Little Men And Misses, Roman Way, Redditch

A six-baby Baby Base and direct outdoor access from the Main Nursery give Roman Way a clear physical identity. Little Men And Misses, Roman Way, Redditch combines care for younger children with provision linked to the school day on the Roman Way First School site. For parents, the important distinction is between the nursery rooms and the arrangements supporting children around school attendance.

At its June 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective, with communication, independence and relationships among its strengths. There were also two practical priorities: using observations more precisely to shape teaching, and making outdoor learning as ambitious as the activities indoors. Those priorities matter alongside the grade.

The nursery has capacity for 18 children, with a current age range of 3 to 60 months. Its opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; school nursery wraparound and breakfast and after-school provision are also part of the offer.

Rooms and Ages

Baby Base accommodates six babies and has changing facilities within the room, keeping personal care close to the space where babies spend their day. That is a useful concrete detail for parents comparing the youngest children's accommodation.

Main Nursery starts from 20 months and combines resources children can return to with free movement between the indoor space and outdoors. Its stated room capacity is 28, a different measure from the nursery's whole-setting capacity of 18; families should clarify how that room figure relates to the provision they are considering.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and daily routines all contribute to learning. In June 2023, the curriculum gave particular attention to communication and emotional development, with learning planned to build from the baby stage through to preschool.

The examples were practical. In June 2023, babies joined songs through sounds and movements, two-year-olds remembered language from familiar stories, and older children explained how they would move water together. These activities gave children reasons to listen, remember and express an idea, rather than treating language as a separate exercise.

Independence also ran through the day in June 2023. Babies practised feeding themselves and using open cups; two-year-olds served food and cleared their plates; older children took increasing responsibility for personal care. Ordinary routines became opportunities to practise skills, with staff adjusting the challenge to children's stage of development.

Outdoor and Community Life

Free access outdoors is a feature of Main Nursery. In June 2023, children also experimented with stacking tyres and deciding whether they could cross them safely, bringing judgement and physical challenge into their play.

The outdoor teaching needed further development at that date. Activities sometimes repeated familiar learning rather than matching the ambition indoors, and planning needed to cover the framework's seven areas more fully. Direct access to outdoor space is useful, but what children are encouraged to do there matters just as much.

Relationships and Communication

In June 2023, each child's key person knew them well, and babies developed close relationships with staff. Children encountered clear expectations and gentle reminders, while older children could explain why behaviour such as hurting insects was wrong. The emphasis was on helping children understand their actions as well as follow boundaries.

Settling arrangements in June 2023 extended across the first six weeks, with staff working closely with families during that period. Parent workshops and frequent progress updates continued the relationship beyond settling. For a family starting nursery, that made the initial adjustment part of a longer conversation about their child.

There was a limitation to the individual planning at that date: staff did not consistently turn what they observed into sufficiently precise next steps. Knowing a child well and identifying exactly what to teach next are connected tasks, and both matter when parents discuss progress.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the June 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff supported language development well, including good progress for children learning English as an additional language. Singing with babies, shared stories and older children's explanations provided concrete examples of that support.

In June 2023, children had access to drinking water and ate nursery-provided meals and snacks; staff also worked with families over the nutritional content of packed lunches. Food therefore formed part of both daily care and communication with parents.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Colts Lane, Redditch, B98 0LH, on the Roman Way First School site. Opening hours run from 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and two weeks at Christmas. Families needing continuity across school holidays should build those closures into their arrangements.

The attendance options include wraparound for Roman Way First School Nursery, plus Breakfast and After School Club for Ipseley and Roman Way schools. These serve different needs: extending a school nursery day and supporting attendance before or after school. They should be considered separately from the opening window for nursery care.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded places are offered for two-, three- and four-year-olds. Funding can run during term time or be stretched across the year, allowing families to consider the distribution of funded hours alongside their attendance needs. Eligibility and the practical pattern need to fit the individual family.

The contact form includes Roman Way as a nursery choice, giving enquiries a direct route to this setting. A separate visit-booking form also allows families to select Roman Way.

• Outdoor learning and individual next steps. June 2023 brought priorities around outdoor planning and more precise use of observations. During a visit, ask to see an example of how a child's next step shapes activities indoors and outside.
• Room size and school-day provision. Baby Base has a six-baby cap, while Main Nursery carries a 28-place figure alongside an 18-child whole-setting capacity. Clarify which space and attendance arrangement your child would use, and how those figures relate.
• Funding and daily supplies. Term-time and stretched funding are options for two-, three- and four-year-olds. What would your written quotation include for meals, nappies, wipes and additional hours?
• Reception applications. The nursery operates on the Roman Way First School site. Attendance does not guarantee a Reception place; families still need to use the local authority admissions process.

Roman Way merits consideration for parents who value a small baby-room cap, in-room changing facilities and an older room with direct outdoor access. Its June 2023 strengths were rooted in everyday practice: communication, growing independence and close relationships with families.

It suits families considering nursery care for younger children, school nursery wraparound, or breakfast and after-school provision. The two teaching priorities from June 2023 deserve attention during a visit, alongside the fit between the room arrangements and the attendance pattern a family needs.