Castle Vale Nursery School, Birmingham
Castle Vale Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Birmingham. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Castle Vale Nursery School in detail
Castle Vale Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "As a school we are term-time only. We provide Outstanding early education for children aged 2 to 4 years. We offer part time sessions for 5 mornings or 5 afternoons or full time places for those eligible. We are a truly inclusive school supporting all children regardless of need or their starting point."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 6.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (64%), Mixed (15%) and Black (12%).
In 2026, 28 pupils (20.9%) received SEN support and 2 (1.5%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chester Road Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brabazon Grove (adjacent), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Castle Vale 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 216 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Birmingham (435).
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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from September 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Castle Vale provides a genuinely happy, supportive environment where children feel safe and loved. Staff are experts at balancing when to stand back and let children learn from mistakes, and when to step in with help. Your child will develop strong language skills, love of reading, and the confidence to try new things through outdoor forest school experiences and thoughtfully designed indoor activities.
Key Strengths
- Dynamic leadership with high expectations and a rich, carefully organised curriculum
- Exceptional progress for all children through thorough assessment and individualised support
- Strong focus on communication and language skills with staff skilfully introducing and practising new vocabulary
- Wonderful indoor and outdoor learning environments that develop physical, social and emotional skills
- Impressive personal development provision with regular visits and community experiences
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff paying close attention to individual needs and maintaining strong communication with parents and carers.
Extracurricular Activities
Forest school, local park visits, community visitors
Castle Vale Nursery School continues to be an outstanding school where every child gets the support they need to thrive through active, magical and fun learning. The school's vision 'Making a difference. All of our children, all of the time' is embedded throughout the curriculum.
At a Glance
6.0%
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 Castle Vale Nursery School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Castle Vale Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Castle Vale 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
- 42
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 36 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 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(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
28
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
22.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
134
Total Pupils
58
Boys
76
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
3
Teachers
44.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,270
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Castle Vale Nursery School
What is Castle Vale Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Castle Vale Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Castle Vale Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Castle Vale Nursery School is oversubscribed, Birmingham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Castle Vale Nursery School?
Castle Vale Nursery School has around 134 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Castle Vale Nursery School?
Apply through Birmingham's coordinated admissions process, naming Castle Vale 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 Castle Vale Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 36 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 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 Castle Vale Nursery School?
Castle Vale Nursery School is at Yatesbury Avenue, Castle Vale, Birmingham, West Midlands, B35 6DU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)