Hanbury Primary School Nursery

Talk, play and persistence shape Hanbury’s nursery: children are encouraged to explore ideas, solve problems together and keep trying when something proves difficult. This is nursery provision within Hanbury Primary School in West Bromwich, with morning and afternoon sessions rather than a single nursery timetable.

Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at its inspection on 25 and 26 April 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Play does substantial work here. Within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), children investigate, experiment and develop their own ideas, using both outdoor and indoor environments. Adults encourage questions and help children connect ideas. The purpose is practical: children have time to concentrate, attempt something difficult again and work out how to achieve what they want.

Communication runs through that approach. Children use language to tackle problems with other children, while staff help them find vocabulary for expressing feelings and explaining their thinking. Gestures and facial expressions also count as communication, giving children who find speech difficult other ways to participate. Learning includes group activities and support offered during play, rather than relying solely on spoken instructions.

In April 2023, the early years curriculum supported children’s language development, and leaders understood their individual needs. The school also had an outdoor play area for younger children. This adds a physical setting for exploration alongside the indoor learning environment.

Nursery teaching and support staff form the immediate team around children. Across the school, an inclusion lead combines the SENCO and designated safeguarding lead roles, and there is a team for family support and social, emotional and mental health needs. These are useful points of contact for families whose concerns extend beyond classroom learning.

Preparation starts before nursery. Families can share a nursery welcome book containing photographs and tips with their child, making the new setting more familiar. Parents also have preparation materials covering toilet training, phonics and school readiness. These give families concrete topics to work on together before the start.

Staff work with parents on children’s language development. That partnership matters here because communication is part of both learning and expressing what a child needs.

Attending Hanbury’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal local authority process and meet its deadline. Sandwell decides Reception admissions, while nursery applications go directly through the school office.

Keep preparation separate from allocation. Sharing nursery photographs or practising communication can help a child prepare for school, but neither secures their next place.

Morning nursery runs from 8:30am to 11:30am; the afternoon session runs from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. Those distinct start and finish times are the useful anchors for arranging the rest of a family’s day.

To apply for nursery, contact the school office for an application form. Families can also contact the school to arrange a visit, giving them an opportunity to consider the setting before applying.