St Thomas Centre Nursery School, Birmingham
St Thomas Centre Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Birmingham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Thomas Centre Nursery School in detail
Who goes there
41% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 62.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (28%), Mixed (23%) and other ethnic groups (17%).
In 2026, 12 pupils (14.5%) received SEN support and 1 (1.2%) 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 Five Ways Rail Station, about 460 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lee Crescent (adjacent), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1534 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and public order offences. 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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Children make a good start to their education. They are happy and safe at school. They settle in quickly because staff are nurturing and attentive. Staff provide children with a range of interesting activities that help them to develop personal attributes such as collaboration, resilience and curiosity. The broad range of learning opportunities offered by the school help children to become confident and successful learners.
The school focuses strongly on supporting children's emotional needs. Staff understand the complexities of early childhood development and the need to help young children manage their emotions. They read stories, such as 'The Colour Monster', to help children understand their feelings and express them.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Since the last inspection, the school has reviewed and revised its curriculum. It is ambitious and designed to meet the needs and interests of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It ensures that children successfully build their knowledge and skills as they move through the school. The key knowledge and vocabulary that the school wants children to learn is set out clearly in each area of learning. This ensures that they are ready for the next stage of their education and transition to primary school.
Promoting good speaking and listening skills is a golden thread which runs through the whole curriculum. Most staff ask questions to check children's understanding and encourage dialogue. They teach children the importance of listening to others. However, on occasion, some children are not fully included in activities, and interaction between some staff and children can be limited. This constrains how well the school extends and develops some children's early communication and language skills.
From Ofsted's July 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
41.0%
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 St Thomas Centre Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Thomas Centre Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Thomas Centre 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
- 123
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 24
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 123 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 24 serious and 99 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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
12
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
15.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
83
Total Pupils
41
Boys
42
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
2
Teachers
41.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
2026 data
Questions parents ask about St Thomas Centre Nursery School
What is St Thomas Centre Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
St Thomas Centre Nursery School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2013 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Thomas Centre Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When St Thomas Centre Nursery School is oversubscribed, Birmingham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to St Thomas Centre Nursery School?
St Thomas Centre Nursery School has around 83 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to St Thomas Centre Nursery School?
Apply through Birmingham's coordinated admissions process, naming St Thomas Centre 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 St Thomas Centre Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 123 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 24 serious and 99 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 St Thomas Centre Nursery School?
St Thomas Centre Nursery School is at Bell Barn Road, Lee Bank, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 2AF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)