Birchwood Nursery School, Hatfield
Birchwood Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Hatfield. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Birchwood Nursery School in detail
Who goes there
1.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 26.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (46%), Mixed (14%) and Black (12%).
In 2026, 15 pupils (8.7%) received SEN support and 7 (4%) 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 Hatfield (Herts) Rail Station, about 890 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Birchwood Avenue (sw-bound), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 359 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its February 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
1.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby nursery schools
Keep up with Birchwood Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Birchwood Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Birchwood 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
- 29
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 29 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 25 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
8 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 - Hatfield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hatfield
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(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
15
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
12.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
173
Total Pupils
90
Boys
83
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
34.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,408
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Birchwood Nursery School
What is Birchwood Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Birchwood Nursery School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024.
What is the catchment area for Birchwood Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Birchwood Nursery School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Birchwood Nursery School?
Birchwood Nursery School has around 173 pupils on roll. 1% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Birchwood Nursery School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Birchwood 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 Birchwood Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 29 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 25 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 8 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 Birchwood Nursery School?
Birchwood Nursery School is at Birchway, Crawford Road, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 0PD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)