Ladypool Primary School Nursery Review

A separate nursery building gives Ladypool’s youngest children their own place within the Sparkbrook school site. The nursery and an extension serving the younger year groups date from the 1970s. This is the school’s own nursery provision, rather than a separate childcare provider.

The staffing structure includes a nursery teacher and a nursery teaching assistant. That gives families two clear nursery roles within a wider school team that also includes inclusion support assistants, a SENCO and a pastoral manager.

Learning about feelings and relationships has a named structure here: Jigsaw. Its early years planning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, with activities intended to develop social skills and help children recognise and express emotions. For parents, this means that learning to get along with other children forms part of the curriculum.

Themes change across the year. Celebrating Difference includes work on bullying, while Healthy Me and Relationships bring health and relationships into the learning programme. Children encounter the same themes as other year groups, with content adjusted to their level. The nursery belongs to a shared school approach, with age-appropriate learning within it.

Outdoor play also has a place in the school’s approach. Ladypool uses OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning), and the school site has a spacious outdoor area used daily by children. The physical setting therefore includes both a separate nursery building and outdoor space within the wider school grounds.

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted identified progress in writing from early years onwards, including for children with SEND and those learning English as an additional language, and described early years role play involving different jobs. Pretending to do an occupation gives young children a concrete way to explore the working world.

Families have several routes into school communication. The school’s arrangements include curriculum updates each half term, weekly newsletters and three parent consultations annually. Teachers, assistants and the pastoral manager are also available in the playground to discuss concerns or achievements. These provide both scheduled conversations and opportunities to raise smaller matters.

For children needing additional support, the September 2025 SEND policy sets out a cycle of assessment, planning, action and review. Parents contribute to early discussions and receive records of those conversations. Their consent is required when the school seeks involvement from specialist agencies. Support is therefore planned with family input.

The school’s support network includes Chatterboxes speech and language therapists and the Communication and Autism Team. These are school-wide arrangements; an individual child’s provision depends on their assessed needs. Trained designated safeguarding leaders provide a route for reporting concerns.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Birmingham’s school admissions website or the local authority preference form. Nursery attendance is not among the oversubscription criteria listed on the school’s admissions page, so it confers no priority under that list.

The SEND policy also provides for staff to exchange information about children and discuss their next classes during the summer term. This is continuity of support, separate from the allocation of places.

Nursery operates Monday to Friday. Staff are the stated contact for nursery timetable information, while the administration team handles admissions enquiries and requests to visit. Contact the office on 0121 464 7002 or email enquiry@ladypool.bham.sch.uk.

Reception applications. Choosing this nursery does not replace the later application for school. Treat the two decisions separately when planning your child’s next step.