Leaps and Bounds Children's Centre and Day Nursery

A nursery rabbit, an outdoor kitchen for children aged three to five and rooms that change with children's development give Leaps and Bounds Children's Centre and Day Nursery a recognisable character. This Edgbaston setting has 66 places in total and caters for children aged 2 to 60 months, with sensory exploration for babies and more investigative activity for preschool children.

At its May 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found that staff worked with other agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). That judgement needs to be read alongside later compliance action concerning accident management, staff concerns and notification of a significant event. The practical strengths and the regulatory position both matter here.

Half-day and full-day childcare provide two attendance options for babies from six months and children under five. The strongest reasons to consider the nursery are its progression through named rooms, accessible outdoor activity and individual key-person arrangements.

Rooms and Ages

Bumblebee Room centres on sensory exploration and messy play, with resources within children's reach so that babies can investigate rather than wait for an adult to choose everything for them. Ladybird Room, for children from 14 months to two years, emphasises communication, physical development and relationships through activities including sand and water play, role play and a cosy book area.

Caterpillar Room combines construction, mark-making and natural materials with direct access to a secure outdoor area, giving children opportunities to move between indoor exploration and outdoor play. Butterfly Room brings together reading, mathematics, construction and investigative activities, alongside opportunities to develop independence and cooperation as children prepare for school.

These are useful differences in the day, rather than room names alone. Babies have an emphasis on exploring through their senses; older children encounter more designated areas for building, experimenting and practising skills. Activities are adapted to each child's interests and development through their key person.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for learning, development and care, with play used to build children's skills and independence. Here, individual learning programmes connect that framework to each child's abilities and interests. The practical question is what a child is ready to try next, rather than whether everyone completes the same activity.

In May 2024, younger children explored flour using their hands and brushes. Cooking also created opportunities for conversation: children assembled tortilla pizzas with vegetables, cheese and herbs while staff introduced vocabulary. These examples show how sensory activity and ordinary tasks can become opportunities to explore textures, describe ingredients and practise using language.

Circle time brought songs with actions and conversation about children's activities in May 2024. There was also an important limitation: rising noise sometimes interrupted children's play and learning. Managing the sound of a busy group therefore matters as much as providing appealing activities.

Outdoor and Community Life

The outdoor play area for children aged three to five includes climbing frames, an outdoor kitchen, a water zone and equipment for making music. Scooters and buggies add movement, while wood and sand provide materials for exploration. This gives outdoor time several purposes: physical activity, imaginative play and investigation.

JoJo, the nursery rabbit, has an animal enclosure where children can help with care. In May 2024, children also searched beneath logs and stones for insects, distinguishing worms, ants and woodlice. For a child who learns best through handling materials and noticing living things, these are concrete opportunities to connect words with experience.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who follows their progress and adapts learning to their needs and strengths. That gives individual planning a clear point of responsibility. EY-LOG, the nursery's parent app, shares information about children's activities and what they have eaten, helping families connect the nursery day with conversations at home.

In May 2024, parents shared information about new skills and experiences outside nursery, which staff used when planning children's next steps. Babies and younger children received cuddles and reassurance when unfamiliar people were present. Family photographs also gave children a starting point for talking about people who mattered to them.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The staff structure includes designated safeguarding lead roles, and CCTV operates indoors and outside. These are arrangements rather than a substitute for the dated safeguarding judgement or the later compliance outcomes.

Ofsted's later compliance documents record welfare actions following a July 2025 visit, subsequently met in August 2025, and a further January 2026 finding that notification of a significant event had exceeded the required 14 days. The July actions concerned first-aid assessment and treatment, accident records, communication with parents and management of concerns about staff suitability.

By August 2025, staff had received renewed first-aid training, accident procedures and forms had been revised, and managers had refreshed their training on handling allegations. The January 2026 outcome recorded immediate liaison with other agencies, subsequent notification and a review of safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures with staff. It also confirmed that the nursery remained registered. These outcomes describe the action taken; they do not replace the May 2024 inspection judgement.

Independence at mealtimes was another improvement point in May 2024: children were learning to feed themselves, but suitable cutlery was not consistently supplied. The detail matters because encouraging independence also requires equipment a child can use successfully.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery offers half-day and full-day childcare for babies from six months and children under five. Opening hours are 7:30am to 6:15pm on weekdays, with closures on Public Holidays and for one week between Christmas and New Year. The two attendance patterns allow families to consider a shorter nursery day or care across the working day.

Getting There

The address is 161 Gillott Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 0ET. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 0121 246 4922 or through the contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government funding for 15 or 30 hours is accepted for eligible families, subject to places. Funding information covers support for eligible two-year-olds, the universal entitlement for three- and four-year-olds and the working-parent offer. The team helps families understand eligibility and the application process; entitlement still depends on the relevant conditions.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. Funding eligibility and the childcare pattern a family chooses are separate decisions, so the written arrangement should fit the hours actually needed.

• Accidents and staff concerns. The July 2025 welfare actions were met in August, while January 2026 brought a further finding about late notification. On a visit, ask how accident communication, staff concerns and notification deadlines are now monitored.
• Sound and independence. Noise affecting learning and unsuitable cutlery were improvement points in May 2024. Ask to see how group activities and mealtimes support concentration and practical independence.
• A baby's starting point. Bumblebee Room provides sensory activity and accessible resources. Discuss the starting age and room arrangement for your baby, alongside the intended attendance pattern and the written treatment of meals and consumables.

Leaps and Bounds suits families considering either half-day attendance or full-day childcare for babies from six months and children under five, especially those who value sensory play, outdoor exploration and a key person adapting activities to their child. Caterpillar Room's outdoor access, JoJo's enclosure and EY-LOG make that offer tangible.

The Good judgement from May 2024 remains the latest graded inspection, but later compliance action deserves careful attention in a family's decision. The appeal is clear; confidence in the current handling of accidents, staff concerns and notifications should carry equal weight.