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Nursery at Bleakhouse Primary School
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Pretend swimming, towels and armbands give Bleakhouse’s nursery a distinctive picture of learning through play. In June 2023, children shared the seaside play area and practised speaking in sentences with staff encouragement. Imagination and conversation worked together.
Bleakhouse Primary School in Oldbury has a 26-place nursery within its early years provision, housed in the modern building alongside Key Stage 1. The school serves children from age three. Most nursery children attend three-hour sessions, totalling 15 hours each week; limited full-time places provide 30 hours for eligible working parents. Ofsted graded early years provision Good at the inspection on 21 and 22 June 2023, a judgement covering the school’s early years rather than a separate nursery inspection.
Play shapes the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the nursery’s curriculum framework, with children choosing some activities and adults directing others. That means time to pursue their own ideas alongside experiences planned by staff. The seaside example shows how this can combine imaginative play, taking turns and developing spoken language.
In June 2023, children settled into routines promptly and played cooperatively. Learning took place in an orderly, focused atmosphere, and children wanted to show adults what they had done. Staff and children related warmly to one another.
Early years children also participate in school assemblies and celebrations, with opportunities to meet older pupils. Their day therefore extends beyond their own class. Curriculum information goes home through a termly flyer, giving parents topics to talk about with their child.
Language support includes Early Talk Boost, intended for children aged three to four whose language development is delayed. This gives families a named programme to discuss when speech and communication need additional attention.
Relationships begin before the first session. Staff meet children and parents at home or in their existing setting, while an induction meeting takes place near the end of the summer term. Each child has a key worker who discusses progress with parents and involves them in deciding the next learning steps. Families have a specific contact for those conversations.
For children with SEND, the school’s support process includes a SEND Provision Plan and reviews at least once a term, involving parents. The 2025–2026 SEND information report describes individual interventions informed by Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists and the Communication and Autism Team. Support can therefore draw on specialist advice as well as classroom observations.
Lunch for nursery children runs from 11:45am to 12:15pm. The dinner-menu page includes all-day nursery, and Cool Milk provides free school milk for children younger than five. These are useful parts of planning a full day.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Parents must make a separate Reception application through the normal local authority route and meet the deadline for their child’s entry year. Sandwell’s application is required even for families already using the nursery.
Admission priority. The school’s arrangements for 2024–2025 did not include nursery attendance as a priority criterion, and excluded nursery siblings from the relevant sibling rule. Check Sandwell’s arrangements for the year you need before applying.
Transition support is a separate matter. For children with SEND, individual programmes can include extra visits, and information about support strategies passes to the next year-group teacher. Familiarity and preparation help with the change; they do not determine admission.
Morning nursery runs from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoon sessions run from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. Full-time nursery runs from 8:45am to 3:15pm. The limited 30-hour option is for eligible working parents, so this condition matters when choosing a pattern.
Breakfast Club runs from 7:45am to 8:45am. Funzone offers after-school care until either 4:30pm or 5:30pm. Both admit pupils attending Bleakhouse, operate during term time when school is open, and are booked through Arbor. Charges apply; payments use ParentPay. Parents sign children in or out at the entrance beside the school office.
Contact the office on 0121 422 2841 or generaladmin@bleakhouse.sandwell.sch.uk for nursery enquiries or to arrange a visit. School uniform combines royal blue knitwear, white tops, grey skirts or trousers and black shoes; label clothing clearly.
Morning sessions are 8:45am–11:45am and afternoon sessions are 12:15pm–3:15pm. Limited full-time places run from 8:45am–3:15pm and provide 30 hours for eligible working parents.
No. Families need a separate Reception application through the local authority process, including those whose child already attends Bleakhouse’s nursery.
Staff meet children and parents at home or in their previous setting before entry. Families are invited to a summer-term induction meeting, and each child has a key worker.
Early Talk Boost is intended for children aged three to four with delayed language development. Parents can also raise concerns with their child’s teacher or the SENDCo.
Yes. Contact the school office on 0121 422 2841 or generaladmin@bleakhouse.sandwell.sch.uk to arrange one.
