Hedon Nursery School

About Hedon Nursery School

Hedon Nursery School is one of only four state nursery schools in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and every single one of them holds an Outstanding rating from Ofsted. That means this school is not an outlier; it is part of a small, high-performing group within the local authority. The school’s most recent inspection, an ungraded visit in 2023, confirmed that it “remains Outstanding,” a standard it has maintained since at least its previous graded inspection in 2013. With just 75 children on roll aged two to five, it is a deliberately small setting. The headteacher, Claire White, leads a school where early years provision, leadership and management, and overall effectiveness have all been judged as Grade 1 (Outstanding). For parents in the area, the headline takeaway is clear: this is a nursery that sits at the very top of the local authority’s provision, but it is not alone — it shares that distinction with three other nurseries in the East Riding.

Because Hedon is a nursery school for children aged two to five, there are no Key Stage 2 SATs, Progress 8 scores, or A-Level results to report. Academic outcomes at this stage are measured through the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile, and Ofsted’s inspection framework focuses on the quality of early education rather than raw attainment data. The 2023 ungraded inspection did not publish a new breakdown of the early years provision grade, but the previous graded inspection in 2013 awarded the highest possible mark of 1 (Outstanding) for early years provision, personal development, behaviour, and leadership. The school’s consistent Outstanding rating across two inspections spanning a decade suggests a stable, high-quality early years offer. Compared with the local authority average for nursery schools — where all four settings are Outstanding — Hedon is exactly in line with the best available standard. For parents, this means the school meets the highest benchmark for early years education in the region.

The school offers a range of facilities that support its early years curriculum, including a Forest School, a sensory room, an outdoor playground, music rooms, and a dining hall. There is also a chapel on site, which is unusual for a state nursery. Sports provision is limited to gymnastics, but clubs such as Eco Club, Book Club, and Art Club give children additional enrichment opportunities. The school has a specific SEND provision for children with Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia), which is a targeted resource rather than a broad offer. As a state nursery, admissions are handled through the local authority, and with only 75 places, oversubscription is likely in a popular area like Hedon. This school will suit families who want a small, high-quality early years setting with strong outdoor learning and a clear track record of Outstanding provision, but who are also comfortable with a limited range of sports and a focused SEND offer.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Hedon Nursery School

Helpful Guides for Parents