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The Butterfly Patch, Lower Morden

Ofsted: Good
(Feb 2024)
·
5.0(5 parent reviews) ·Lower Morden Lane, Morden, SM4 4SF · Merton
Number of places
36 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Feb 2024
Local authority
Merton

About this day nursery

The Butterfly Patch in Morden Park offers a unique Forest School experience where children aged 3 months to 5 years spend the majority of their time outdoors, exploring the expansive 190-acre Morden Park. They embrace all weather conditions to foster a love for nature, learn practical skills like tool usage (under strict supervision), and engage in tree climbing, ensuring they return home with muddy clothes but unforgettable memories and essential life skills.

While older children delve into the full Forest School ethos, very young children and babies enjoy a blend of outdoor exploration and a traditional nursery environment, gradually integrating into Forest School sessions using similar materials. The nursery champions curiosity and free-flow play, both indoors and out, operating 51 weeks a year with long hours from 7:30 am to 6:30 pm.

They adhere to the EYFS framework and Forest School principles and are inspected by OFSTED. A "Good Grub Programme" provides fresh, healthy, brain-boosting meals, and the nursery actively participates in the Healthy Early Years London initiative, promoting child health and well-being.

They also offer a variety of extra activities, both in-house and through external providers.

Our ethos

The Butterfly Patch champions a Forest School approach, focusing on outdoor exploration in Morden Park for children aged 3 months to 5 years. They foster a love for nature, practical skills, and curiosity through free-flow play, adhering to the EYFS framework and Forest School principles. Babies and younger children are gradually introduced to the Forest School ethos.

What it's like

Children arrive eager to start their day and thoroughly enjoy forest school sessions. Staff effectively use descriptive words during activities, such as pretending to be worms, to support language development and extend children's knowledge of the wider world. Children also practice emerging literacy and mathematical skills during forest school.

Forest SchoolOutdoor learningHealthy Early Years LondonLong opening hours

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)Tax-Free Childcare
Pricing on request

This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.

Key facts

Food

Good grub programme & Healthy Early Years London - fresh healthy brain food. Scratch-made Vegetarian & Pescatarian meals coming this Autumn

Opening hours

7:30am to 6:30pm Mon-Fri

Age range

3 months to 5 years

Term time / All Year

All Year

Session types

Full-day sessions, Half-day sessions

Waitlist

September 2026 spaces are limited

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for The Butterfly Patch, Lower Morden

Last inspected 6 February 2024

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Children arrive eager to start their day and thoroughly enjoy forest school sessions. Staff effectively use descriptive words during activities, such as pretending to be worms, to support language development and extend children's knowledge of the wider world. Children also practice emerging literacy and mathematical skills during forest school.

Inspector highlights

  • Leaders have worked hard to make changes to children's safety and have met the welfare requirement notice set at the previous inspection.
  • Leaders support staff's well-being well, being alert to staff's mental well-being and ensuring workload does not have an impact.
  • All staff teach children the importance of not picking plants and berries, using the mantra 'do not pick, do not lick'.
  • All staff are consistent in their approach to behaviour management.
  • Babies enjoy their mini forest school sessions and staff support their emerging language development using descriptive words to describe textures.

Areas to develop

  • 1support staff to identify the quieter children during large-group activities and to engage them further in activities
  • 2work with staff when on forest school activities to support areas of learning outside of learning intentions to help extend creative development.
Inspection #10327880 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff are empathetic towards the individual needs of children and understand how they feel when trying to settle. They re-evaluate the impact of routines on children and change them to help these children, greatly helping them build a strong bond with staff.

Outdoor space

All ages of children thoroughly enjoy forest school sessions. Staff have adapted their 'spare eye' policy for forest school outings, being supernumerary to observe activities and help keep children safe. Toddlers and pre-school children engage in various learning activities in the forest school, from pretending to be worms and digging to making chalk drawings and practicing literacy and language development.

Parent Reviews of The Butterfly Patch, Lower Morden

5.0
(5)
Paige Heckman
a year ago

My son went here for about 5 months. He isn’t very sociable and is very attached to me but at this nursery he flourished! I loved seeing all pictures that were uploaded throughout the day. He learnt so much about trees, mushrooms and wildlife during his forest school time! He also loved doing sports on a Friday. I couldn’t recommend the butterfly patch more. This nursery has truly made a huge impact on myself and my son! Thank you so much to all the staff for taking such good care of my baby❤️

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Dagmar Emery
3 years ago

Highly recommended! Our little one loves going. The staff is amazing, they inspire us every week with their creativity and ingenuity, the children learn so much about nature and handling themselves in the outdoors. The team has been brilliant handling the difficult covid situation and are always great at communicating.

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Cecilia Benda
3 years ago

The staff is great, the forest leaders are amazing and inspirational. My son learnt a lot and developed a great interest for the natural world, beside he had so much fun outdoor. Really recommended

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vicki darbon
7 years ago

What an amazing start to this forest school! Incredible environment with so much potential. The taster sessions have been so much fun I literally can not wait for this to open full time so we can enjoy the wonders of the forest all day everyday! Thank you so much for allowing us to come along and experience your love and enthusiasm for outdoor learning! What a creative and special team you have in place as you embark on a wonderful outdoor journey!

Read on Google

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Inspection history

Date: August 2021

  • February 2024Good
  • August 2021Good

Frequently asked about The Butterfly Patch, Lower Morden

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