Stoneygate Nursery School

About Stoneygate Nursery School

Stoneygate Nursery School is a state-funded nursery in Preston, part of the Lancashire local authority, catering for children aged 2 to 4. With 53 pupils on roll, the school operates as a mixed-gender setting with no religious character. The school’s capacity data isn’t provided, but the fact that it’s a nursery suggests it serves a local community need. For context, across Lancashire, 8 out of 24 nurseries are rated Outstanding, placing Stoneygate in a competitive local landscape. The school’s free school meals (FSM) percentage isn’t available in the data, so it’s not possible to compare directly with national or local averages. However, the admission information doesn’t indicate oversubscription, which might suggest the school is comfortably meeting demand for its places. The headteacher, Nadia Hunt, leads a team that has maintained a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade the school has held since its most recent graded inspection in 2019, following a previous Outstanding rating in 2014.

Academically, Stoneygate Nursery School focuses on early years provision, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2025 was an ungraded visit, where inspectors confirmed that standards were maintained. The school’s overall effectiveness is rated Good, with leadership and management also judged Good. In the previous graded inspection in 2019, the school achieved Good across the board, a step down from its 2014 Outstanding rating. The parent view, based on 16 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, is overwhelmingly positive: 100% of parents would recommend the school. Specifically, 69% strongly agree that their child is happy, and 63% strongly agree that their child feels safe. However, there’s a small minority of parents who disagree with certain aspects, such as 6% disagreeing that the school has high expectations for their child, and 13% disagreeing that concerns are dealt with properly. No exam results are available given the nursery age range.

The school offers a range of facilities including a dining hall, library, outdoor playground, gymnasium, and a chapel, alongside swimming as a sports activity. Clubs include book club, art club, and gardening, providing enrichment opportunities for young children. For families with children who have special educational needs, Stoneygate supports moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, physical disabilities, and other difficulties or disabilities. The parent view on SEND support didn’t receive any responses, so it’s unclear how parents perceive this provision. This nursery would suit families in Preston looking for a well-regarded state nursery with strong parental satisfaction and a broad range of facilities, though those with specific SEND concerns may want to investigate further. The school’s Good rating and maintained standards suggest a stable, reliable choice for early years education.

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