Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation, Exeter
Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Exeter. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation in detail
Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Chestnut Nursery School. We are a Devon County Council maintained Nursery School and provide places for 2-4-year-olds. We want children to be excited about coming to nursery and to love learning. We want them to be motivated, tuned in, and challenged."
The school runs after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
23.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 24.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 0 pupils (0%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Marsh Barton Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Chestnut Avenue (sw-bound), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 207 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), 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 December 2017, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its December 2017 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
23.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby nursery school
Keep up with Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation is in Devon; for families living there:
- Devon's school travel policy: Free school transport
- How to apply: Apply for free school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
0 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 Devon is 3 (the median across 426 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 - Exeter
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Exeter
Across Devon council
Places available
7,788
Applications
7,251
Got 1st preference
93.3%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All secondary applications across Devon council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(10)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
0.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
69
Total Pupils
39
Boys
30
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
2
Teachers
34.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation
What is Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation's Ofsted rating?
Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation?
No fixed boundary. When Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation is oversubscribed, Devon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation?
Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation has around 69 pupils on roll. 23% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation?
Apply through Devon's coordinated admissions process, naming Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation 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 Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 0 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 Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation?
Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation is at Magnolia Avenue, Exeter, Devon, EX2 6DJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)