Duke Street Nursery School, Chorley
Duke Street Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Chorley. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Duke Street Nursery School in detail
Duke Street Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "If not, please let me know! Nursery years are such a special and important time in our lives we hope to create some very special memories during the time your child spends with us."
The school runs a breakfast club.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 13.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 33 pupils (34.4%) received SEN support and 4 (4.2%) 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 Chorley Rail Station, about 770 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brindle Street (by), 230 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Duke Street Nursery School 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 272 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 Lancashire (109), 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from December 2014, 11 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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is an incredibly happy school in which children feel safe and thrive. Each child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), is welcomed, accepted and valued by the expert staff. Children find that staff are deeply and genuinely interested in their opinions and ideas. Staff treat children as important people. Children learn that they can ask questions, such as what inspectors were doing at the school and why.
The school is calm and peaceful, as well as being full of play and conversation. Children become keen to explore and experiment because staff skilfully support and extend their thinking. They are inspired by their time at the school and become eager to learn even more.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
For more than two decades the school has provided an excellent education for children. Its work continues to be first-rate. This is because leaders, governors and staff use their deep understanding of early years education to continuously refine the school's provision. Staff enthuse children about their learning. Children develop an impressive wealth of knowledge, such as about stories, songs, numbers and the features of the world around them.
The school strives to include children, such as those with SEND, in all that it does. It seizes every opportunity to help each child excel in their learning of its curriculum. At the earliest possible time, the school identifies the needs of children with SEND. It acts swiftly to ensure that children receive the support that they need for their development and learning. As a result, children with SEND flourish while at the school.
From Ofsted's July 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its December 2014 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
Social & online
Keep up with Duke Street Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Duke Street Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Duke Street Nursery School is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 36
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 7 serious and 28 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
5 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 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 - Chorley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chorley
Across Lancashire council
Places available
14,702
Applications
13,782
Got 1st preference
87.1%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
33
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
38.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
96
Total Pupils
57
Boys
39
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
24.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,463
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Duke Street Nursery School
What is Duke Street Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Duke Street Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Duke Street Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Duke Street Nursery School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Duke Street Nursery School?
Duke Street Nursery School has around 96 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Duke Street Nursery School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Duke Street 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 Duke Street Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 7 serious and 28 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 5 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Duke Street Nursery School?
Duke Street Nursery School is at Duke Street, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 3DU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)