Five Years of Impact: Celebrating the Birmingham Nursery School Collaboration
The Birmingham Nursery School Collaboration and Birmingham City Council Early Years Service have been working side by side since 2019 to strengthen early years education across the city.
This blog marks five years of shared success—and introduces the exciting next phase of our work together.
Since 2019, the Birmingham Nursery School Collaboration (BNSC) has been a powerful force for early childhood education—bringing together 27 Maintained Nursery Schools across the city with one shared mission: to give Birmingham’s youngest children the best possible start in life.
The core charitable mission of the BNSC is to advance early childhood education (from birth to age 7), championing care, education, safety, and family support.
Left to right: Sue Bennet and Clare Williams (Co-Chairs of BEYN), Sharon Lewis (Chair of BNSC), Claire Henebury (BNSC), Louise Bennett-Bayliss (Vice Lord-Lieutenant of West Midlands)
But it’s not just about what happens inside setting walls—headteachers and leaders are shaping the future of early years nationally, while driving innovation locally.
A recent highlight included Highfield Nursery School hosting a visit from Louise Bennett-Bayliss, the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of West Midlands, who explored the work of BNSC and the broader early years landscape in Birmingham.
During the visit, she also shared insights into the Princess of Wales‘ Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
A proud moment for Birmingham’s early years community!
Partnering for progress
Back in 2019, BNSC joined forces with Birmingham City Council Early Years Service to launch a bold new initiative: the Birmingham Early Years Networks (BEYN).
Fast forward five years, and BEYN has flourished—connecting over 80% of early years settings across the city through newsletters, network meetings, CPD, and district partnerships. It’s become a vibrant ecosystem of collaboration, learning, and shared purpose.
At a recent partnership meeting, leaders reflected on the journey so far—and the incredible progress made together.
What’s next?
With a new 5-year Memorandum of Understanding now in place, BNSC and Birmingham City Council are gearing up for the next chapter.
Priorities include:
Strengthening Communication & Language through WellComm
Supporting smooth transitions into Reception
Launching a cluster-based model to deepen collaboration across districts
District Network meetings will remain a cornerstone, while new approaches will help tailor support and drive even better outcomes for children and families.
Stay tuned for updates, opportunities, and ways to get involved. The next five years promise to be even more exciting—and we can’t wait to continue this journey with you!
