Gloucester Nursery School, Northampton
Gloucester Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Northampton. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Gloucester Nursery School in detail
Gloucester Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "Gloucester Nursery School was opened in 1950 as a purpose-built nursery school. It offers excellent nursery education and care on a part-time and full-time basis to children aged 2 to 4 years, before they are admitted to primary school. The nursery is led by well-qualified and experienced staff, meaning children receive high-quality education and care."
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 7 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in West Northamptonshire
Vision and values (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
What parents say
24 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Gloucester Nursery School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 38.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (43%), Black (12%) and Asian (10%).
In 2026, 8 pupils (9.5%) received SEN support and 2 (2.4%) 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 Northampton Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cambourne Close (opposite), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Gloucester 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 205 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Northamptonshire (90), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from November 2013, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Gloucester Nursery School truly lives out its motto that 'every child and family matters' by creating a nurturing environment where children feel genuinely valued and safe. The school excels at teaching children to be independent and resilient, empowering them to try again if they struggle at first. Parents speak highly of the school's approach to healthy living and its excellent support for children with additional needs, ensuring every child gets what they need to thrive.
Key Strengths
- Creates a warm, caring environment where children feel happy, safe and secure with a strong focus on independence and resilience
- Excellent support for children with special educational needs and disabilities through bespoke, individualised learning
- Teaching children about healthy lifestyles is central to the school's work, including tooth brushing, growing vegetables, and encouraging physical activity
- Ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum that prepares children well for primary school
- Well-led school with strong governance and staff who feel well supported
Areas for Improvement
- Staff are unsure about specific vocabulary they need to teach across different learning activities, which means some children do not develop communication and language skills as well as they could
- The school has not fully ensured staff know how to support disadvantaged children consistently, meaning some gaps in learning are not overcome as well as possible
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Litter picks, visits to local library and shop, learning about famous artists with own artwork exhibited, celebrations and traditions from different cultures
Gloucester Nursery School is a special place with a glowing reputation in the local community, known for its nurturing ethos and high aspirations for all children. The school has been judged as Good across all key areas of education, behaviour, personal development, and leadership.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
24 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby nursery schools
Latest from Gloucester Nursery School
From Gloucester Nursery School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Gloucester Nursery School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Gloucester Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Gloucester Nursery School is in West Northamptonshire; for families living there:
- West Northamptonshire's school travel policy: Free school travel assistance (4-to-16 year olds)
- How to apply: Apply for free school travel assistance (4-to-16 year olds)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 34
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 29 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 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 West Northamptonshire is 7 (the median across 208 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 - Northampton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Northampton
Across West Northamptonshire council
Places available
5,019
Applications
4,602
Got 1st preference
75.8%
Got preferred school
95.7%
All secondary applications across West Northamptonshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
8
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
11.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
84
Total Pupils
45
Boys
39
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
3
Teachers
28.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,251
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Gloucester Nursery School
What is Gloucester Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Gloucester Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Gloucester Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Gloucester Nursery School is oversubscribed, West Northamptonshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Gloucester Nursery School?
Gloucester Nursery School has around 84 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Gloucester Nursery School?
Apply through West Northamptonshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Gloucester 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 Gloucester Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 29 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 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 West Northamptonshire is 7 (the median across 208 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Gloucester Nursery School?
Gloucester Nursery School is at Camborne Close, Delapre, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN4 8PH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)