Highfield Nursery School

About Highfield Nursery School

Highfield Nursery School is the only state-funded nursery in Suffolk, and it holds the local authority’s sole Outstanding rating for its type. Located in Ipswich, this small mixed nursery for children aged two to five is led by headteacher Ruth Coleman. With no other state nursery in the county to compare it against, Highfield stands alone in its category, making it a unique option for families in the area seeking early years provision. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in 2024, awarded the school top marks across every category, including quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. This continues a strong track record: the school was also rated Outstanding in its previous inspection in 2013, demonstrating consistent high performance over more than a decade.

Academically, Highfield Nursery School does not participate in standardised testing like Key Stage 2 SATs or GCSEs, as it caters exclusively to pre-school children. Instead, its effectiveness is measured through Ofsted’s rigorous early years framework. In the 2024 inspection, inspectors judged the quality of education as Outstanding, noting that children make excellent progress from their starting points. The school’s personal development provision was also rated Outstanding, reflecting a strong focus on building confidence and social skills. With 110 pupils on roll, the nursery maintains a low staff-to-child ratio, allowing for individualised attention. While there are no Progress 8 or A-Level results to report, the school’s consistent Outstanding rating places it in the top tier of early years settings nationally, and its performance is particularly notable given that it is the only state nursery in Suffolk.

The school offers a range of facilities that support its early years curriculum, including art studios, music rooms, a forest school, a gymnasium, and even a chapel. Sports provision includes gymnastics, swimming, and dance, while extracurricular clubs such as Book Club and Eco Club give children additional enrichment opportunities. Highfield also has a strong SEND framework, with specialist support for social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication difficulties, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. As a state nursery, it is free at the point of use for eligible families, and its single-form entry means places are likely to be in high demand given its Outstanding status. This school is best suited to families in Ipswich and the surrounding Suffolk area who want a high-quality, inclusive early years setting with a proven track record and a broad range of activities built into the school day.

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