Little Smurfs Nursery

Bubbles, paint and wooden balancing beams give Little Smurfs Nursery’s July 2023 account its character: practical play with room for children to persist at a task. At its July 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good overall and found safeguarding effective.

The Birmingham setting now has capacity for 75 children, accepting ages from birth to five. Its address is 25 Whitmore Road, B10 0NR. The strongest detail about daily life comes from July 2023, so those experiences belong to that period.

In July 2023, children washed toy cars in the garden, experimented with paint using sponges and brushes, and practised balancing on wooden beams. These activities brought movement, hand control and concentration into play rather than keeping them separate. Encouragement from staff helped children continue trying when a task was difficult.

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children’s learning, development and care, covering learning through experiences such as play, stories and physical activity. In July 2023, communication and language received particular attention: staff read stories and modelled clear speech. Observations and information from parents helped establish what children could already do.

Outdoor ring games also gave children opportunities to play together. In July 2023, staff used gentle reminders about behaviour and discussed similarities and differences between children, making consideration for others part of everyday interaction.

In July 2023, settling sessions were adapted to individual children, and staff followed their personal care routines, responding when they needed comfort, food, rest or changing. Parents received information about learning alongside activities to continue at home. Staff also passed information to other settings children were moving to, supporting continuity of care.

At the July 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that developmental concerns prompted referrals and professional meetings, but information reached key persons too slowly to give children with SEND the full support they needed.

In July 2023, children received balanced meals and help with handwashing and nose cleaning. Physical activity complemented these everyday habits.

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 6pm, across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. This makes the opening calendar relevant to families arranging care beyond school terms.

In July 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated participation fact, rather than a promise of a funded place today.

• Learning challenge. In July 2023, improvement work was requested so that play extended children’s existing knowledge more consistently. For a child ready for the next step, how activities become more demanding matters.
• SEND information sharing. The July 2023 concern centred on delays between professional advice and the key person receiving it. Discuss how that handover works during a visit if your child needs additional support.
• Teaching oversight. In July 2023, closer review of staff practice was requested to strengthen teaching. This makes the support and feedback practitioners receive a useful decision point.

Little Smurfs Nursery suits families seeking a Birmingham setting accepting children from birth to five, with weekday opening across the year. Its July 2023 account offers concrete examples of practical play and individual care, balanced by improvement priorities around learning challenge, SEND communication and oversight of teaching.