The Old Station Nursery Northfield

Stories that turn into cooking, and park observations that turn into drawings: these are the clearest examples of Northfield's approach to early learning. The Old Station Nursery Northfield serves families in Birmingham, with capacity for 72 children and an accepted age range of 3 to 60 months.

At its 1 August 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall and judged safeguarding effective. There were also two clear priorities: more consistent planning and teaching, and more opportunities for older children to choose how their learning develops. Families should weigh both alongside the examples of care and learning below.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: in everyday terms, play, conversation and practical activities help children build skills. In August 2025, books connected different parts of the nursery day. Staff introduced vocabulary through stories, returned to those stories during the week and carried the ideas into practical experiences. Cooking progressed from simple handling skills towards children measuring and preparing ingredients themselves. Learning had something concrete to attach to.

Resources for babies were within reach in August 2025, giving them opportunities to select materials and explore. Older children also used pretend play and conversation to return to ideas introduced during shared activities. The limitation was choice: adult planning sometimes left older children too little scope to decide what happened next. For parents who value children directing their own play, that balance deserves attention.

Outdoor and Community Life

An August 2024 nature walk connected Northfield's preschool children with their local park. They looked at flowers and trees, then drew their observations. This was an example of Wonderful World and My Community and Me, enrichment within the group's Brighter Learning Approach that connects environmental exploration with children's local surroundings. Here, the named approach had a practical expression: children looked closely at a real place before representing it through drawing.

Outdoor experiences also featured in August 2025. Babies listened to surrounding sounds, while hiding objects and playing peekaboo gave them simple opportunities to explore. These were small-scale experiences, with attention on what children could notice and do for themselves.

Relationships and Communication

In August 2025, key persons used familiar routines and individual comfort to help children settle. Nappy care had been assigned to each child's key person, extending that relationship into everyday care rather than reserving it for play. For a baby adjusting to nursery, familiarity during personal care matters as much as the activity programme.

Communication at that time combined conversations at collection, an app and meetings with parents. Families received progress updates and ideas for learning at home. That gave parents different ways to understand their child's experience, from a brief daily exchange to a fuller discussion.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the August 2025 inspection, Ofsted found effective SEND support, with families and outside professionals involved in individual plans and staff using visual prompts and sensory resources. These are practical mechanisms for responding to a child's needs, rather than a general promise of inclusion.

During the same month, puppets and books about feelings helped children talk about emotions. Staff used calm responses when sharing or communication became difficult, helping children work through disagreements. Everyday independence was part of care too: children practised serving food and getting dressed. The emphasis was on gradually doing more for themselves.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 19 Woodland Road, Northfield, Birmingham, B31 2HU. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm from Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. Those closure periods matter for families arranging care around work commitments.

Funding and Paid Extras

In August 2025, the nursery provided funded early education. For household budgeting, current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. Funded support and the total cost of an attendance arrangement should be considered separately.

• Older children's choices. In August 2025, adult planning sometimes restricted children's opportunities to direct their play. On a visit, ask to see how preschool children choose activities and develop their own ideas.
• Consistency across the nursery. The August 2025 improvement priorities included closer monitoring of planning and teaching. Ask how leaders check that practice is consistent between age groups and practitioners.
• Your care pattern. Northfield opens from 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays and closes over bank holidays and Christmas. Before joining, ask for a written attendance quotation showing how funded hours, paid hours, meals and non-food consumables fit your proposed pattern.

Northfield suits families who value learning linked to practical experiences and close relationships with a key person. Stories carried into cooking, emotional learning through puppets, and the park drawing activity give that judgement substance. The August 2025 priorities also set a useful test for choosing it: consistency between practitioners and enough freedom for older children to lead their play deserve the same attention as the activities themselves.