A charitable nursery since 2008
Rooted in the community, grown with love
We’re a registered charity, purpose-built nursery in Boston, Lincolnshire. Everything we do is guided by one belief — that every child deserves the chance to grow at their own pace, in their own way.
Our Aim Is
What we set out to do
Seven principles guide everything at Hawthorn Tree. They shape how we hire, how we plan, how we speak to families — and how children experience every single day.
- To provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment that will enrich your child’s learning and development
- To work within a framework which ensures equality of opportunity for all children and families
- To offer active learning through play experiences in line with the HighScope approach
- To provide individual care and attention, made possible by a high ratio of qualified childcare professionals to children
- To provide the best care for children based on up to date research, by ensuring all staff are fully qualified and kept up to date with training
- To build positive working relationships with all families and professionals involved in the individual child’s care and well-being
- To ensure families are provided with opportunities to be involved in their child’s learning and development
Our Story
Seventeen years in the heart of Boston
Hawthorn Tree Community Children’s Centre was founded with a simple but powerful idea: that high-quality, child-led childcare should be available to every family, regardless of income.
As a registered charity, every penny of income goes straight back into the setting — into our environment, our resources, our training, and our team. Over seventeen years we’ve grown into a purpose-built, Ofsted Good setting on Toot Lane, caring for children from birth right through primary school age.
Our Values
What we believe
Six principles sit at the heart of everything we do. They shape how we hire, how we plan, how we speak to families — and how children experience every single day.
Every child is unique
We celebrate difference. Children learn at different rates, in different ways — and that’s not just fine, it’s wonderful.
Children lead the way
We don’t direct children’s play — we follow it. When a child is absorbed in something, that’s where the deepest learning happens.
Families are partners
You know your child best. We build genuine, respectful relationships with every family — sharing observations and celebrating milestones together.
Real experiences matter
Pine cones, shells, weighing scales, colanders — real objects give children something far richer. We choose real over replica, always.
Safety is non-negotiable
Robust safeguarding, enhanced DBS for every staff member, two Deputy DSLs, and a culture where every practitioner feels empowered to act.
Excellence is a commitment
All staff hold Level 3 or above. We invest continuously in training and reflection — because quality of care depends on quality of our people.
Our Approach
The HighScope curriculum
HighScope is an evidence-based approach to early years education. It’s built on one insight: children learn best when they’re in charge of their own learning.
1
What do you want to do today?
Each session begins with planning time. Children decide — with words, gestures or drawings — what they want to explore. Even the youngest children have intentions that deserve to be heard.
2
Follow your plan, follow your curiosity
Children carry out their plan — and often discover something far more interesting along the way. Adults support without directing: asking open questions, narrating what they see, joining in when invited.
3
What did you discover?
At the end of work time, children gather to share what they did. Review isn’t assessment — it’s celebration. Children build language, memory and confidence by telling their own story.
Key Experiences
Across every session, children encounter eight domains of learning — not as separate lessons, but woven through real play and real experience.
Creative Representation
Making, drawing, building, role play — expressing ideas through a hundred different media.
Language & Literacy
Talking, listening, storytelling, mark-making — the foundations of communication.
Initiative & Social
Making choices, solving problems, building friendships, navigating conflict.
Movement & Music
Physical coordination, rhythm, dance — learning through the whole body.
Logical Thinking
Sorting, classifying, comparing, noticing patterns — maths emerging through play.
Number
Counting, quantity, number sense — with real objects, in real contexts.
Space
Position, direction, shape — exploring the world as a three-dimensional place.
Time
Sequence, duration, planning — developing a felt sense of past, present and future.
Natural Materials
Real objects, real learning
Loose parts are open-ended, moveable objects that fill our rooms. They aren’t toys in the traditional sense — they don’t have a prescribed use. That’s the point. When a child picks up a wooden disc, they might weigh it, roll it, stack it, use it as a pretend plate, or trace around it. A plastic toy can only be used one way. A loose part can be a thousand things.
- Pine cones, pebbles & shells — natural textures that connect children to the outdoor world
- Wood discs with growth rings — great for sorting, stacking, counting and stories about time
- Vintage weighing scales — explore balance, weight and mathematical thinking through real use
- Colanders with herbs & leaves — sensory play that crosses science, language and imagination
- Light table with translucent shapes — familiar objects transformed into something magical
Our Setting
A space designed for childhood
Our purpose-built setting on Toot Lane was designed with children in mind — from intimate learning spaces to birch wood furniture that makes it feel like a real home.
The Nest (0-2)
The Burrow (2-4)
The Den (2-4)
Loose parts area
Three rooms
The Nest, The Burrow and The Den each have their own identity — creating a sense of belonging and continuity as children grow.
An acre of grounds
Plans include a sensory garden, vegetable patch, woodland walk and digging zone — and eventually, chickens for the children to care for.
Designed for safety
The Nest sleeping area is always visible. Secure entry, CCTV, and a layout designed to maintain sightlines so children are always seen.
Our Team
People who genuinely care
Every member of our team holds Level 3 or above. Many have been with us for years. They’re not just qualified — they’re committed, warm and deeply invested in every child’s story.
Lydia A
Manager & Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator)
- Foundation Degree in Children & Young People (Early Years) Level 5
- BA Hons in Education Studies Level 6
- Paediatric First aid qualified.
- Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Lucinda G
Manager
Level 5 qualified. Deputy Safeguarding Lead. Beatriz leads The Burrow team and coordinates Key Person arrangements.
Jenni J
Deputy Manager
- Working towards Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator)
- Paediatric First Aid Qualified
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (Deputy DSL)
- Inclusion Support
And more…
Our full team
Natalie, Brodie, and our brilliant practitioners — each with their own specialism, each deeply invested in every child’s story.
Ofsted Good
Rated Good in every category
Ofsted’s inspectors don’t give Good lightly. To achieve it across every judgement — Quality of Education, Behaviour & Attitudes, Personal Development, Leadership & Management — reflects years of consistent, thoughtful work by everyone at Hawthorn Tree.
Ofsted No. 2610664
Charity No. 1161751
Our Community
Run by the community
As a registered charity, Hawthorn Tree is run for the benefit of the community, not for profit. Two volunteer committees help oversee and support the setting.
Management Committee
Oversees the running of the centre. Consists of family members of children who use our services, members of the local community and the setting managers. If you’re interested in joining, please get in touch.
Fundraising Committee
Plans events throughout the year to raise money for the centre. As a registered charity, we rely on the support of the local community and the families who use our services. Got ideas or want to help? Please get in touch.
Come and see us for yourself
The best way to understand Hawthorn Tree is to walk through the door. Book a visit and spend time in the rooms — see how the children move, how the adults interact, how the whole place feels.
Or call 01205 362255 · Mon–Fri 7:30am–6:00pm