Mother Nature Childcare

A steep grassy bank and a suspended tyre gave outdoor play a physical edge at Mother Nature Childcare in May 2023. Children looked for insects, tested their balance and swung from a suspended tyre. These concrete experiences give the nursery's inspection-era character more substance than a general promise of learning through play.

At its 26 May 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good overall, describing engaged children, purposeful play and a curriculum that built skills progressively. Mother Nature Childcare is based at Kates Hill & Sledmere Children's Centre in Dudley and accepts children aged 6 to 60 months, with 38 places in total.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: play supports skills such as communication, movement and early mathematics. In May 2023, younger children acted out taking dolls to hospital, while preschool children combined drawing, writing practice and counting. Learning had practical applications within activities children chose themselves.

Outdoor experiences added different challenges. In May 2023, younger children negotiated long grass and a steep bank, while preschool children used a suspended tyre. Looking for bees and other insects brought exploration alongside physical activity.

Mathematics also threaded through play in May 2023. Staff modelled counting for younger children, while preschool children explored how numbers corresponded to groups of objects. The emphasis was on understanding quantity rather than simply reciting numbers.

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described SEND support involving timely referrals to health professionals, personalised interventions and additional funding directed towards the children it supported. This gives families a dated picture of both protective practice and the mechanisms used to obtain extra help.

In May 2023, staff recognised when children needed reassurance or rest and helped them identify emotions and develop ways to manage them. Parents received updates about children's achievements. Key persons knew their children well, but colleagues covering their absence did not understand learning priorities in enough depth, weakening continuity across the week.

Staff development was another improvement point in May 2023. Induction and supervision supported practitioners, but training opportunities needed to broaden so staff could extend their teaching skills.

The address is Kates Hill & Sledmere Children's Centre, Selborne Road, Dudley, DY2 8LJ. Current opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closure on bank holidays. This opening window matters for working families, but is separate from an individual child's booking pattern.

In May 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. That describes participation at that date rather than establishing today's funding arrangements.

• Continuity of learning. Sharing children's learning priorities with staff covering a key person's absence was a May 2023 improvement point. Families should explore how that handover now works.
• Staff development. Broader training opportunities were requested in May 2023. The useful issue is how subsequent development has shaped everyday teaching.
• Attendance arrangements. The nursery opens across the year from 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays. Which booking patterns and funded-hours arrangements would fit your child's week?

Mother Nature Childcare suits families who value practical play, outdoor physical challenge and early mathematics woven into everyday activities. Its May 2023 picture combines engaged children with concrete areas for improvement in learning continuity and staff development. The current weekday opening window is useful for families organising work and childcare, while the dated findings give a clear basis for weighing the nursery's educational character.