The Old Station Nursery Walsall

In August 2024, children at The Old Station Nursery Walsall grew potatoes outdoors that were later used in their meals, connecting gardening with food at the table. In August 2024, that growing space sat alongside water play, shared stories and everyday jobs such as sweeping up after messy activities. Small experiences carried real learning.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 2 August 2024 inspection. Its strengths included warm relationships and learning woven into ordinary routines, while improvements were needed in adapting teaching, allowing children to join activities and protecting personal space during meals.

At 2 Birchfield Way on the Yew Tree Estate, the nursery accepts children aged 3 to 60 months and has 50 places in total. In September 2024, the nursery announced year-round and term-time-only arrangements, with flexibility over sessions.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, this brings learning and care together: conversation, play and practical routines help children develop skills rather than separating education from the rest of their day.

In August 2024, counting was part of moving outdoors, with staff using the steps to introduce numbers. Play also explored quantities, number order and what changes when items are added or removed. Children practised words describing position, giving them language for explaining where things were as well as opportunities to handle numbers.

Shared books and songs gave children opportunities to communicate with adults. Younger children carried materials outside and transferred water between containers. These were concrete activities with something to move, compare or talk about, rather than learning confined to listening.

Outdoor and Community Life

During August 2024, an outdoor growing space allowed children to cultivate potatoes that were subsequently used in their meals. That linked an activity outside with food at the table. Staff also discussed sunshine and avoiding sunburn, and made sure children's clothing suited hot weather.

Cooperation featured in play: children helped friends tackle difficulties and continued trying when something proved challenging. Tidying brought another kind of participation. Using a dustpan and brush after messy play gave children a useful task and a share in looking after their surroundings.

The teaching needed more adjustment when children of different ages or abilities played together. In August 2024, some children could not get the full benefit of an activity because the teaching did not suit their needs; the organisation of some activities also prevented newcomers from joining friends already playing.

Comfort was part of daily care in August 2024. Staff noticed tired children and helped them settle to sleep, while their relationships with children supported familiar, reassuring interactions. Meals followed recognisable routines, including handwashing, and adults sat with children to supervise eating.

At the August 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and SEND support good, with regular developmental assessment, external professional involvement and coordinated strategies helping children make progress. The practical mechanism mattered: staff identified developmental gaps and used advice from other professionals in their support.

Conversations with families also featured in August 2024. Parents received updates about development and ideas for extending learning at home, as well as reassurance during settling. Staff training included material on babies' communication, alongside supervision meetings where practitioners could discuss their work.

Preparation for school involved practical independence. In August 2024, children took responsibility for tidying and practised mathematical language and routines relevant to their next stage. These everyday habits formed part of preparing for the move.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. The September 2024 announcement introduced year-round places and term-time-only places, alongside flexible session arrangements. Those patterns addressed different needs: care throughout the year or attendance organised around terms.

Funding and Paid Extras

In September 2024, Walsall announced partly funded and some fully funded arrangements for eligible families, alongside the removal of additional charges for food and nappies.

The September 2024 announcement also described step-by-step help with funding applications and understanding monthly payments. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the attendance pattern and funding arrangement need to be read together when assessing the total cost.

The address is 2 Birchfield Way, Yew Tree Estate, Walsall, WS5 4LG.

• Mixed-age activities. August 2024 teaching did not consistently accommodate different abilities, and some activities were difficult for additional children to join. During a visit, ask how staff now adapt the same activity and make room for another child to participate.
• Mealtime comfort. In August 2024, adults sometimes stretched across children at the table, reducing their space and comfort. Ask to see how meals are organised and how staff help children while respecting their seating space.
• Attendance and the total bill. The September 2024 announcement combined term-time-only and year-round attendance with flexible sessions and removed additional food and nappy charges. Ask which of those arrangements apply now and request a written quotation separating funded care, privately paid time and any additional charges.

For families wanting either term-time-only attendance or year-round care, Walsall's September 2024 announcement offered useful practical choice. Its August 2024 daily life included hands-on learning, comforting care and ordinary tasks that gave children responsibility. The improvement points are equally concrete: adapting shared activities, making participation easier and giving children comfortable space at meals. Those are the details that should shape a visit and the final decision.