Beechwood Childcare, Windy Arbor Nursery

A baby room capped at nine children, a garden accessible from every room and accommodation on the Windy Arbor Primary School site give this Chelmsley Wood nursery a clear practical character. Beechwood Childcare, Windy Arbor Nursery combines separate spaces for different stages with a key person chosen by the child and parent. That choice gives families a direct part in establishing the relationship between home and nursery.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 8 September 2022 inspection. Its current capacity is 58 children, with nursery ages spanning 2 to 60 months; school-age care is a separate part of the offer. The distinction matters when comparing the baby provision with the activities and attendance arrangements for older children.

Full-day care, morning and afternoon sessions, short introductory sessions and wraparound care sit alongside the School Club. The strongest reasons to consider Windy Arbor are its small baby-room cap, room-by-room outdoor access and arrangements connecting nursery life with the school site.

Rooms and Ages

The baby room has a nine-child cap and combines activities fitted around individual routines with natural materials, messy exploration and toys for play. For a family choosing care for a young baby, the useful detail is the room's own limit, rather than the whole nursery's capacity. A routine-led day also gives feeding, rest and activity a different starting point from the more structured experiences of older children.

Tweenie room accommodates 12 children, with nursery topics supplemented by activities shaped around children's interests. This makes children's preferred play part of the planning, rather than simply something they do between adult-organised activities. Staff use Parent Child Interaction Therapy Strategies to support play, communication and speech and language.

Preschool room offers 13 spaces and combines activities led by adults with play directed by children, displaying children's work in the room. The balance gives children opportunities both to follow an organised activity and to make choices about their own play. Questions and exploration are part of the approach, rather than learning being confined to a sequence of instructions.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, activities and play give children opportunities to communicate, explore materials and practise physical and social skills. It is the shared early-years foundation, rather than an extra programme unique to Windy Arbor. The room plans give it different expressions as children grow, from following babies' routines to supporting older children's questions and choices.

In September 2022, children used signs for the first sound of their names during a group activity. Dough play prompted words describing texture and actions, while stories and songs brought movement into the day. These examples show how communication could be practised through play and familiar routines, rather than only through a separate language activity.

There were also specific teaching points to address in September 2022. Adults sometimes supplied answers before children had sufficient time to respond, and some mathematical activities failed to engage all children, while early-writing activities lacked appeal, especially for boys. Those findings matter because an activity's educational purpose is only useful if children have time to contribute and want to take part.

Outdoor and Community Life

Every room can use the garden in different weather conditions. The outdoor space includes equipment for physical activity and natural materials for exploration, extending the day beyond indoor play. This is a practical benefit across the nursery, rather than an outdoor opportunity reserved for preschool children.

In September 2022, the mud kitchen prompted pretend baking with collected flowers and plants, including conversations about scent. Children also examined how water beads changed after absorbing water. These were concrete opportunities to notice changes, describe materials and develop ideas through hands-on play.

Relationships and Communication

Parents and children choose the child's key person when starting at Windy Arbor. For families, this puts a named role and an agreed relationship behind the transition from home, rather than leaving communication entirely to whichever adult happens to be nearby. Baby-room planning follows each child's routine, making information from home relevant to the nursery day.

Staff document development through observations and learning stories held in an individual profile. This gives the child's experiences a continuing record, rather than treating each day's activities in isolation. It also connects the room's routine-based planning with observations of what the child is learning and doing.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the September 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described staff identifying children who needed additional help, adapting support with parents and enabling children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to participate. These are dated findings about practice, rather than a guarantee about any individual child's future support.

In September 2022, staff discussed healthy food and dental care with children, and preschool children looked for hazards in the garden before outdoor play. These examples brought health and everyday safety into children's own understanding. Currently, a trained first aider is on site, and a quiet room provides somewhere to hear stories, relax or nap.

Healthy food and snacks are provided. The quiet room adds another useful physical choice: children can have a calmer space alongside the busier play areas.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, across 51 weeks of the year. It closes on bank holidays and for a week over Christmas. The opening window provides the overall limit of the day; full-day care, morning sessions and afternoon sessions are separate attendance options.

Short sessions are offered for children aged two and above as an introduction to nursery. Wraparound care serves Windy Arbor School Nursery, while the School Club runs from 8am until school starts and from the end of school until 6pm. The older-child service accepts children aged three to eleven, including children who do not attend Windy Arbor school.

For school-age children, club activities include cooking, games and indoor and outdoor play, with choices shaped around their interests and school topics. These arrangements should be considered separately from the routines and room provision for babies and preschool children.

Getting There

The address is Windy Arbor Primary School, Woodlands Way, Chelmsley Wood, B37 6RN. The nursery occupies purpose-built, self-contained accommodation on the school site. Branch enquiries can be made through its contact form or by telephone on 0121 788 3969.

In September 2022, most children moved on to the school or nursery on the same site, and familiarity with staff and routines supported that transition. Attendance at Beechwood does not guarantee a Reception place: families still use the local authority admissions process. Familiarity and admission are separate matters.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government-funded sessions are offered, with allocation on a first-come, first-served basis. Families must meet the eligibility conditions and complete the application steps by the deadline set by Solihull Metropolitan Council. This is an allocation rule, rather than an assurance that a particular session can be secured.

• Teaching priorities. In September 2022, adults needed to allow more response time and make number and early-writing activities more appealing. During a visit, ask how these changes are reflected in children's chosen play today.
• Baby-room fit. The baby room's cap is nine, and planning follows individual routines. Ask how your baby's feeding and sleep pattern would work alongside the room's shared activities and quiet space.
• Funded-session costs. Windy Arbor offers funded sessions and provides meals and snacks. Request a current written quotation showing the attendance pattern, funded hours and treatment of food and non-food consumables together.
• School-site convenience. Wraparound care serves Windy Arbor School Nursery, but nursery attendance does not guarantee Reception admission. Treat the childcare arrangement and the school application as separate decisions.

Windy Arbor suits families comparing full-day care with morning or afternoon sessions, as well as those seeking short introductory sessions or wraparound around the school nursery. Its nine-child baby-room cap, parent-and-child choice of key person and garden access from each room give that choice useful substance.

The September 2022 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, with specific teaching improvements to weigh alongside it. For younger children, the strongest practical case is the combination of routine-led baby care and separate space; for older children, it is the connection between room activities, outdoor play and the school site.