YMCA, Small Street Day Nursery

Everyday objects and exploratory play give Small Street its clearest character. YMCA, Small Street Day Nursery in Walsall combines two rooms on the ground floor with an outdoor play area, giving children indoor space adapted to their stage and somewhere outside to play.

The nursery has capacity for 65 children aged 3 to 60 months. At its October 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good overall. That dated judgement sits alongside practical choices that matter to families now: full days, half days and a shorter School Day are offered.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care, with play supporting the skills they build as they grow. Here, rooms use familiar objects from everyday life to encourage children to investigate and explore. The resources are chosen for babies, toddlers and preschool children, so the starting point is their stage of development.

In October 2021, babies explored materials through objects they could throw, while older children experimented with a ramp, testing how objects moved and where they stopped. These were concrete opportunities to discover cause and effect. The activity began with something children wanted to do, giving staff a useful starting point for extending their curiosity.

Communication also shaped the day in October 2021. Children used gestures, signs and objects to express what they needed; action rhymes gave those still developing speech another way to participate. More confident speakers took part in conversations and asked questions. For parents, the useful distinction is that joining in did not depend entirely on being able to speak in sentences.

Outdoor and Community Life

An outdoor play area complements the ground-floor rooms. In October 2021, active games gave children opportunities to move energetically, while handwashing routines connected physical activity and daily care with an understanding of hygiene.

Role play in October 2021 included clothing associated with different traditions, including turbans, headscarves and mosque hats. This gave children tangible ways to explore differences among people in their community. Rather than leaving that understanding as an abstract idea, staff used resources children could handle and include in their play.

Relationships and Communication

In October 2021, staff helped new children become comfortable with separation from their families and supported changes between rooms and the move to school. Settling was treated as a change that children needed help to understand. That matters for parents looking beyond the first days to the later transitions their child will experience.

Conversations with parents were another part of care in October 2021, including opportunities to speak with staff in languages other than English. Staff also gathered information about children's existing skills and used it to plan subsequent experiences. Together, these practices connected what children brought from home with what happened during their nursery day.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the October 2021 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and judged that staff supported children with special educational needs and/or disabilities successfully through work with other agencies and additional staffing. These are findings from that visit, rather than assurances about today's staffing arrangements.

Independence was a more mixed picture in October 2021. Children chose resources for their play and practised using cutlery and clearing their plates, but adults sometimes stepped in before children had attempted manageable tasks themselves. There was also a leadership weakness: leaders had not checked whether staff implemented all recommended changes to their practice. Both points matter because the quality of an activity depends on how staff respond during it, as well as the resources they provide.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 1 Small Street, Walsall, WS1 3PR. Full-time attendance runs Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, throughout the year. Full Day bookings use the same hours, while Half Day attendance offers either 8am to 1pm or 1pm to 6pm. School Day bookings run from 8am to 3pm.

These choices serve different routines. A morning half day leaves the afternoon outside nursery, an afternoon booking starts after midday, and the School Day finishes earlier than a full day. The nursery closes for bank holidays and Christmas. Families can contact the nursery by telephone on 01922 700950.

Getting There

A free car park on site serves nursery collections and drop-offs. Local bus and train stations are within a 15 minute walk, providing an alternative for families using public transport.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes 15 Hours Free for All 3- and 4-Year-Olds, 30 Hours Free for Working Parents, and 15 Hours Free for Eligible 2-Year-Olds, subject to the relevant eligibility conditions. The standard entitlement for three- and four-year-olds and the working-parent offer can be taken during term time or spread across the year; additional paid hours are also offered.

Meals and snacks are prepared at the nursery; breakfast, morning and afternoon snacks, lunch and tea are optional, separately charged additions. Families should obtain current prices in the nursery's written quotation.

• Independence in practice. In October 2021, adults sometimes helped before children had tried everyday tasks themselves. During a visit, ask how staff now give children time to attempt these tasks and decide when help is needed.
• Consistency between practitioners. In October 2021, leaders had not checked whether staff implemented all recommended changes to their practice. Ask how leaders check implementation and address inconsistencies between practitioners.
• The whole booking cost. Full Day, Half Day and School Day bookings sit alongside separately charged food options. When discussing your chosen pattern, ask for a written breakdown covering funded hours, paid hours, food and any non-food consumables.

Small Street suits families choosing between full-day attendance and morning or afternoon half days, with the School Day providing a further option. Ground-floor rooms, an outdoor play area and optional food prepared on site give the practical offer substance. Its October 2021 assessment provides a positive historical judgement, balanced by clear improvement priorities around staff consistency and children's independence. Those priorities give a visit a useful purpose: understanding how practitioners turn exploratory play into learning while allowing children to do more for themselves.