Butterfly Blue Day Nursery
Good★ 3.9 on GoogleBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Colchester for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in August 2024. Open since 2012, with 120 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 Essex
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Essex 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
CO2 7FJWhat 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.
- 15 June 2023 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
- 1 March 2023 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 21 August 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and enjoy their time at the setting. Staff are polite and respectful to children and are good role models. When children are upset or tired, they seek out staff, who provide hugs and reassurance. Careful consideration is given to key-person allocations. This helps the children form strong and trusting relationships with staff.
Staff have implemented positive behaviour strategies. When children need to be reminded about the rules, staff explain the reasons behind them. This ensures children understand why the rules are in place and how to self-regulate their behaviour. As a result, children are well behaved. On occasions when children need support with their social skills, this is handled sensitively. As a result, children have formed friendships and can play together cooperatively.
There is a well-thought-out curriculum at the setting that is adapted according to the needs of the children attending. Staff plan appropriate next steps in children's learning that build on what they already know and can do. Effective procedures for tracking children's progress are in place. Gaps in children's development are recognised and acted on. Staff are effective in engaging with other professionals when needed. This helps to ensure that all children receive the support that they need so they can make the best possible progress in relation to their starting points.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop staff questioning techniques to provide children with opportunities to further develop their communication and language skills n strengthen the quality of staff interactions with children to help them challenge and extend children's learning more effectively as they play.
- 21 August 2024Good
- 6 December 2022Good
- 20 June 2022Inadequate
- 31 May 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 4 graded inspections.
Still missing for Butterfly Blue Day 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.