Head Start Day Nursery
Good★ 4.9 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Birmingham for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 16:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2021, though that is 5 years ago now. Open since 1989, with 56 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Birmingham
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Birmingham from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
B33 8AGWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 24 September 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children make good progress in accordance with what they already know and can do. Staff arrange a gradual introduction to the nursery. They work closely with parents to meet children's individual needs. Relationships between staff and children are good. Children behave well. They learn that some things are shared and that sometimes they must take turns. Older children understand that when they express their views and opinions during a large-group activity, they must also listen to what others have to say.
Children learn to identify and talk about their emotions. When asked about what they should do if they feel angry, older children say they should 'breathe deeply and count to five'. Younger children respond obligingly when staff ask them to look in a mirror and make a face that corresponds with a particular emotion, such as a
'happy face' or a 'sad face'.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- give young children more time to put their thoughts into words when asking them simple questions, and more time to join in with popular songs and rhymes n notice and support young children's interest in sensory exploration to a greater extent.
- 24 September 2021Good
- 5 October 2017Outstanding
- 16 April 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Head Start Day Nursery
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.