St Paul's Nursery School

About St Paul's Nursery School

St Paul’s Nursery School is the only state nursery in York, which makes its headline metrics impossible to compare against a local average for its type — there simply isn’t another school to measure against. What we can say is that it holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across both its most recent inspections. The school’s most recent graded inspection, in June 2018, rated overall effectiveness as Good, with leadership and management also judged Good. An ungraded inspection in September 2023 confirmed the school continues to meet that standard. With just 61 pupils on roll and a low proportion of children eligible for free school meals (6.7%), this is a small, stable setting. The headteacher, Claire Rigden, leads a team that has kept the school consistently well-regarded since its previous Outstanding rating in 2013, though the current grade reflects a shift in Ofsted’s criteria rather than a drop in quality.

Because St Paul’s is a nursery for children aged two to five, there are no Key Stage 2 SATs, Progress 8 scores, or A-Level results to report. Academic outcomes are not measured in the same way as for primary or secondary schools. Instead, the school’s quality is assessed through Ofsted’s inspection of early years provision, and the most recent graded report found the school to be Good overall. The previous inspection in 2013 rated it Outstanding, so the change to Good in 2018 reflects a tightening of the inspection framework rather than a decline in performance. Parents considering this school should focus on its strong track record of consistent Good ratings and the fact that it remains the only state nursery option in York, meaning it occupies a unique position in the local early years landscape.

The school offers a range of facilities including a gymnasium, dining hall, music rooms, art studios, and a chapel, which is unusual for a nursery setting. Sports provision includes swimming and gymnastics, and there are clubs for art and gardening. SEND support is well-developed, with specific provisions for speech, language and communication needs, physical disabilities, and a resourced provision. As the sole state nursery in York, places are likely to be in demand, though the school’s small size means it can offer a highly personalised environment. This setting will particularly suit families looking for a state-funded nursery with strong specialist SEND support and a broad range of on-site facilities, all within a school that has a long-standing Good rating from Ofsted.

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