Little Buds Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in London 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 December 2023. Open since 2007, with 22 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 Hackney
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hackney 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
E5 8DJWhat 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, 14 December 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff are kind and extremely attentive at this small and welcoming nursery. This helps children to feel happy and secure. Staff know the children very well and plan an ambitious curriculum based on their individual interests and abilities. This contributes to children's enjoyment of learning. They become deeply engaged in play and consistently develop their knowledge and skills. For example, children are excited about Christmas and eager to create colourful decorations. They refine their hand-to-eye coordination as they carefully glue small 'jewels' and sequins onto paper angels. Staff talk to children about the colours, shapes and sizes of the resources. This helps them to build on their vocabularies and mathematical knowledge.
Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and learning. They quickly identify where children may need more help to achieve all that they can. Staff provide targeted support, such as small group sessions that promote children's attention and communication skills. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those receiving funding, to become confident and successful learners. Children enjoy their independent play and are keen to learn from adults. For instance, toddlers have fun as they experiment with different ways to climb and come down the slide. They explore their own ideas and seek support from staff when needed.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- build further on the support staff provide to help children understand rules and regulate their behaviour.
- 14 December 2023Good
- 20 March 2018Good
- 28 April 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Buds 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.