Brearley Nursery School, Birmingham
Brearley Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Birmingham. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, ended in a report card: 4 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Before that it was rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in March 2022.
- Ofsted report card
- 4 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Brearley Nursery School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades Brearley Nursery School on 6 areas: 4 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Attendance is affected by the very young age of the children."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion shapes everything this nursery does."
Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders know the community deeply and have shaped a school that puts children and families at its heart."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Personal development sits at the heart of children's learning at this nursery."
Achievement - Expected standard. "Children join the nursery from starting points that are typically low."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have planned the curriculum carefully across all areas of children's learning."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should develop adults' use of open questioning and modelling of peer-to-peer interactions so that children sustain conversations with each other and extend their thinking"; "Leaders should ensure that staff can identify when children are ready to be stretched and challenged in their learning, enabling them to make the best possible progress".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Who goes there
62.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 67% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (68%), Asian (14%) and other ethnic groups (11%).
In 2026, 24 pupils (25.5%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is St Paul's (West Midlands Metro), about 560 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tower Street (adjacent), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Brearley Nursery School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 1221 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Birmingham (435), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 5 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- InclusionStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Brearley Nursery School
Children at Brearley Nursery School arrive each day to adults who know them and their families well. Their photographs sit on family trees in every room. The languages they speak at home appear on the walls. Children feel safe. They say that the adults look after them. They enjoy coming to nursery. They speak with pride about visits to the farm and the nature reserve. They have opportunities to feed sheep on their trips. An artist and a music teacher come in each week to work alongside them. Children take part in everything the nursery offers. Those who find busy rooms hard spend time in a smaller, quieter space. They join their friends outside and return to the larger rooms when they are ready. Children who do not yet use words are met with signing, pictures and puppets. Children learn to recognise and name their feelings. Parents say their children use the same words and pictures at home. Children are calm. They follow the routines they have learned. They sing as they line up and as they walk downstairs. They eat lunch at tables where each child has a placemat with their name on it. The school cook prepares a hot meal for them each day. Children share toys and take turns. When they need a reminder, an adult is close by to help. Children get out into the wider world. They visit the library. They mark a day to celebrate the different cultures in their nursery and their parents come in to share in this. They explore the woodland through forest school sessions. For some, going on a school visit is the first time they have travelled on a bus or a tram. For their families, the nursery is a place where they too feel welcomed and supported.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should develop adults' use of open questioning and modelling of peer-to-peer interactions so that children sustain conversations with each other and extend their thinking.
- Leaders should ensure that staff can identify when children are ready to be stretched and challenged in their learning, enabling them to make the best possible progress.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 12 May 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Brearley Nursery School is outstanding at making every child feel valued and included. Staff know families personally and provide practical support so no child is left behind. The nursery offers enriching experiences like farm visits, artist sessions, and music lessons that broaden children's worlds and help them develop confidence and independence.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional inclusion and support for children with special educational needs - visual timetables, sensory resources, and dedicated key workers
- Strong leadership deeply connected to families, offering practical support like transport and subsidised meals
- Calm, nurturing environment where children learn routines, feelings recognition, and develop independence
- Enriching experiences including trips, artist visits, and weekly music sessions funded through additional support for disadvantaged children
- Consistent safeguarding culture where all staff understand their responsibilities
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching could extend children's speaking more - they need more opportunities to talk with each other, not just adults
- Staff need better skills at identifying which children are ready for greater challenge and stretching their learning
- Use of open questioning and modelling peer interactions could be improved to help children have longer conversations
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have created an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and children feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips to country parks, farm, nature reserve, library visits, forest school sessions, culture celebration day, artist visits, weekly music teacher sessions, graduation ceremony
Brearley Nursery School is a highly inclusive nursery that puts children and families at its heart, with strong leadership and a deep commitment to the local community. All children make progress from typically low starting points, particularly in communication and language.
At a Glance
62.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Keep up with Brearley Nursery School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Brearley Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Brearley Nursery School is in Birmingham; for families living there:
- How to apply: Travel passes for 5 to 16 year olds
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 87
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 12
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 87 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 12 serious and 74 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Birmingham is 41 (the median across 517 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Birmingham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Birmingham
Across Birmingham council
Places available
14,956
Applications
14,483
Got 1st preference
75.7%
Got preferred school
97.4%
All secondary applications across Birmingham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
24
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
25.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
94
Total Pupils
48
Boys
46
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
2
Teachers
47.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Brearley Nursery School
What is Brearley Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Brearley Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2022, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Brearley Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Brearley Nursery School is oversubscribed, Birmingham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Brearley Nursery School?
Brearley Nursery School has around 94 pupils on roll. 63% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Brearley Nursery School?
Apply through Birmingham's coordinated admissions process, naming Brearley Nursery School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Brearley Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 87 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 12 serious and 74 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Birmingham is 41 (the median across 517 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Brearley Nursery School?
Brearley Nursery School is at Brearley Street, Newtown, Birmingham, West Midlands, B19 3XJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)