Cotton Tails at Hagley

Garden access for babies and young toddlers gives Cotton Tails at Hagley a clear practical appeal: outdoor play connects directly with the youngest children's rooms. The setting occupies The Old Police Station on Kidderminster Road, with separate spaces for babies, developing toddlers and children preparing for school. Its character comes through in these everyday arrangements.

At its 11 April 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall and praised teaching in the School Room, while identifying improvements needed in activities for younger toddlers and professional development across the staff team. That distinction matters. Families should consider the experience in their child's room, alongside the overall judgement.

The nursery has 80 places in total and accepts children aged 3 to 60 months. This is whole-setting capacity, not the number sharing a room or attending together. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with bank holidays closed.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Room combines an open-plan layout with places for rest, messy exploration and other activities, plus direct access to the garden; its emphasis includes movement, sensory experiences, stories and music.

Tinie Room serves developing young toddlers within the under-two provision, pairing washable flooring for messy play with carpet for construction and imaginative activities, garden access and its own bathroom and changing facilities.

Upstairs, the Nursery Room has an open-plan arrangement for pretend play, creative activities and quieter stories or singing, with an emphasis on language, friendships, emotional development and toileting.

The School Room combines a bright space and toilet facilities with daily practice in independence and social skills, including toothbrushing and outings into the local community.

These are different stages of nursery life, with different practical demands. Direct garden access is useful for the youngest children, while the older rooms place more emphasis on managing personal routines and participating with others. The upstairs position of the Nursery Room is also a concrete point for families to weigh when considering how their child moves between activities.

Learning and Activities

EYFS provides the framework for learning and care: children develop skills through play, with activities shaped around their interests and next steps. In the Nursery Room, children's ideas and experiences from home contribute to both planned activities and spontaneous play. That gives familiar experiences a place in the nursery day.

Makaton, simple sign language used to support early communication and self-expression, begins with babies and continues through nursery life. It gives children another way to express themselves alongside developing speech. Baby activities also include water and sand, painting and other sensory materials, with routines adjusted as children become more mobile.

In April 2024, staff used paint and water activities to introduce comparisons of weight and size in the nursery room. Older children discussed what different parts of a flower do, and an external teacher supported School Room staff with preparation for children's next educational stage. These examples show how ordinary play and conversation can carry specific learning intentions.

Outdoor and Community Life

Garden access belongs to both of the youngest rooms, so outdoor exploration connects with their indoor play. For School Room children, outings into the local community extend experiences beyond the nursery building. Their value is practical: children can encounter places and situations beyond their familiar room while developing independence.

In April 2024, children grew vegetables and herbs, linking care for plants with learning about fresh food. School Room activities also introduced ways to reduce waste and reuse materials. These were concrete experiences rather than abstract instructions about looking after the environment.

Relationships and Communication

Key person time forms part of the Nursery Room's approach, alongside friendships and opportunities to rest. Babies have areas for quieter activity, and their routines change as their movement and interests develop. Care therefore includes the child's changing pace as well as the activities offered.

In April 2024, a weekly special person board highlighted a child and their family, while workshops and events gave parents opportunities to participate in nursery life. Staff kept parents involved in discussions about each child's requirements and life at home, and sent home activity ideas each term. For parents, those arrangements connected home experiences with what children were doing at nursery.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the April 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and praised early support for children with speech and language delays, including those awaiting outside services. This is a dated judgement, with a useful practical detail beneath it: support could begin before external intervention arrived.

Toileting develops through the rooms, starting with introductory steps in Tinie Room and becoming a stronger emphasis in the Nursery Room. School Room children practise toothbrushing and other habits associated with greater independence. The progression is about everyday self-care, not simply preparing children for learning activities.

Meals include a snack and lunch and tea with desserts, with food prepared both at the nursery and by an outside caterer. The sample menu includes macaroni cheese, cottage pie and fish fingers.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 69-71 Kidderminster Road, Hagley, Stourbridge, DY9 0QN. The nursery opens from 7.30am until 6pm on weekdays and operates across the year, closing on bank holidays. Monday to Friday, attendance choices are Full Day (7.30am to 6pm), AM Session (7.30am to 1pm) and PM Session (1.30pm to 6pm). These give families full-day, morning and afternoon patterns to fit their routines.

Enquiries can be made directly by telephone on 01562 228 349 or by email at hagley@cottontailsdaynursery.co.uk. A virtual tour presents views of nursery rooms, offering an initial way to understand the layout.

Funding and Paid Extras

In April 2024, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. Families weighing funded care alongside paid attendance need to distinguish the hours used from the costs associated with their chosen arrangement.

• Younger toddlers. In April 2024, activities were not consistently adjusted to involve the youngest toddlers fully. On a visit, ask how practitioners adapt the same activity for children at different stages.
• Consistency between rooms. The April 2024 improvement points included extending effective professional development to all staff. Ask how learning from the School Room is shared and put into practice elsewhere.
• Attendance and funding. The nursery's weekday opening window runs from 7.30am to 6pm. What booking pattern would suit your child, and how would funded hours, meals and non-food consumables be treated within its written quotation?

Cotton Tails at Hagley suits families seeking full-day, morning or afternoon attendance who value direct outdoor access for younger children and a gradual move towards practical independence. Makaton, separate stages of room provision and community outings give the nursery day concrete substance.

The April 2024 Good judgement provides a positive overall assessment, but the toddler planning and staff development points deserve attention. The strongest decision will depend on the room your child would join and how its daily arrangements fit their stage of development.