Early years Day Nursery Handsworth

Early years Day Nursery Handsworth
Unique reference number (URN): 2791329
Address: 318 Hamstead Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, West Midlands, B20 2RA
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 16/05/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Aprex Limited
Inspection report: 3 June 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
All children, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities, thrive and
generally achieve well from their starting points. Younger children learn to play socially, and
older children demonstrate kindness and consideration towards each other. For example,
they greet each other when they arrive and help each other take off their coats. Children
explore and investigate the world around them. For example, they begin to understand the
concepts of floating and sinking in the water tray, and they feel the textures of leaves in the
garden. Children become curious learners.
Children learn key mathematical skills through repeated practise in meaningful contexts. For
example, children count how many items they have used to build a structure outside and the
steps as they walk up the stairs. This helps to build fluency in their number skills. Children
build on their early mark-making skills. For example, younger children use egg crayons to
make marks, and older children choose their own writing implements and give meaning to
the marks they make. This means they are well prepared for their next stage in learning.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Developing children's social skills is a priority for staff. Children learn to take turns and
share. Older children are beginning to understand this and say when it is their turn. This
helps children develop patience and be able to play together cooperatively. Children
generally behave well. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour, while
considering children's ages, stages of development and individual needs. They explain rules
and the reasons for them. For example, staff remind children to use their 'walking feet'
indoors and not to throw soil as it may get into other children's eyes. This helps children to
understand and follow the rules.
Children are eager to join in with the engaging activities on offer. For example, outside,
children explore bubble making, and inside, most children join in with water-play activities.
This means that children develop positive attitudes to learning. Children engage in daily
routines that staff are working to embed. Leaders and staff understand that children benefit
from predictable routines. They promote the importance of attendance and punctuality to
parents and carers through discussions and newsletters, for instance. Overall, children
attend well and are punctual. This helps children to develop habits that support learning.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Children develop warm and positive relationships with staff. Developing children's sense of
belonging and emotional security is a priority. Children talk to staff frequently about their
home lives, sing songs about how they feel and name and talk about the feelings of
characters during story times. This helps children to feel safe, valued and emotionally
secure. Staff understand that each child is unique, and they adapt activities and the
environment to be inclusive and meet individual needs.

Children benefit from regular fresh air in the large outdoor area. They navigate obstacles
courses, climb slides, blow and catch bubbles and pick leaves. This supports children's
physical development and their mental health and helps them to learn about the world.
Children eat meals that are balanced, nutritious and considerate of home-eating habits. This
supports children's physical growth, cognitive performance and helps them to develop
positive healthy-eating habits. On the whole, children are supported to become increasingly
independent. They take off their own coats, hang them on their labelled pegs and wash their
own hands. However, at mealtimes, children do not have consistent opportunities to use
cutlery or to practise independence skills, such as pouring their drinks and tidying away their
plates. This limits children's opportunities to become increasingly independent in feeding
themselves and tidying up after themselves.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Teaching methods are generally effective and support children to learn and make progress.
Leaders and staff have a secure understanding of what they want children to know and do.
They observe and assess children to identify any gaps in their knowledge and skills. The
activities that staff provide to address these gaps in learning and development are exciting
and motivating. For example, while mixing gloop, children exclaim 'oh wow', in response to
the changing mixture. This promotes a sense of wonder and awe for children and supports
them to make progress in their learning.
Children benefit from calm, caring and sensitive interactions with staff. However, at times,
staff do not provide enough time for children to process questions and instructions. This
limits children's opportunities to respond and hinders their processing skill development.
Overall, learning is appropriate, and children are given the opportunity to follow their
interests. For example, during sensory play activities, staff support children who become
fascinated with tipping water from a height. This shows children that they are valued,
supports them to learn how things work and motivates them well. Children develop their
spoken language through all areas of learning. Staff plan specific words to introduce, model
and repeat new language such as 'scooping', 'pouring' and 'splash'. As a result, children are
very vocal in their play. Younger children make sounds, and older children repeat words.
This helps children to extend their vocabulary and become effective communicators.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders and staff foster a caring and inclusive culture. They work with families and external
agencies to identify children's needs quickly. This ensures that children get the help and
support they need as early as possible. Staff generally have a clear understanding of each
child's needs and progress. They have high expectations of all children and adapt the
curriculum and routines to reduce barriers for individual children.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Leaders have
the insight and expertise to support positive outcomes for children. Staff implement
strategies, including those recommended by specialist professionals, to support children's
individual needs. For example, visual timetables and physical items that represent activities
are used to support children with communication needs to help them understand their
environment and anticipate routines. These strategies reduce anxiety and help children to

transition between activities. Children who are known to social care and those experiencing
challenges receive effective support. Leaders work well in partnership with safeguarding
agencies. Leaders support families to secure the funding their children are entitled to. They
spend additional funding effectively to impact children positively.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders are passionate about the provision they offer. They aim to build on their successes
since opening and work hard to embed high-quality care and education across the setting
for all children. Leaders support and challenge one another well. They generally have an
accurate understanding of what high-quality teaching and provision looks like, and they
share their expert knowledge and skills with staff. They provide staff with regular and
constructive feedback on their practice through daily coaching and mentoring. Leaders plan
professional development opportunities that generally support staff in their roles. Staff feel
valued and that their workload is manageable.
Leaders understand the setting's context well and are committed to meeting the needs of
the children and families they serve. Leaders engage with external and specialist
professionals thoughtfully and positively. They are generally clear on the setting's areas of
strength. However, their analysis of areas for development is not consistently precise. This
means that professional learning opportunities are not always precisely matched to the
development priorities, which impacts the potential for improvement.
Leaders successfully promote regular attendance through newsletters and discussions with
parents. They maintain regular communication with parents and invite them into the setting
daily and for special events. Parents and carers speak positively about the service that
leaders and staff provide. They praise staff for the relationships they build with their children.
They report that their children are happy to come to the setting and miss it when they are
unable to attend. Parents feel their children make progress, particularly in their speech and
language, and would recommend the setting to others.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are very happy to attend this new and nurturing nursery. They quickly develop
positive and secure attachments with staff, who know them well. For example, children sit on
the laps of staff and ask them to play. Children settle quickly, grow in confidence and
develop a sense of belonging. Children benefit from staff working in partnership with their
families and external and specialist professionals. Relationships within the local community,

such as a local mosque and primary schools, are also developing. This collaborative
approach helps give every child the chance to reach their potential and thrive.
Children receive a broad curriculum that generally supports their development across all
areas of learning. Children of all ages learn in a well-planned and organised environment,
both indoors and outside. Overall, resources are chosen well to support children's progress.
Children and staff share stories in cosy and inviting book areas. This encourages children to
develop a love of reading. Developing children's communication and language is a focus
that runs throughout the whole curriculum. Staff assess children's language development
and plan activities to target specific vocabulary. Planned vocabulary is modelled through all
activities, and communication is promoted through high-quality interactions. This helps
children to develop early language skills and become confident communicators.
Children's cultural and religious backgrounds are highly valued. Children take part in
activities to learn about and celebrate their own and others' religions. National and world
events are also planned into the curriculum, such as Remembrance Day and World Art Day.
Children's families are invited in for special occasions, such as a coffee morning for Mother's
Day. These experiences help children to develop an awareness of different people, cultures
and beliefs, while promoting respect, inclusion and understanding. Children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning receive
early support. This ensures that all children progress from their starting points and are ready
for their next stage in learning. Children typically attend regularly and are on time. This
supports them to develop habits that support future learning.
Next steps
Leaders should consider how to enhance opportunities for children to become more
independent, particularly at mealtimes.
Leaders should support staff to more consistently help children process and respond to
questions and follow instructions.
Leaders should strengthen self-evaluation procedures to inform a clear and precise
understanding of areas for improvement and match professional learning opportunities
even more precisely to these priorities.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with children, leaders, staff and parents during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The
registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for
children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

Inspector:
Caroline Albanese
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2791329
Address:
318 Hamstead Road
Handsworth
Birmingham
West Midlands
B20 2RA
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 16/05/2024
Registered person: Aprex Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Birmingham
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 3 June 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
Total number of places
30

Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard
The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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