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Nursery at Blackwood 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Rhymes, songs and books give Blackwood's nursery its clearest character: an introduction to reading through language and singing. Nursery provision forms part of Blackwood School on Blackwood Road in Sutton Coldfield, where the school's age range begins at 3. This is a school nursery with care beyond the classroom session: wraparound provision extends from 7:30am to 6:00pm, a useful practical feature for families fitting childcare around work.
Reading preparation begins in Nursery. At the inspection on 19 and 20 November 2024, Ofsted identified an organised introduction to reading, with singing and rhymes in an environment filled with books and opportunities for language. For parents, the concrete picture is of children beginning with spoken words and songs as they prepare to read.
Books are part of that learning environment, alongside the emphasis on language. The nursery-specific finding concerns preparation for reading from the point children join, making early literacy a clear feature of the provision.
The nursery day starts at 8:45am and finishes at 3:25pm, with a different lunchtime arrival or departure arrangement for children attending for 15 hours. Those timings distinguish the main nursery day from the longer span covered by wraparound care.
Communication can pass through several everyday routes. Parents can give messages to staff stationed at external doors, send a short written note in their child's bag, or leave a message with the school office team. School emails are checked during the day and can be passed to the relevant class teacher. These routes give families ways to share information alongside face-to-face messages.
For nursery children using 30 hours, lunchtime supervision carries a separate charge. The supervision period is 11:45am to 12:25pm, so families using that arrangement should include it when considering the day's care and current charges.
Attending Blackwood's nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the deadline for their child's intake. Walsall Council manages Reception admissions.
For September 2026 entry, the application deadline was 15 January 2026; that cycle is now past, and late applications use Walsall Council's late primary application route. Keep the nursery application and the Reception application as separate steps in family planning. A nursery place should never be treated as confirmation of a later school place.
Wraparound care is offered to nursery children between 7:30am and 6:00pm. The main nursery session runs from 8:45am until 3:25pm; children taking 15 hours arrive or leave around lunchtime. This distinction matters when planning collection and the length of childcare needed.
The school provides a route to apply for a 30-hour childcare code. For current charges, contact the school, including about the lunchtime supervision charge applying to 30-hour nursery children.
For September 2027 nursery entry, applications opened on 1 October 2026 and close on 31 January 2027. Applications need a birth certificate copy and evidence of the child's home address. Applications arriving after that closing date may not be considered.
The main day runs from 8:45am to 3:25pm. Children attending for 15 hours arrive or leave during the lunchtime period.
Yes. Nursery wraparound care is offered from 7:30am to 6:00pm.
Children sing songs and rhymes in an environment rich in books and language. Ofsted identified this nursery reading preparation on 19 and 20 November 2024.
No. Reception requires a separate application, and Walsall Council manages the admissions process.
Applications close on 31 January 2027. A birth certificate copy and proof of the child's home address are required; applications received after the deadline may not be considered.
