St Mary's Handsworth Nursery Review

Learning to share, take turns and become more independent gives St Mary's early years its clearest character. The nursery belongs to St Mary's C of E Primary and Nursery, Academy, Handsworth, on Hamstead Road in Birmingham. It is part of the school, so the wider school's arrangements for supporting families are relevant alongside the nursery's everyday learning.

St Mary's describes its Christian vision through love, peace and hope, while valuing different faiths and beliefs. That gives families a clear sense of the school's intended ethos.

Exploration and growing independence are the strongest features of the early-years learning described in November 2023. Adults helped children engage enthusiastically with learning, building their ability to work more independently. For a parent, the emphasis is on children gradually doing more for themselves, with adult support along the way.

Sharing and taking turns also formed part of early-years learning in November 2023. These are practical social skills: children learn to make room for one another and participate alongside their peers. Social and emotional development therefore sits alongside the learning itself.

In November 2023, the curriculum began in the early years and connected learning across successive year groups. Its emphasis included identity, heritage and culture, giving children's learning a broader purpose as they prepared for their next stage.

SEND identification included the early years in November 2023, with additional needs recognised promptly. There was also an important school-wide concern: a small minority of pupils were receiving insufficient support, and the effectiveness of newly introduced approaches had not yet been evaluated. Families considering additional support should keep that dated concern in view when discussing their child's needs.

The school's inclusion team combines a SENCo with pastoral and learning mentors. Parents participate in an assess, plan, do and review process to agree next steps. This provides a structure for discussing needs and revisiting support rather than treating an initial plan as the final answer.

A SEND Parent Committee, established in 2023, helps shape communication and workshop themes. SEND coffee mornings take place once each half term. For individual questions about a child, the class teacher is the first contact, giving families a direct starting point for discussion.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the relevant deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and securing a school place as separate decisions.

The independence and turn-taking developed in early years are useful preparation for the next stage of learning. That educational preparation should be kept separate from the question of admission.

Nursery drop-off and collection use the after-school club door. This is the nursery's specific handover point, helping families identify the correct entrance.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 0121 554 3751 or email enquiry.stm@fioretti.co.uk. Prospective families can arrange a school tour by contacting the school; visits do not depend on a special open day. A conversation with the office is also the direct route to beginning a nursery enquiry.