5 Star Day Nursery Great Barr

An upstairs baby unit and a two-storey outdoor area give this Great Barr nursery a clear physical character. Discoverers and Pre- explorers start in the youngest rooms; Explorers and Inventors move towards greater independence, with a garden, sandpit and allotment area adding space for practical exploration. The progression matters: routines change as children grow, rather than expecting babies and preschool children to follow the same day.

At its March 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There were also two clear improvement priorities: making organised activities accessible to everyone and explaining why behaviour boundaries matter. Those details deserve as much attention as the grade.

5 Star Day Nursery Great Barr has capacity for 48 children aged 2 months to 5 years. Its home is Hildarose House, 2/4 Ennerdale Road, Birmingham, B43 5NP. Full-day, morning and afternoon bookings give families different ways to organise attendance.

Rooms and Ages

Discoverers covers 0–1 years and Pre- explorers 1–2 years; their shared upstairs baby unit is divided into two and accommodates 12 babies altogether, rather than 12 in each room. The routine adapts to individual babies, with daily opportunities to play outside.

Explorers, for children aged 2–3, uses two rooms, with independence, communication and co-operation developed through choices, imaginative play, construction and messy activities. A nearby changing and toilet area supports toilet training, while the snack bar lets children help themselves to water and fruit. After lunch comes a nap. Outdoor play includes the garden and messy area twice daily.

Inventors serves 3–5-year-olds, combining adult-led activities with children's own play, a structured routine, regular outings and free-flow access to the outdoor messy area and garden. Problem-solving and independence are central to its preparation for school.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play and everyday routines build communication, physical skills and growing independence.

In March 2024, songs and shared stories were used to encourage speech, while language assessments helped staff spot gaps and plan support or referrals. This gave communication a place in ordinary nursery activities, alongside a route to additional help when needed. Staff also brought their cultural backgrounds into the day through food, traditional clothing and conversations about their experiences, giving children tangible ways to explore differences.

The same month, an activity at a water table illustrated an important weakness: its position against a wall left some younger children struggling to get involved. They moved away when they could not find space. An appealing activity needs to be reachable as well as planned; participation was therefore a specific improvement priority, rather than a criticism of the activity itself.

Outdoor and Community Life

The two-storey outdoor area includes an allotment area, tree house and sandpit. These offer different kinds of exploration beyond indoor toys, while the toddler and preschool arrangements connect outdoor play to their normal routines. Inventors also takes regular trips and outings, extending experiences beyond the nursery.

In March 2024, children played outside daily, with tree climbing and balancing on tyres providing manageable physical challenges. Tandem tricycles and football brought another dimension: children had to co-operate as well as move.

Relationships and Communication

Babies' routines are adjusted to their individual needs, and introducing meals after weaning involves discussion with parents. This makes home information practically useful, especially when feeding patterns are changing. The nursery encourages families to share concerns and details about their child's experiences outside childcare.

Monthly newsletters carry updates and a calendar of activities and events. In March 2024, verbal handovers worked alongside an app carrying photographs, food information and developmental updates; staff also shared books, resources and ideas for learning at home. The value was in the combination: a quick conversation could convey immediate needs, while the app supplied details parents could return to later.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In March 2024, children with SEND received reassurance when unsettled, help during meals and easy access to their comforters. These were concrete care practices, attentive to the moments when a child needed additional support. Staff also sat and talked with children at meals, encouraging self-feeding and letting them pour water, so care routines doubled as opportunities to practise independence.

Behaviour teaching needed more explanation at that visit. Staff responded to unwanted behaviour, but did not consistently help children understand its consequences for safety or another child's feelings. Stopping an action and understanding why it should stop are different steps; the improvement priority concerned the latter.

Collection arrangements include a family password, advance information about who will collect and photographic identification for someone collecting in a parent's place. An access-control door system provides another practical boundary. These are arrangements for managing access, separate from the dated safeguarding judgement.

For moving on, the nursery has a transition process from nursery to primary school. Inventors' emphasis on independence and its structured routine supports that preparation. This is about becoming ready for the next stage, rather than a claim to an admissions advantage.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7.30am–6.30pm, Monday to Friday, with closures on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas. The booking times sit within that opening window: both Full Time and Full Day run from 8am to 6pm; Morning runs from 8am to 1pm and Afternoon from 1pm to 6pm. Families can therefore choose a shorter session as well as a full day.

For funded-only attendance using 15 hours, the arrangements include three morning or afternoon sessions, mixed morning-and-afternoon combinations, or a full day paired with a morning or afternoon. The 15-hour funded-only offer is term-time. Children using only the 30-hour entitlement attend three full days, each from 8am to 6pm; families using additional paid hours can select sessions and have their entitlement deducted from the charge.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by emailing info@5stardaynursery.co.uk or by calling 0121 448 3181.

Getting There

Hildarose House is a semi-detached building in the Hamstead Village area. Its address is 2/4 Ennerdale Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, B43 5NP.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes Early Learning for Two’s for eligible two-year-olds, universal 15-hour funding from the term following a child's third birthday, and extended funding totalling 30 hours for eligible working families with three- and four-year-olds. Early Learning for Two’s includes Family and Home Learning Support; parents can also pay through a Tax Free Childcare account if eligible.

Meals and snacks are included in the session packages. Parents supply nappies, wipes and required creams, as well as babies' milk feeds; bottle preparation requires measured boiled water and formula in a separate container for staff to mix when needed.

Additional attendance beyond funded hours is paid for privately. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, allowing families to compare the attendance pattern they need with their funding entitlement.

• The upstairs baby unit. Discoverers and Pre- explorers share accommodation for 12 babies, with routines adapted individually. On a visit, ask how movement between the upstairs unit and outdoor play works for your child's day.
• Participation and behaviour. In March 2024, improvement priorities concerned access to organised activities and explaining the consequences of behaviour. Ask how room layouts and staff explanations now address those specific points.
• Funded attendance and home supplies. Funded-only patterns are prescribed, while nappies, wipes, creams and babies' milk come from home. Ask for a written breakdown of meal and consumable arrangements on your proposed funded booking, alongside any additional paid hours.

This nursery suits families choosing between full-day care and morning or afternoon sessions, with different room routines as children grow. The shared baby unit has a clear capacity, Explorers offers practical steps towards independence, and Inventors connects a structured day with outdoor access and regular outings.

The March 2024 Good judgement sits alongside useful detail about communication, physical play and support, but also specific work to do on participation and behaviour explanations. The strongest fit is for parents who value that progression from individual baby routines to greater independence, and who can work with the stated funded-only attendance patterns and home-supplied baby essentials.