Anker Valley Nursery and Care Club

A fairy door, children creating their own book and access to a primary school library give Anker Valley Nursery and Care Club a recognisable character. In November 2023, these were practical starting points for drawing, early writing and choosing stories, rather than decoration alone. Children's interests helped shape the activities around them.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its inspection on 30 November 2023. Based at Anker Valley Primary Academy in Tamworth, it accepts children aged 30 to 48 months and has 24 places in total. Funded places and privately paid attendance are both offered.

The nursery opens during term time, with a daytime window of 9.15am to 3.15pm; separate care clubs serve children attending the academy.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning and care, covering seven areas of learning through experiences such as conversation, play, stories and early mathematics. Alongside that framework, the group-wide child initiated curriculum lets children's interests guide activities, with staff observing play and intervening when they can help a child take the next step. This gives adults a purposeful role while preserving children's choices.

In November 2023, literacy took several forms. Children drew pictures and composed messages for the fairies associated with the room's fairy door. They also chose a daily story by voting and worked together on a book: adults recorded their ideas, while the children supplied illustrations. Writing had a reason behind it. Visits to the school library extended that interest into books children could borrow and enjoy at home.

Early mathematics appeared in ordinary routines during November 2023. At the snack table, children recorded their choices using tallies, which were then compared to establish the favourite snack. Language work was similarly concrete: adults demonstrated the meaning of a new descriptive word while stretching play dough. Both examples connected an idea with something children could see or do.

Outdoor and Community Life

Children can move between indoor and outdoor learning spaces throughout nursery sessions, including in different weather conditions. That choice matters for a child who prefers movement or outdoor exploration to an activity inside.

During November 2023, independence included finding coats, putting them on and returning them to their pegs. Outdoors, an egg timer helped children share the tricycles by making the end of a turn visible. Children had also watched chicks hatch and subsequently helped care for the chickens, giving their learning about living things a continuing practical element.

Relationships and Communication

Secure online accounts allow parents to follow their child's development and contribute their own observations. Communication can therefore include what happens at home as well as what staff see during nursery play.

In November 2023, key persons knew children's interests and used them to plan activities. Parents received information through an online application and joined celebrations within the setting. Children also poured their own drinks and selected snacks, making everyday care routines opportunities to practise independence.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described early identification of possible special educational needs followed by targeted help for children and their parents. This provides a dated assessment of both protective practice and the response to emerging needs.

There were clear areas for development in November 2023. Quieter children were not consistently drawn into discussions, and children struggling with emotions did not always receive consistent explanations about limits on their behaviour. For parents, these points matter as much as the appealing activities: a child needs support to participate, express an idea and understand what happens when play becomes difficult.

School familiarity was built through shared experiences in November 2023. Nursery children joined assemblies and ate in the school dining hall with older children, introducing routines they would encounter beyond nursery. Those experiences supported preparation for school.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Anker Valley Primary Academy, Brooklime Way, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 0FD. Nursery opening hours are 9.15am to 3.15pm during term time, with closures for school holidays and inset days. Families needing holiday childcare should factor those closures into their arrangements.

For academy school children, breakfast club runs from 7.30am until 9am. The detailed after-school club schedule runs from 3.20pm until 6pm. These are school-child services, so the nursery's daytime hours remain the relevant window for preschool attendance.

Funding and Paid Extras

Attendance can use funded places or chargeable nursery sessions. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01827 949310 or by email at ankervalley@opoj.fierte.org.

Attending this nursery does not guarantee a Reception place at Anker Valley Primary Academy. Sharing the school site can make routines more familiar, but the admissions decision remains separate.

• Joining conversations and managing emotions. The November 2023 improvement priorities concerned quieter children's participation and consistent guidance during difficult moments. During a visit, ask how staff now support those situations.
• Term-time childcare. Nursery closes during school holidays and inset days. Its calendar suits families able to arrange care around those breaks.
• School care club collection times. The general school care description gives a 5.30pm finish, while the detailed after-school schedule gives 6pm. Families using that service should confirm the collection time before booking.
• Settling into the nursery day. Children's interests shape activities and parents can contribute through online accounts. Ask how the settling plan and key-person relationship would work for your child.

Anker Valley suits families seeking term-time nursery attendance centred on children's interests, as well as academy families using breakfast or after-school care for school-aged children. Its strongest examples connect imagination with practical learning: fairy messages, shared book-making and school library visits.

The November 2023 findings also give parents specific matters to weigh, especially for a quiet child or one who needs help with emotions. The combination is appealing, provided the term-time calendar and the support for participation fit the child and family.