Rubery Nursery School: outdoor discovery and time to talk

A log cabin, gardening spaces and Forest School give outdoor discovery a clear place in Rubery’s nursery day. Inside, children have room for construction, stories and imaginative play. The provision serves children aged two to four: Willow is designed for two-year-olds, while Oak and Sycamore accommodate the older children.

There are 124 full-time equivalent places, with some children attending part time. Rubery is a local authority nursery school sharing a campus with Colmers Secondary School and Colmers Farm Primary School. It has its own nursery provision and is federated with West Heath Nursery School. Qualified teachers work alongside teaching assistants and support staff, giving families a school-based staffing structure from the nursery years.

Choice and small-group teaching alternate throughout the day. Children register themselves, and those in Oak and Sycamore fill their water bottles before Hello Time. This group session concentrates on early mathematics, communication or Stage 1 Phonics. Longer periods of play across the indoor and outdoor spaces follow, with focused group activities alongside them. Stories and singing bring children together again later.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning, development and safety. In practical terms, children explore ideas through play: indoors there are blocks, activities involving sand and water, a book space and opportunities for dramatic play. Outside, construction, planting and mark making sit alongside the log cabin. Children can choose different ways to investigate rather than spend the session on one adult-led activity.

Forest School groups use an area behind the nursery, with trained staff supporting exploration and listening. Weather suits help children keep playing in wet conditions. Health for Life adds vegetable and herb growing, connecting learning about nature with food.

At the October 2024 inspection, Ofsted identified communication as a central curriculum focus, with adults extending vocabulary and using visual prompts or signs when needed. However, staff were still learning to deliver a newly introduced curriculum, and some children’s understanding was consequently less developed than it could have been; further staff training and support were required. That is a useful issue for families to discuss when considering how learning is planned today.

Settling begins with a stay-and-play opportunity before entry. September starters have settling arrangements communicated individually, allowing families to prepare for their child’s introduction to nursery. Once attending, parents can raise concerns with their key person or speak to a senior leader at the session doors.

Tapestry records photographs, observations and comments about children’s progress. Parents can contribute their own updates, so communication includes experiences at home as well as nursery learning.

Willow’s routine includes a morning snack; lunch occupies a separate part of the day, followed by stories or rhymes. Startwell accreditation connects health education with eating, movement and dental care.

Additional needs receive targeted support coordinated through the SEND team, working with families and external services. In October 2024, children with SEND participated fully, with adapted activities and support plans setting out their next learning steps. Safeguarding arrangements were effective at that time.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Sharing a campus with a primary school should not be treated as securing entry there.

Learning records are passed to the infant school a child subsequently attends. This gives the receiving school information about progress and helps connect nursery learning with the next stage, separately from the allocation of places.

Term-time attendance runs between 08:45 and 15:00, with children expected in by 09:00. Collection takes place from 14:45. Part-time places follow fixed patterns: Monday and Tuesday plus Wednesday morning, or Wednesday afternoon followed by Thursday and Friday. The Wednesday morning session ends at 11:15; afternoon attendance begins at 12:30.

Children qualify for a funded 15-hour place from the term following their third birthday. Children who qualify for two-year-old funding can start the term after their second birthday, while 30-hour places depend on working parents meeting government criteria. An Out of School Club provides wraparound care between 07:30 and 17:30; ask the school for current charges.

Apply using a registration form submitted at nursery or emailed to enquiry@ruberyn.bham.sch.uk. For enquiries, call 0121 464 2158. Families should avoid driving or parking on Leybrook Road; use the nursery buzzer if the pedestrian gate is locked.