Selly Oak Nursery School

About Selly Oak Nursery School

Selly Oak Nursery School is one of 17 nursery schools in Birmingham rated Outstanding by Ofsted, out of 27 in the local authority. That puts it in the top tier of early years provision in the city, and it’s the only nursery school in its immediate area to hold that grade — the next nearest Outstanding nursery, Weoley Castle, is 2.5 km away. The school serves children aged 2 to 7, which is unusual for a nursery, and its most recent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed it remains Outstanding. With just 77 pupils on roll and 9.5% eligible for free school meals, it’s a small setting where the headteacher, Amy Findlay, leads a team that has held the top Ofsted grade since at least 2010. The school’s early years provision and leadership and management were both graded Outstanding in its previous graded inspection, and the 2023 visit found no reason to change that.

Because this is a nursery school, there are no Key Stage 2 SATs or Progress 8 scores to compare against Birmingham’s LA averages — the school’s academic outcomes are measured through the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile instead. Ofsted’s 2013 graded inspection rated the quality of education and personal development as Outstanding, and the 2023 ungraded inspection confirmed the school continues to meet that standard. The school’s focus is on early development, with specialist support for speech, language and communication, and for autistic spectrum disorder. Given its small size and specialist SEND provisions, families whose children need targeted early intervention may find this a particularly strong fit, though the school is open to all children in the 2–7 age range.

Facilities include a Forest School, sensory room, gymnasium, outdoor playground, art studios and even a chapel — an unusual mix for a state nursery. Sports on offer are swimming and dance, and there’s an art club. The school has nursery provision on site, so children can start at age 2 and stay through to Year 2. Birmingham is a competitive LA for nursery places, and with only 27 nursery schools in total, Selly Oak’s Outstanding rating means it’s likely oversubscribed. Parents should check the school’s admissions criteria early. This is a school that suits families who want a small, specialist early years setting with strong outdoor learning and SEND support, rather than a larger primary with a wider age range.

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