Story Wood School Nursery Review

Play, early sound work and outdoor exploration give Story Wood’s nursery its character. This is on-site provision for three-year-olds at Story Wood School on Hastings Road, Birmingham. Children begin their education within the primary school, with morning sessions and full-time places offering different lengths of day.

In July 2025, Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery. Nursery-specific findings highlighted activities arranged to encourage curiosity and the beginnings of children’s understanding of sounds.

Children have opportunities to choose their own play as well as join activities led by adults. The school describes an approach shaped by children’s interests and experiences, with room to investigate, experiment and revisit learning. This gives exploration a clear place alongside teaching.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the curriculum framework. In parent terms, it brings together movement, communication and emotional development with early reading, number work, creativity and discovering how the world works. Learning therefore extends beyond preparation for reading and writing: relationships and physical development matter too. In July 2025, children were beginning sound work in Nursery, giving early literacy a concrete starting point.

Story Wood, the school’s Forest School space, adds an outdoor dimension. It is used by all pupils, with practical exploration continuing throughout the year in different weather; appropriate clothing is provided. Seasonal change becomes something children experience directly. A farm visit also formed part of the nursery’s planned experiences for 2024–2025, linking learning about the world with a setting beyond school.

Additional support starts with identifying individual needs. Early years assessments help staff recognise developmental gaps and set targets. Where difficulties persist despite intervention, children can receive SEND support. Parents contribute to planning and reviewing that support, with additional SEN meetings each term and an annual written progress update.

The school’s support options include speech and language therapy, individual or small-group work, and a Sensory Room for children who need a calmer space. These are school-wide resources allocated according to need, rather than a fixed package for every nursery child. Medical support can include a care plan developed with parents and health professionals, staff training and changes to the environment or activities.

Food choices across the school include meat and vegetarian dishes. Examples include chicken balti and vegetable curry, alongside a mixed salad bar. These give families a sense of the school’s meal options without treating the menu as a nursery-specific lunch arrangement.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process; Birmingham City Council is the school’s signposted admissions route. Keep the nursery decision and the Reception application separate in your planning.

Transition support includes time in new classes, meetings involving parents and staff, and extra visits for vulnerable children where appropriate. Familiarisation helps children prepare for a change of classroom. It does not secure admission.

Nursery doors open at 8:50am, with morning collection at 11:50am. Children holding a full-time place finish at 3:15pm. The longer day is conditional on having that place, so families should plan around the session offered to their child.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school on 0121 464 3863 or email enquiry@storywoodschool.co.uk. The school office also handles enquiries about High Achievers, an out-of-hours childcare service run by staff outside the school team.