About us
Grove Community Project is experienced in providing quality childcare for the local community in Handsworth, Birmingham. We provide facilities for the care, recreation and education of children from 0-12 years old and their families.
It is part of the work of the St James Church, Handsworth, and was set up in March 1994, receiving charitable status in 1998. Our fees are kept to a minimum and supplemented by grants from charitable organisations in order to make our services accessible to all.
Our ethos
We are dedicated to providing an environment that will lead to happy children. We encourage children to believe in their own potential and to recognise that relationships are built on mutual respect. We also provide children with unique sporting, artistic and musical activities. We hold the Aiming Higher 4 Children Quality Assurance Award for children from 0-16 years of age.
We recognise that delivering quality childcare is about understanding the needs of each child. Getting to know the family and involving them in their child's progress is a fundamental element of this. We invite Nursery and After School Club parents to attend with their child once a term to see their work and meet with staff to discuss progress. Parents also speak informally with staff on a more regular basis when picking up or dropping off their child. We benefit from a strong continuity in our users, allowing staff to build up good relationships with the children and their families. Many of our children attend Nursery, followed by our Before and After School Club and holiday playschemes, establishing good friendships outside of the school environment.
We follow the Reggio Emilia approach at Grove Community Project, an educational philosophy that originates from Reggio Emilia in Italy and is based on a child-centred approach to learning. Children are encouraged to develop through creativity and by making their own choices. We have an artist who works with both staff and children to promote independent thinking and responsibility. The After School Club children have their own Children's Committee where they meet to discuss ideas and input into the decision making of the organisation.
We also encourage a healthy lifestyle and were awarded a Healthy Setting award from the Lord Mayor of Birmingham in March 2009. We encourage children to participate in sports and provide healthy meal and snack options.
Ofsted
We have been rated as a consistently 'Good' setting since our first inspection in 2004, with many inspectors commenting on the very good progress made by children in the exciting and creative learning environment.
Our latest Ofsted Report (2017) is available here.
What you manage at Grove is nothing short of spectacular. Thank you for the tireless behind the scenes hours you put in, and the joy you have on the frontline playing with the children.
Parent
I came away feeling inspired - you've created something very special at Grove and I really admired the creativity, trust and respect that you've engendered, which came across very clearly while I was with you.
Matt Griffths, Executive Director, Youth Music
Very big thanks to all my lovely teachers for helping me grow and learn. Your hard work throughout the last two years was appreciated. Thanks to all of you.
Child from After School Club
Thank you for everything in regards to Dylan's [name changed] development over the past 2 years. You have enabled him to become a very competent speaker, and for this I am very grateful.
Parent
Parents speak very highly about the nursery and say that they would recommend it to others. They are very pleased with the progress their children make, particularly in developing confidence and communication skills.
Ofsted Report 2017