Jack and Jill's Day Nursery

Respectful care routines and exploratory play give Jack and Jill's Day Nursery in Halesowen its character: in December 2023, staff sought children's consent before wiping noses, while babies investigated ducks in a water tray. Small interactions mattered here.

At its December 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, made good progress from their starting points. The nursery has 65 places in total; children attending at that visit were aged 0 to 4.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care, bringing these together rather than treating education separately from everyday routines. In December 2023, planning incorporated individual children's interests and next learning steps. Babies heard staff describe their actions and introduce vocabulary, making ordinary play an opportunity for conversation.

Older children experimented with ice and warm water that month, connecting melting with temperature. There was something concrete to investigate. However, staff sometimes redirected children before their exploration was finished and answered questions before children had time to form their own responses. Better pacing was needed, alongside more purposeful organisation of activities and outdoor space.

In December 2023, children sought staff out to share play, and adults comforted children who became upset. Staff discussed feelings and offered calm areas where children could pause and reflect on their behaviour. Responses to challenging behaviour were consistent across the toddler and preschool groups, although outdoor space could have been used more effectively to redirect attention.

Communication with parents that month covered children's activities and their next learning steps. Staff also worked with families to reduce dummy use because of its potential effect on speech. These were practical conversations connecting care at nursery with routines at home.

Home-cooked meals featured in December 2023, with staff eating vegetables alongside children and discussing how food supports the body. Drinks included water flavoured with berries and lemons.

The address is 146-148 Coombs Road, Halesowen, B62 8AF.

In December 2023, opening hours ran from 7am to 6.30pm on weekdays, with year-round operation apart from public holidays and a Christmas closure lasting one week. At that time, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four.

• Time to explore. In December 2023, activities sometimes ended before children had finished investigating, and adults could answer too quickly. Sustained play and time to think are useful priorities when assessing the nursery's approach.
• Attendance and funding. In December 2023, the nursery opened on weekdays and offered early education funding for children aged two, three and four. Which current attendance and funding arrangement would fit your child's age and your working week?

For families who value respectful personal care, everyday conversation and hands-on exploration, the December 2023 picture gives useful reasons to consider Jack and Jill's. Its strengths sat in relationships and individual learning plans. The balancing consideration is how consistently children receive time and space to pursue an activity, especially outdoors.