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Nursery at Olive Hill Primary Academy
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Songs, rhymes and make-believe give Olive Hill’s nursery its language-focused character. Children aged three and four attend the school’s own provision on Springfield Road in Halesowen, with nursery groups named Elm and Bay. There are 60 places measured as part-time equivalents: 30 morning and 30 afternoon places.
In April 2026, Ofsted judged the early years to meet the Expected standard. This is an early-years judgement within the school inspection, rather than a separate nursery rating. The nursery’s practical shape is straightforward: a three-hour session on each weekday, giving children a regular pattern of shorter days.
Talking and listening have a clear purpose here. In April 2026, nursery children enjoyed singing, rhyming and pretend play, activities that helped them develop language and learn to play with others. Across the early years, adults encouraged children to investigate, sustain attention and explain their thinking. Movement and making marks also developed physical skills, giving learning a balance between conversation and action.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) connects seven areas of development. Its starting points are communication, physical development and learning about feelings and relationships. Literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world extend those foundations. In parent terms, children practise expressing themselves, moving with control, counting, exploring materials and making sense of their surroundings. These are connected experiences rather than isolated subjects.
Outdoor exploration includes looking at plants and animals in the early-years outdoor area. The wider school grounds include a forest school area, a trim trail and two large fields. Those are school facilities; the nursery’s specific outdoor learning emphasis is on investigating the natural world.
Adults observe children’s interests, achievements and ways of learning, then use those observations to plan what comes next. Parents’ observations contribute too. That gives families a useful role in connecting what a child does at home with their learning in nursery.
Settling was a positive feature of the early years in April 2026: children became comfortable quickly, felt secure and liked learning. Staff helped them handle emotions and develop friendships, so learning to manage a disagreement or join another child’s game formed part of the educational work.
For additional needs, the school’s support structure includes a special educational needs coordinator (SENCO), class teachers and learning support assistants. Wellcomm is used to assess language development and organise support for individuals or small groups. Speech and language therapists and the Integrated Early Years’ Service are among the external services the school can involve.
Children on the school’s SEN register have individual support plans, developed with parents and reviewed each term. Families can raise concerns with the teacher or contact sen@olive.dudley.sch.uk. Physical access includes a single-storey school building, a disabled toilet and ramps to outdoor areas, useful considerations for children with mobility needs.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place or give an application any priority. Families must apply separately through their home local authority, including when that authority is outside Dudley, and meet the normal application deadline. Dudley coordinates applications to Olive Hill.
For children with SEND, nursery-to-school transition can include additional meetings between home and school and an enhanced transition where appropriate. This is support for the change of setting, separate from the decision about admission.
The nursery offers 15 funded hours for three- and four-year-olds. Children are allocated either mornings, 8:45am to 11:45am, or afternoons, 12:30pm to 3:30pm, Monday to Friday. There are autumn, spring and summer intakes, with eligibility beginning in the term after the third birthday. Nursery applications go directly to the school and are accepted throughout the academic year.
Email info@olive.dudley.sch.uk for nursery enquiries or telephone the school office on 01384 958439. Visits can be booked through the office. At collection, allowances can be made for parents collecting children in other year groups at the same time, helping families coordinate the end of the day.
The school’s nursery provision is for three- and four-year-olds, with entry in the term after a child’s third birthday.
Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoon sessions run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Both operate Monday to Friday.
The nursery offers 15 government-funded hours for three- and four-year-olds, with a morning or afternoon session allocated.
No. Attendance gives neither a guaranteed place nor an advantage to the Reception application. A separate application through the home local authority is required.
Speak to the child’s teacher or contact the SENCO at sen@olive.dudley.sch.uk. The school uses Wellcomm for language assessment and intervention and can discuss referral to speech and language therapy.
