Apple Tree Nursery & Pre-School

Radishes pulled from an outdoor vegetable patch and dinosaurs playing among celery trees give Apple Tree Nursery & Pre-School a recognisable character. These June 2022 examples show children exploring growing things and imaginary worlds through practical play, rather than learning only through adult-led tasks.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 30 June 2022. Based at St. Marys Church on Tyburn Road in Birmingham, it now accepts children aged 24 to 60 months and has 30 places in total. Its term-time calendar makes the school-holiday break a central consideration for working families.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: everyday play sits alongside support for communication, independence and relationships.

In June 2022, staff built activities around children's interests. Large building blocks supported children interested in construction; dinosaurs in mud, with celery representing trees, gave imaginative play a concrete setting. The outdoor vegetable patch brought another kind of discovery. Harvesting radishes and discussing what had happened to their crops connected growing plants with remembering events and considering consequences.

Stories also prompted conversation in June 2022. Adults invited children to anticipate what might happen next, giving them opportunities to practise listening and use words. A yoga activity involved watching movements and trying them out. Outdoors, scooter play had a clear boundary: children were reminded to use the paved area.

At its June 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, emotional wellbeing supported through the key-person system, and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities supported through teaching tailored to them.

Practical independence featured in June 2022 too. Children poured drinks, served food and helped prepare the lunch table, including arranging flowers for their friends. Those small responsibilities gave them useful tasks to complete for themselves and others. Staff used encouragement when children needed reassurance, while books and displays introduced differences in people's beliefs.

Safety work in June 2022 included assessments of the garden and building, checks on cleanliness, and staff knowledge of how to recognise and report concerns. Families also received home-safety information, including advice about batteries.

The address is St. Marys Church, Tyburn Road, Birmingham, B24 0TB. Opening hours are 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, during term time; the nursery closes for school holidays. That calendar is as important to childcare planning as the daily opening window.

In June 2022, the setting received early education funding for two-, three- and four-year-old children. This is a dated funding position, separate from its current opening arrangements.

• Learning challenge. In June 2022, planning did not consistently stretch children's learning far enough. During a visit, ask how staff choose the next challenge for a child who has mastered an activity.
• Teaching oversight. In June 2022, monitoring of teaching needed to translate more effectively into extended learning opportunities. Ask how staff feedback now changes activities and adult interactions.
• Term-time calendar. School holidays are closure periods. Families needing care throughout the year must account for those breaks when deciding whether the arrangement fits.

Apple Tree suits families seeking term-time care for children aged 24 to 60 months. Its June 2022 picture combines interest-led play, gardening and practical independence with positive relationships. The Good judgement sits alongside clear improvement priorities: greater challenge in children's next steps and more effective oversight of teaching. Those priorities deserve attention when assessing the nursery today.