Birchfield Nursery School, widnes
Birchfield Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in widnes. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2022 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Birchfield Nursery School in detail
Birchfield Nursery School in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care, from £6.50 per session.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
In 2026, 4 pupils (5.2%) 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 Widnes Rail Station, about 160 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Birchfield Road, 120 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from November 2013, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2013 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good 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 3 nearby nursery schools
Keep up with Birchfield Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Birchfield Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Birchfield Nursery School is in Halton; for families living there:
Apply to Halton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 11 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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 Halton is 9.5 (the median across 70 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 - widnes
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for widnes
Across Halton council
Places available
1,690
Applications
1,471
Got 1st preference
96.2%
Got preferred school
99.2%
All secondary applications across Halton council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
6.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
77
Total Pupils
39
Boys
38
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
19.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,122
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Birchfield Nursery School
What is Birchfield Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Birchfield Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Birchfield Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Birchfield Nursery School is oversubscribed, Halton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Birchfield Nursery School?
Birchfield Nursery School has around 77 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Birchfield Nursery School?
Apply through Halton's coordinated admissions process, naming Birchfield 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 Birchfield Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 11 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Halton is 9.5 (the median across 70 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Birchfield Nursery School?
Birchfield Nursery School is at Victoria Avenue, widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7TH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)