Appletree Nursery School, Lancaster
Appletree Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 0 to 4 in Lancaster. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Appletree Nursery School in detail
Who goes there
12.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 25.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (68%), Mixed (13%) and Asian (9%).
In 2026, 17 pupils (21.8%) received SEN support and 1 (1.3%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Lancaster Rail Station, about 470 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Willow Lane School (opposite), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 389 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
12.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Keep up with Appletree Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Appletree Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Appletree Nursery School is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 2 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Lancaster
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Lancaster
Across Lancashire council
Places available
14,702
Applications
13,782
Got 1st preference
87.1%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
17
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
23.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
78
Total Pupils
41
Boys
37
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
1
Teachers
78.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Appletree Nursery School
What is Appletree Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Appletree Nursery School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2012 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Appletree Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Appletree Nursery School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Appletree Nursery School?
Appletree Nursery School has around 78 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Appletree Nursery School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Appletree Nursery School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Appletree Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 2 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Appletree Nursery School?
Appletree Nursery School is at Milking Stile Lane, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 5QB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)