Batford Nursery School, Harpenden
Batford Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 3 to 5 in Harpenden. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Batford Nursery School in detail
Batford Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "The governors and senior leadership team have a three-year strategic vision for the school: Deliver a vibrant, rigorous and inclusive curiculum that secures strong progress, high engagement and celebrates diversity."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 9.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (67%), Mixed (14%) and Asian (7%).
In 2026, 4 pupils (5.6%) 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 railway station is Harpenden Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Roundfield Avenue (se-bound), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 54 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138).
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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from January 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its January 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
0.0%
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 Batford Nursery School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Batford Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Batford Nursery School is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:
- Hertfordshire's school travel policy: Read the home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 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 - Harpenden
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Harpenden
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
15,222
Applications
13,456
Got 1st preference
77.5%
Got preferred school
94.9%
All secondary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
5.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
72
Total Pupils
43
Boys
29
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
14.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£62,680
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Batford Nursery School
What is Batford Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Batford Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Batford Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Batford Nursery School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Batford Nursery School?
Batford Nursery School has around 72 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Batford Nursery School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Batford 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 Batford Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Batford Nursery School?
Batford Nursery School is at Holcroft Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 5BQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)