Bilston Nursery School, Bilston
Bilston Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Bilston. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, ended in a report card: 6 strong standard. Before that it was rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in February 2013.
- Ofsted report card
- 6 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bilston Nursery School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades Bilston Nursery School on 6 areas: 6 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Strong standard. "Children make secure and sustained progress from their starting points."
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders place a clear emphasis on developing positive attendance habits from the earliest stage."
Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "The curriculum is ambitious, carefully designed and rooted in purposeful play, high-quality interactions and rich experiences."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion is central to the school's work and is evident in every aspect of daily life."
Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders are passionate about providing the best possible experiences for children and place a clear emphasis on welfare, inclusion and high-quality early education."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Children's personal development and wellbeing sit at the heart of the school's work."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should sharpen their strategic evaluation by embedding a rigorous, consistent system for analysing and providing evidence of the impact of all actions, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, so that priorities are precisely targeted and lead to sustained, transformational outcomes".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 15.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 21 pupils (13%) received SEN support and 6 (3.7%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Bilston Nursery School has a resourced provision (6 places, 6 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (8 places, 8 pupils on roll) for speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is The Crescent (West Midlands Metro), about 360 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Shale Street (opposite), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Bilston Nursery School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
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 · 5 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- AchievementStrong standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- InclusionStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Bilston Nursery School
Children experience a safe, warm and nurturing environment where they feel welcome from the moment they arrive. Familiar adults greet them with care and reassurance, helping them settle quickly into calm routines that build confidence and a sense of belonging. Children behave well and show increasing levels of focus as they take part in activities that capture their interest. They learn to share, take turns and work together, developing friendships and positive relationships with both staff and each other. Children enjoy their learning and show curiosity as they explore the well-designed indoor and outdoor environments. These spaces are thoughtfully organised and accessible, allowing children to investigate, play and learn with growing independence. They take part in a wide range of exciting experiences, such as water play, outdoor role play and imaginative adventures like visiting dinosaur land. Trips and visitors broaden their understanding of the world and help them develop their interests and aspirations. Adults know children extremely well and respond sensitively to their emotional, developmental and communication needs. This creates trusting relationships that support children to feel secure and ready to learn. Children sustain engagement in activities for increasing periods of time, particularly when exploring the natural world or taking part in purposeful play. They show pride in their achievements and enjoy sharing their learning with adults. Children feel safe throughout the day. Routines, such as mealtimes and transitions, are calm, sociable and supportive of children's wellbeing. Staff encourage safe risk taking, helping children learn how to use equipment and spaces with care. Children attend regularly and enjoy coming to school, which helps them make the most of the rich experiences on offer. As a result, children thrive. They develop confidence, independence and resilience and they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should sharpen their strategic evaluation by embedding a rigorous, consistent system for analysing and providing evidence of the impact of all actions, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, so that priorities are precisely targeted and lead to sustained, transformational outcomes.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 12 May 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Bilston Nursery School creates a nurturing, welcoming environment where children flourish. The staff use responsive teaching and high-quality interactions to help children develop confidence, independence and crucial communication skills. The setting is particularly strong at supporting children with additional needs and making excellent use of outdoor learning to build physical development and curiosity.
Key Strengths
- Excellent early language and communication development through daily interactions, stories and songs
- Strong support for children with SEND through early identification and tailored interventions
- Highly effective outdoor curriculum that builds physical skills, resilience and curiosity
- Warm, trusting relationships and calm, purposeful environment where children feel secure and valued
- Inclusive approach that ensures every child can access meaningful learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and children are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Community visits and trips, visitor interactions, role play activities, water play, imaginative play experiences
Bilston Nursery School is a strong performing setting that provides children with a safe, nurturing environment where they make secure progress from their starting points. The school excels in early language development, inclusive practice and purposeful outdoor learning.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision and SEN unit: Speech and language
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Keep up with Bilston Nursery School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bilston Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bilston Nursery School is in Wolverhampton; for families living there:
Apply to Wolverhampton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 73
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 21
- Children hurt
- 17
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 73 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 21 serious and 51 slight.
17 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 10 in a vehicle or otherwise.
16 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 Wolverhampton is 24 (the median across 126 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 - Bilston
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bilston
Across Wolverhampton council
Places available
3,951
Applications
3,467
Got 1st preference
74.8%
Got preferred school
93.7%
All secondary applications across Wolverhampton council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
16.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Bilston Nursery School has a resourced provision (6 places, 6 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (8 places, 8 pupils on roll) for speech, language and communication needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
162
Total Pupils
84
Boys
78
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
32.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,494
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Bilston Nursery School
What is Bilston Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Bilston Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Bilston Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Bilston Nursery School is oversubscribed, Wolverhampton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Bilston Nursery School?
Bilston Nursery School has around 162 pupils on roll.
Does Bilston Nursery School have specialist SEN provision?
Bilston Nursery School has a resourced provision (6 places, 6 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (8 places, 8 pupils on roll) for speech, language and communication needs.
How do I apply to Bilston Nursery School?
Apply through Wolverhampton's coordinated admissions process, naming Bilston 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 Bilston Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 73 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 21 serious and 51 slight. 17 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 10 in a vehicle or otherwise. 16 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 Wolverhampton is 24 (the median across 126 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bilston Nursery School?
Bilston Nursery School is at Wolverhampton Street, Bilston, West Midlands, WV14 0LT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)