Bowerdean Nursery School, High Wycombe
Bowerdean Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in High Wycombe. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Bowerdean Nursery School in detail
Bowerdean Nursery School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "A warm welcome to both of our wonderful Nursery Schools . We are a unique Buckinghamshire County Council split site maintained Nursery School. Both schools serve the community of High Wycombe with Bowerdean Nursery at Wycombe Rye and Mapledean Nursery at Cressex. Our Nursery places children right at the heart of all we do."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 34.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (59%), White British (14%) and Mixed (9%).
In 2026, 45 pupils (30.6%) received SEN support and 6 (4.1%) 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 High Wycombe Rail Station, about 620 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gordon Road (o/s 86), 10 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 324 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Buckinghamshire (44), 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 agoThis judgement is from March 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 March 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 1 nearby nursery school
Latest from Bowerdean Nursery School
From Bowerdean Nursery School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Bowerdean Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bowerdean Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bowerdean Nursery School is in Buckinghamshire; for families living there:
- Buckinghamshire's school travel policy: Home to School Transport Policy (0 to 25 Year Olds)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 22
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 18 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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 Buckinghamshire is 4 (the median across 274 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 - High Wycombe
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for High Wycombe
Across Buckinghamshire council
Places available
6,847
Applications
6,535
Got 1st preference
76.7%
Got preferred school
93.9%
All secondary applications across Buckinghamshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
45
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
34.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
147
Total Pupils
79
Boys
68
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
29.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,401
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Bowerdean Nursery School
What is Bowerdean Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Bowerdean Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Bowerdean Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Bowerdean Nursery School is oversubscribed, Buckinghamshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Bowerdean Nursery School?
Bowerdean Nursery School has around 147 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Bowerdean Nursery School?
Apply through Buckinghamshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Bowerdean 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 Bowerdean Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 18 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 Buckinghamshire is 4 (the median across 274 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bowerdean Nursery School?
Bowerdean Nursery School is at Gordon Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP13 6AW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)