St Thomas Centre Nursery School Review

An artist-in-residence and a studio classroom give creative exploration a concrete place at St Thomas Centre Nursery School. Children work with different materials, while stories and conversation help them understand both the world around them and their own feelings. These are useful clues to the nursery's character: making, talking and learning to cooperate feature strongly.

This maintained nursery school on Bell Barn Road in Lee Bank, Birmingham, serves children aged two to five. Ofsted graded its early years provision Good following the inspection on 16 and 17 July 2024. The strengths sit alongside two concerns that matter to a child's daily experience: uneven adult interaction and less developed learning outdoors.

Speaking and listening run across the curriculum. Children practise listening to one another, and adults use questions to explore their understanding and encourage conversation. The curriculum sets out the knowledge and vocabulary children should develop in each learning area. For parents, that means play has a learning purpose, with language connecting activities rather than being confined to a separate lesson.

Books provide another thread. Animated storytelling encourages interest in reading, and books go home for families to share. The Colour Monster helps children recognise feelings and put them into words. Reading therefore supports emotional understanding as well as literacy.

Practical materials make the classroom work distinctive. Real vegetables appear in the home corner; acorns, corks and cones become materials for portraits. Work in the studio classroom with the artist-in-residence holds many children's attention. Beyond the classrooms, visits to farms, supermarkets and nature centres connect learning with everyday places. Diwali celebrations and Chinese cookery introduce experiences of different cultures.

Outdoor activity includes balancing, running and climbing, helping children develop strength and stamina. Outdoor learning. In July 2024, activities outside did not extend every learning area sufficiently, including mathematics. Families should weigh the physical play opportunities alongside that limitation.

Children settled readily in July 2024, supported by attentive adults. Emotional support receives deliberate attention: stories give children language for feelings, and staff model kindness and cooperation. The celebrating me work recognises each child's individuality. Learning about hygiene and looking after themselves also forms part of the day, and snacks and meals were assessed as nutritious and healthy.

Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) draws on staff observations and information from families and other professionals. This helps identify needs and arrange timely support; children with SEND were progressing well in learning and wider development. Parent workshops help families support learning at home. Attendance checks include prompt follow-up when an absence is unexplained, and safeguarding arrangements were effective.

Adult interaction. In July 2024, some children missed opportunities to participate fully or develop language through conversation because staff interaction was inconsistent. This is a material qualification to the nursery's emphasis on communication.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Keep that application separate from the nursery decision.

The curriculum develops knowledge and vocabulary for the move to primary school. That educational preparation should be considered separately from admission to a particular school.

The address is Bell Barn Road, Lee Bank, Birmingham, B15 2AF. For nursery enquiries, telephone the school directly on 0121 464 0003.