Music Box Nursery, Darlaston

A children's council discussing vegetables and a vote to choose a book give Music Box Nursery, Darlaston its character: children had a say in what they learnt. At its May 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding overall, with the same judgement for education, behaviour, personal development and leadership.

Based at Rough Hay Gospel Hall in Wednesbury, the nursery has capacity for 24 children aged four months to five years. The council and book voting belong to May 2023, when the children attending were aged two to four. That distinction matters for families considering care for a baby.

In May 2023, storytelling involved an air pump standing in for the wolf's breath. It gave children a concrete way to engage with a familiar story. Staff also revisited vocabulary through planned activities, helping children use language in conversation rather than encounter new words just once.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, the May 2023 examples included language through stories, practical skills through handling vegetables and decision-making through voting.

Outdoor play brought children together across ages and abilities in May 2023. Children discussed salad ingredients, cut vegetables and pretended to prepare pierogi, a Polish dish. These activities connected conversation with practical tasks. A visiting nurse also talked about hygiene and health, giving those subjects a human reference point.

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, strong collaboration with other professionals supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and highly effective parent partnership. These are dated judgements, rather than assurances about today's practice.

In May 2023, staff helped children regulate emotions by breathing together before talking about feelings. Home visits supported conversations with families about children's welfare, online risks and issues in the community. Parents contributed views that shaped planning and received information to continue learning at home.

Family languages had a place in daily learning that May: parents read stories in their home language, and children explored Polish traditions. Handmade gifts for community members, book donations and contributions to food banks gave children practical ways to consider other people. Staff also received reflective training and used observations of colleagues to examine their own practice.

The address is Rough Hay Gospel Hall, Hall Street East, Wednesbury, WS10 8PL. The nursery operates during term time and closes for school holidays; its opening hours are 8.30am to 3pm, Monday to Friday.

In May 2023, sessions ran from 8.30am to 11.30am and from 12.30pm to 3.30pm on weekdays during term time, with an optional lunchtime session between 11.30am and 12.30pm. Those are historical session arrangements, separate from the current opening hours. Funded early education for children aged two, three and four was provided at that date.

Preparation for Reception in May 2023 included developing pencil grip so children could mark their own attendance. This was a practical link between hand control and an everyday task.

• Younger children. The current age range starts at four months, while the May 2023 children attending were two to four. Families choosing baby care should weigh that distinction when reading the inspection examples.
• Term-time attendance. School holidays are closure periods. At a visit, which current session pattern would fit your family's weekly routine?

Music Box suits families whose childcare needs follow the school terms and who value children's participation in learning. The May 2023 account offers concrete reasons to consider it: decision-making, practical outdoor activities and family contributions to language learning. Its strongest quality evidence is that dated Outstanding judgement; families choosing care for younger children should give particular attention to the difference between today's age range and the ages attending then.