Buds to Blossoms CWM

04/09/2026

What a first week back ❤️

It’s been lovely to see our children after the summer holidays & also so lovely welcoming lots of new children & their families to the setting 💫

There has been lots of fun, smiles and the odd tear here and there, but it’s been a successful week of exploring & building relationships 🌱

04/09/2026

🌱 WE’RE GROWING — JOIN THE BUDS TO BLOSSOMS TEAM 🌱
Please share

We have several exciting term-time opportunities available for qualified Childcare Practitioners across our Beaufort and Blaina settings.

Successful applicants will be allocated to the setting that best supports the needs of our children and existing teams.

At Buds, we see children as capable, curious and full of potential. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, our environments encourage creativity, exploration and the many different languages children use to express their ideas.

We’re looking for people who:

✨ Hold a recognised Level 3 childcare qualification
🌿 Value learning through play, exploration and real experiences
🎨 Are excited by ateliers, open-ended resources and children’s creativity
👂 Listen carefully to children and value their ideas
🌧️ Believe there is no such thing as bad weather only the wrong clothing!
☕ Can confidently enjoy countless cups of pretend tea
🎶 Are willing to sing, dance and be wonderfully silly
🤍 Are warm, caring, dependable and make every child feel seen
🤝 Enjoy collaborating and contributing to a reflective team

Most importantly, we want people who don’t simply want to work with children, but genuinely want to understand them, advocate for them and help create a childhood filled with wonder.

In return, you’ll join a supportive, forward-thinking team with opportunities to learn, develop and experience what we proudly call the Buds Way.

📍 Locations: Beaufort and Blaina
📆 Contracts: Term time
⏰ Hours: To be discussed
📅 Closing date: Friday 18th September 2026

To apply, please send your CV and a short introduction explaining why you would love to join Buds to Blossoms:

📧 [email protected]
FAO: Lee Fowler

Buds to Blossoms is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Successful applicants will be subject to safer-recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check.

Come and help us create places where children’s ideas are valued, curiosity is celebrated and learning truly breathes.

19/08/2026

PLEASE SHARE — EVERY TWO-YEAR-OLD CAN NOW ACCESS FUNDED CHILDCARE‼️

This is such exciting news for families across Blaenau Gwent. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

With the expansion of Flying Start, all two-year-olds across Blaenau Gwent can now access 12.5 hours of fully funded childcare each week from the term after their second birthday.

And we have availability across:

💙 Buds Beaufort ✔️
💙 Buds Cwm ✔️
💙 Buds Blaina ✔️

We want to reach as many families as possible and give more children the opportunity to experience what our children have every day at Buds — time to play, explore, create, get messy, wonder, discover and simply be children.

So please SHARE, SHARE, SHARE! ❤️

There may be families on your friends list who have no idea their two-year-old is now entitled to a funded place.

Let’s spread the word and give as many little ones as possible the opportunity to experience the Buds magic. ✨

📞 01495 306122
✉️ [email protected]

Contact us now for September availability.

12/08/2026

‼️‼️‼️‼️FLYING START IS EXPANDING ACROSS BLAENAU GWENT! ‼️‼️‼️‼️

We’re really pleased to share that, as part of the Welsh Government’s expansion of the Flying Start programme, all children aged two on or before 31 August 2026 in Blaenau Gwent will be entitled to 12½ hours of fully funded childcare each week from September 2026.

Eligible families should now be receiving letters from Blaenau Gwent with information on how to apply.

At Buds to Blossoms, we’re so excited to welcome more two-year-olds into environments where play, curiosity, exploration and relationships are at the heart of everything we do.

✨ 12½ hours fully funded childcare
🌿 Available from September 2026
💛 For eligible two-year-olds across Blaenau Gwent
🌱 Buds to Blossoms settings in Beaufort, Cwm and our brand-new Blaina provision

If you receive your letter and would like to know more about a Flying Start place with Buds to Blossoms, please get in touch with us. We’ll be more than happy to help you through the next steps.

More children. More opportunities. More time to play, explore and blossom.

As part of the Welsh Government's expansion of the Flying Start programme across Wales, all children aged two on or before 31 August 2026 in Blaenau Gwent will be entitled to 12 and a half hours of fully funded childcare from September 2026.

Parents will be receiving letters with details of how to apply for a childcare place from 10th August 2026. Over 100 eligible families should receive letters soon.

Read more here: https://loom.ly/WxPFOw4

Blaenau Gwent Family Support Hub

27/07/2026

Everyone at Buds to Blossoms is shocked & saddened to hear of the devastating passing of Jade, one of our learners parents 💔

We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to T, M, Ellis & Jades family at what we can only imagine being such a difficult time.

Please know, that everyone here at the nursery is thinking of you & will be here in whatever way we can to support you. Knowing the community like we do, we have no doubts that you already have an abundance of support & love, but if we can offer anything or help in anyway, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Holding you all close to our hearts 🌹❤️

21/07/2026

On Friday we had the pleasure of welcoming our children and their families into nursery for our Learning Journey catch ups 🫶🏽

These are always such special moments for us. They give us the chance to slow down, sit together and celebrate each child’s journey so far. They are relaxed, meaningful conversations where families, children and educators can reflect, share, ask questions and strengthen the relationships that help children flourish. We truly believe that when we work together, we build the strongest foundations for every child to thrive 🌱

It was so lovely to see so many families making the time to come along. Your support, interest and involvement mean so much to us and we really value these opportunities to connect with you all ❤️

We were also delighted to be joined by Lisa and Ame, our Flying Start Family Support Workers. They play such an important role in supporting many of our families and it was wonderful to have them with us throughout the day. For some of our children, they have been there right from the very beginning, supporting families from birth, helping them on their journey into childcare and continuing to walk alongside them throughout. It felt especially meaningful that they also joined us later that day for our Graduation ceremony. To see them celebrating these children as they reached such a special milestone was something we felt truly honoured to share 💙

Thank you to everyone who came along and made the morning so special. We already can’t wait for the next one! 🥰

18/07/2026

Wow! What an amazing, amazing afternoon we had yesterday for a graduation 2026 🩷❤️🧡💛💚🩵

Emotions have been super high this, I don’t think we’ve gone a whole day without someone having a little (or big) tear!

They say working in childcare is one of the most rewarding jobs, and that is so so true. But what they don’t tell you, is how hard it is to say goodbye. We’ve spent many many hours with these children, building relationships, making memories. We invest our time, efforts & love into providing the best care possible for them, and we genuinely love them as if they are family. So it really is bittersweet when they have to leave for their next adventure, because we know they are strong, capable & more than ready, but selfishly we’d love to keep them forever! ❤️

We’d like to thank each and everyone of the parents, for their constant support. We know we are messy, we know you don’t always love it when your washing bill is sky high 🤣 but nonetheless, you embrace it and support us because you know how much your children love it, and that means everything to us 🫶🏽

Good luck to you all on your next adventures (not that you’ll need it) and please don’t be strangers ❤️

11/07/2026

Some evenings remind us why we do what we do 🫶🏽

Last night our Senior Leadership Team had the privilege of attending the Blaenau Gwent Childcare and Play Celebration Event, an evening celebrating the passion, dedication and impact of the childcare and play workforce across our borough.

It was inspiring to spend the evening with so many like minded professionals, celebrating the incredible work happening every day for children and families. Congratulations to everyone who was recognised 👏🏽🥳

One of the most meaningful parts of the evening was hearing the wonderful feedback shared from children, parents, students, staff and members of the local community. Listening to the positive impact that early years professionals have on the lives of others was a powerful reminder of why this profession matters so much 🥹

We are incredibly proud that Buds to Blossoms was recognised for Innovation in Practice at our Beaufort setting, recognising our commitment to continually reflecting, researching and evolving our practice to create meaningful learning experiences that truly meet the needs of every child. Our Cwm setting was recognised for its commitment to Welsh culture and belonging which is a testament to our O Fewn y Cwm project, and as a whole we were recognised for our commitment to continued research 🙌🏽

For us, this recognition is not just about awards. It reflects our commitment to never standing still, continually learning, reflecting and growing so we can provide the very best experiences for children. Being recognised for our inspirational environments, alongside CIW recently sharing our inclusive environments as a Practice Worth Sharing, makes this achievement even more special

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who organised such a wonderful evening, and to our incredible team. Every achievement is built on your passion, dedication and unwavering belief that every child deserves the very best. This recognition belongs to you all ❤️

09/07/2026

Representation is not a celebration. It is an expectation.

Cultural celebrations have an important place in early years, but true inclusion is built through the everyday choices we make.

Belonging should never be occasional 🤎🤍🖤

07/07/2026

Yesterday, a simple loose part became a camera 📸

One of our children picked it up, held it to his eye and confidently said, “Say cheese!”

What fascinated us wasn’t just the imaginative play; it was how he used it.

In a world dominated by smartphones, many children imitate taking photographs by holding an imaginary phone out in front of them. But he instinctively recreated a digital camera, looking through the viewfinder before proudly turning it around to announce, “That’s you!” 🥹🫶🏽

It was a beautiful reminder that children absorb the world around them in ways we don’t always expect

As educators, we responded to what we saw. We recognised the possibilities within their play and thought about how we could extend the experience in a meaningful way

The introduction of an instant print camera gave children the opportunity to connect their imagination with something real creating, capturing and sharing their own experiences 📷

As the photographs appeared, the anticipation & excitement was contagious.

“It’s me!” 🥹

This is what responsive practice looks like.

It’s not about simply observing from the sidelines or collecting evidence. It’s about being present, noticing the sparks of curiosity and using our knowledge of children to shape experiences that are meaningful to them.

One simple loose part… and a reminder of the power of truly seeing children, noticing their ideas, valuing their thinking and allowing their wonder to guide us 💛