Ashfield Nursery School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Ashfield Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 4 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Ashfield Nursery School in detail
Ashfield Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "At Ashfield Nursery School, we provide a warm, nurturing, and inspiring environment where children can thrive. Since opening in 1932, we have been a cherished part of the community, welcoming generations of families who value our rich learning experiences and caring atmosphere."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
6.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 58.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (45%), Black (33%) and White British (14%).
In 2026, 16 pupils (22.2%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is St James (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 1080 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Elswick Road-Sovereign Place (e-bound), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Ashfield Nursery School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 1027 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 Newcastle upon Tyne (318), 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
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Ashfield Nursery offers a warm, welcoming environment where children thrive emotionally and socially. The school combines carefully planned learning across all areas with enriching experiences like music lessons and outdoor gardening. Children develop a genuine love of books and learning while building strong social skills and respect for others.
Key Strengths
- Personal, social and emotional development is a particular strength - children behave very well and show respect for each other
- Carefully chosen books foster an early love of reading and prepare children well for phonics teaching
- Strong community feel with positive relationships between staff, children and families
- Well-planned, broad curriculum that is coherently sequenced across all areas of learning
- Regular music sessions with external teacher and extensive outdoor gardens offering rich learning experiences
Areas for Improvement
- Quality of teaching varies - some staff miss opportunities to extend children's language and learning despite training
- Support plans for children with SEND are not precise enough, with targets that are too broad and hard to measure
- Need to ensure all staff consistently implement what they have learned in training to raise achievement across the board
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong policies and procedures in place to keep children safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Regular music sessions with external music teacher, outdoor gardening activities, charity events
Ashfield Nursery School is a diverse and inclusive setting where children are happy, safe and enthusiastic about learning. The school has a strong sense of community and high expectations for all children's achievement.
At a Glance
6.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Keep up with Ashfield Nursery School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Ashfield Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Ashfield Nursery School is in Newcastle upon Tyne; for families living there:
Apply to Newcastle upon Tyne for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 38
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 14
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 38 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 27 slight.
14 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 7 in a vehicle or otherwise.
14 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 Newcastle upon Tyne is 23.5 (the median across 112 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 - Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Across Newcastle upon Tyne council
Places available
2,560
Applications
2,594
Got 1st preference
79.0%
Got preferred school
93.4%
All secondary applications across Newcastle upon Tyne council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
16
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
22.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
72
Total Pupils
40
Boys
32
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
2
Teachers
36.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Ashfield Nursery School
What is Ashfield Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Ashfield Nursery School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2012 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Ashfield Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Ashfield Nursery School is oversubscribed, Newcastle upon Tyne allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Ashfield Nursery School?
Ashfield Nursery School has around 72 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Ashfield Nursery School?
Apply through Newcastle upon Tyne's coordinated admissions process, naming Ashfield 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 Ashfield Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 38 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 27 slight. 14 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 7 in a vehicle or otherwise. 14 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 Newcastle upon Tyne is 23.5 (the median across 112 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Ashfield Nursery School?
Ashfield Nursery School is at 97-101 Elswick Road, Elswick, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE4 6JR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)