Footsteps Walmley Nursery & Pre-School

A converted farmhouse and a bespoke forest school facility give Footsteps Walmley Nursery & Pre-School its strongest character: indoor play paired with regular opportunities to investigate the natural world. At Ash Cottage in Sutton Coldfield, the nursery has capacity for 86 children, with a current age range of one to 60 months. Outdoor learning is a substantial part of the offer, rather than an occasional change of scenery.

At its March 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children, including those with SEND, were progressing well, while identifying activity planning and support for toilet learning as areas needing attention. Later allergy-related action matters too: the April 2026 outcome records corrective measures, but follows an earlier incident involving allergy management.

Full-day, morning and afternoon bookings give families different attendance options. The minimum weekly commitment and funded-hours extras deserve as much attention as the farmhouse setting.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning, development and care: children practise communication, physical skills and independence through play and everyday routines. Alongside this, the nursery uses a play-based curriculum that encourages children to make choices, tackle problems and persist with challenges. These intentions become useful when they translate into something a child can try, discuss or manage independently.

In March 2024, stories prompted children to anticipate the next part of a tale, while sand play gave toddlers opportunities to count. Older children explored number recognition and simple calculations. Learning was woven into familiar activities, giving children reasons to use language and mathematics beyond a formal group task.

There was also room for children's decisions. In March 2024, a children's committee helped choose activities and events, giving children a practical way to influence nursery life. Independence developed through ordinary tasks: babies attempted feeding themselves, toddlers practised getting their coats on and older children served lunch. These are concrete steps towards managing more of the day for themselves.

Outdoor and Community Life

Weekly forest school sessions provide learning through outdoor exploration; activities may involve woodland investigation, natural materials and manageable challenges. The bespoke facility and open outdoor spaces make nature a recurring part of nursery life. For a child who enjoys investigating rather than sitting through an explanation, that is a meaningful attraction.

In March 2024, garden play included collecting objects and recording discoveries with tally marks. Children collaborated on a ladder and slide using materials such as wood and tyres. Climbing, wheeled toys and chasing games offered larger movements, while cutting herbs and manipulating dough exercised smaller hand movements. The examples show how outdoor construction and practical play can bring conversation, coordination and problem-solving together.

The Enrichment Programme may add gardening, baking, celebration days, graduation events and visits from local specialists, as well as Forest School inspired sessions. These are possible components, rather than a fixed timetable of promised activities; during funded hours, enrichment sits within the separately charged package.

A key person works with each family to understand the child's needs, with photographs and regular updates helping parents follow progress. That gives communication a clear point of contact. It also creates a route for sharing what matters at home, rather than leaving staff to build their understanding from nursery routines alone.

In March 2024, babies received responses to their gestures and early sounds through eye contact and expressive faces. Toddlers practised putting words together, and older children had opportunities for conversation throughout the day. Staff also sent books and home-learning packs to families, extending familiar activities beyond nursery hours.

Support for additional needs had a defined structure in March 2024: the SENCo coordinated with parents, key persons and external agencies, and children had targeted plans. Additional government funding supported regular individual work. For families considering SEND provision, the important mechanism is that combination of planning, shared information and individual support.

Food is prepared fresh on the premises each day, using seasonal ingredients. The later safety history needs separate consideration: Ofsted's April 2026 compliance outcome recorded that unmet requirements had been addressed through allergen training and checks before food left the kitchen, following allergy-management action in September 2024. Both outcomes describe corrective action, but the repeated theme makes current food-checking practice a material decision point for families affected by allergies.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Ash Cottage, Walmley Ash Lane, Sutton Coldfield, B76 2AA. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, across 51 weeks, with public holidays and a Christmas week excluded.

A full day runs from 8am to 6pm; mornings run from 8am to 1pm and afternoons from 1pm to 6pm. A full-week pattern uses the same 8am to 6pm window from Monday to Friday. Early Start covers 7.30am to 8am, while Late Finish covers 6pm to 6.30pm. Those extensions are separate from the core sessions, which matters when matching childcare to working hours.

The weekly minimum is either two full days or four morning or afternoon sessions, and the pattern must include Monday or Friday. This makes the offer suitable for a recurring weekly arrangement. Tour booking and an enquiry route are available, and there is onsite parking plus buggy storage.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the 15-hour and 30-hour entitlements over 38 weeks, for eligible children aged nine months to four years, alongside 2 Help funding. The standard arrangement stretches funding across the operating year: the respective weekly allocations are 11.18 and 22.35 hours. Funded hours can be used between 8am and 6pm within day, morning or afternoon sessions, subject to availability, and can be combined with paid hours.

Private-session fees are all-inclusive, covering meals and consumables. During funded hours, food, non-food consumables and enrichment are charged separately through the Essentials Package; these charges are optional, with an opt-out arranged before term begins. Consumables include wipes, nappies, sun cream, nappy bags and cream. Families opting out may need to supply alternatives or arrange disposal of consumables, depending on the nursery's policy.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. A registration charge and a deposit apply, both waived for fully funded places; the deposit is credited against the final invoice. Payment is monthly in advance, and permanent session changes or cancellation require a calendar month's notice. Normal charges apply to bank-holiday closures, with no exchange, credit or refund for sickness or holidays.

• Repeated allergy-management action. The September 2024 and April 2026 outcomes both describe corrective measures concerning allergens. At a visit, ask how kitchen checks, serving checks and staff training now work for your child's dietary requirements.
• Individual learning and toileting. In March 2024, activities did not consistently match children's next learning needs, and partnership with parents around toilet learning needed strengthening. Ask for examples of how your child's interests and home routines would shape planning and toilet support.
• A weekly commitment. The minimum is two full days or four morning or afternoon sessions, including Monday or Friday. Compare the actual pattern with your working week, including any early or late extension.
• Funded-hours extras. The optional Essentials Package separates food, consumables and enrichment from funded childcare. Before choosing it or opting out, establish the alternatives and responsibilities that would apply to your family.

Footsteps Walmley suits families seeking full-day care or a regular morning or afternoon pattern, especially those drawn to outdoor investigation and a farmhouse setting. Weekly forest school sessions, a key-person structure and different session lengths give that choice substance.

The March 2024 Good judgement sits alongside specific development points, while repeated allergy-related action warrants careful attention despite the recorded corrective measures. This is a nursery to assess through both its appealing daily experiences and the practical detail of individual planning, food procedures and funded-hours charges.