Buttercups Children's Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Stowmarket for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2024. Open since 2016, with 63 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Suffolk
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Suffolk from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
IP14 2PNWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 10 May 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children eagerly wave goodbye to their parents when greeted by the incredibly nurturing staff who know the children and parents so well. Staff provide an invaluable home visit and stay-and-play sessions before children start. Children's emotional well-being is at the forefront, which ensures they settle in smoothly alongside swiftly building trusting and secure relationships with staff. This cheerful home-from-home nursery with real-life resources offers a meaningful learning environment.
Staff are excellent role models, praising children when they show acts of kindness to their peers. Children play cooperatively. They respect the needs of others and enjoy using sand timers to negotiate turn taking.
Babies and children love the endless choice of stimulating play experiences and continuous access to outdoor play, including an imaginative forest garden. Children learn to test their physical limits and develop their resilience. With the right level of support from staff, they learn to access any risks in the environment independently.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to build on the already good interactions with children to help guide their play to ensure children gain the most from the rich learning experience n guide staff in providing clear and consistent messages to older children about the importance of maintaining good eating habits.
- 10 May 2024Good
- 15 August 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Buttercups Children's Nursery
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.