wooden planks into ramps for toy cars. These were concrete ways to investigate sound, movement and cause and effect. The activities also gave children decisions to make, rather than simply instructions to follow.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, its meaning can be seen in the February 2023 examples of learning through play: physical exploration, conversation, sensory investigation and learning to manage social situations.

Songs and questions were part of language development that month, with staff allowing children time to respond. The improvement point was specific: babies needed more consistent exposure to correctly spoken words, rather than altered forms of animal names. For toddlers, expectations around sharing turns needed to match children's differing abilities. Both issues concern the everyday exchanges through which young children learn.

Familiarity carried practical weight in February 2023. Children sought comfort through blankets and time beside staff, while having the same practitioner handle nappy changes helped make intimate care predictable. During those routines, games and exchanged sounds created opportunities for interaction as well as care.

Parents' knowledge of their children contributed to planning that month, alongside staff observations. Children could choose books to borrow, and families could borrow resources intended to help with sleep at home. This connected nursery experiences with things parents could use beyond the setting.

Starting at Buttons includes a free induction arranged around a family's chosen date and time. An introductory paperwork pack gathers permissions and information about the child's interests and preferences. That gives staff a personal starting point for settling, rather than treating every new child alike.

Key workers support transitions between rooms and onwards to the separate Kindergarten. In February 2023, children visited their next room and met its staff before moving, giving them a chance to become familiar with the change. The nursery employed six childcare staff at that time; the figure describes that visit, rather than today's deployment.

Snack preparation avoids added salt and sugar, dietary requirements are catered for, and families are encouraged to send healthy lunchboxes. Oral health also enters daily planning, connecting food choices with learning about looking after teeth.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Boston Road, Spilsby, PE23 5HD. Buttons opens Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, across the year, closing on bank holidays.

Funded attendance is taken within the 9am to 3pm window. Families can purchase wraparound care for longer attendance by making arrangements beforehand. This separates the funded part of the day from additional paid childcare, which matters when matching nursery attendance to working hours.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funding covers children aged nine months to four years, including eligible working families and qualifying two-year-olds. The entitlement options are expressed as 12/15 hours and 24/30 hours, with eligibility conditions applying to extended funding. Working-family funding starts from the term after a qualifying child reaches nine months.

Children attending solely for funded sessions incur no charge. Additional private hours are paid for, while non-food consumables and activities carry no separate charge. Families are encouraged to provide lunchboxes; snacks are supplied. Payment begins with a month in advance, followed by monthly emailed invoices.

Enquiries can be made by telephone or through the contact form. Buttons Kindergarten, the onward nursery setting, is at The Franklin Hall on Halton Road; it is a separate destination rather than another room at Boston Road.

• Language and social development. February 2023 brought specific improvement points about spoken language for babies and developmentally appropriate turn-taking for toddlers. On a visit, ask how staff now handle these everyday teaching moments.
• The funded-day boundary. Funding is used between 9am and 3pm, with extra attendance purchased as wraparound care. Families needing a longer day should weigh that paid extension alongside the funded session.
• A move between sites. Progression towards Buttons Kindergarten involves leaving the Boston Road nursery. Ask how the timing of that transition is agreed and how key workers support your child through it.
• Food and dietary needs. Healthy lunchboxes are encouraged and snacks accommodate dietary requirements. Families managing allergies should confirm current food-handling arrangements during their visit.

Buttons suits families seeking a baby-and-toddler setting with separate sleep space, garden access and a supported route to another early-years site. It can serve those using funded daytime sessions and those adding paid wraparound attendance.

Its February 2023 picture combines close relationships and practical play with precise teaching improvements. The decision is therefore about the fit of the rooms, attendance arrangements and transition between sites, alongside how everyday language and social learning have developed since that visit.