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Apple Tree Nursery (Castle Vale)

Ofsted: Expected standard·St Cuthbert's Church, St Cuthbert's Place, Castle Vale, B35 7PL · Birmingham
Number of places
24 places
Age range
1–4 yrs
Last inspected
Nov 2025
Local authority
Birmingham

About this day nursery

Apple Tree Nursery (Castle Vale) is a 'Childcare on non-domestic premises' setting located at St Cuthbert's Church in Castle Vale, Birmingham, operating since 2023. Catering to children aged 1–4 years, the nursery ensures children's welfare and wellbeing are paramount, starting each day with calm, familiar routines that help them feel safe and ready to learn.

The dedicated staff create a strong sense of connection and work tirelessly to help even the youngest children settle quickly through an effective key-person approach. Leaders at Apple Tree Nursery are adept at identifying individual needs, providing expertly tailored support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and using targeted programmes like sign language to strengthen communication.

The nursery also prioritises outdoor learning, providing new resources for physical challenges and imaginative play, ensuring all children can participate fully and thrive. The inclusive and ambitious curriculum, based on the EYFS framework, helps children, especially those with language development below expected levels, make impressive progress in communication, early mathematics, and independence, preparing them for their next stage of development.

What it's like

Children start each day with calm, familiar routines that help them feel safe and ready to learn. They take part in activities that spark their curiosity and encourage exploration, with staff introducing vocabulary and adapting to maintain engagement. New outdoor resources offer physical challenges and imaginative play, and inclusive strategies ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, participate fully and thrive.

Strong inclusionAmbitious curriculumExcellent SEND supportOutdoor learning focusStrong communication development

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)Tax-Free Childcare

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:00

Term time / All Year

Term_time_only

Established

2023

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Expected standard

Last inspected Nov 2025

Headline: Expected standard

Grade summary

Exceptional
—
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
—
Urgent improvement
—

Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.

Category grades

AchievementExpected standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesExpected standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
InclusionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceStrong standard
Age range
1 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Apple Tree Nursery (Castle Vale)

Last inspected 27 November 2025 · Vicki Abrahart

Safeguarding effective

What it's like to attend

Children start each day with calm, familiar routines that help them feel safe and ready to learn. They take part in activities that spark their curiosity and encourage exploration, with staff introducing vocabulary and adapting to maintain engagement. New outdoor resources offer physical challenges and imaginative play, and inclusive strategies ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, participate fully and thrive.

Inspector highlights

  • Children's welfare and wellbeing are at the heart of daily practice.
  • Leaders create a robust culture of inclusion that supports every child.
  • Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the setting's strengths and priorities for improvement.
  • Leaders design an ambitious, inclusive curriculum that gives children the knowledge and skills they need for their next stage of development.
  • Children who begin with below expected levels of language development make impressive progress.

Areas to develop

  • 1Leaders should continue to support staff to embed high-quality interactions that fully extend children's learning.
Inspection #2742035 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Leaders expertly and promptly identify children's individual needs through clear assessment systems. They use funding to provide additional adult support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and introduce approaches like sign language and targeted programmes to strengthen communication and early language. Staff receive regular training on how to implement agreed strategies to support children with SEND, adapting activities so that children can take part and succeed.

Outdoor space

Leaders enhance outdoor learning opportunities for children, especially those who may have limited daily access to outdoor play. New outdoor resources, funded and prioritised by leaders, offer physical challenges and imaginative play. Staff use clear language, gestures and visual prompts so every child can join in and feel successful in outdoor activities.

EAL / language support

Staff use clear language, gestures, and visual prompts to ensure every child, including those with English as an additional language, can participate and succeed in activities. Children who begin with below-expected language development levels make impressive progress through targeted activities and coordinated support.

Inspection history

Most recent inspection

27 November 2025

Expected standard

Only one graded inspection on record — a trend chart will appear here once a second graded report is published.

View full Ofsted report

Frequently asked about Apple Tree Nursery (Castle Vale)

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