Harewood Centre Nursery School, Pontefract
Harewood Centre Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 4 in Pontefract. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2022 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Harewood Centre Nursery School in detail
Harewood Centre Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "We believe in planting the seed for learning and in nurturing all our unique children. Provide a safe, happy and stimulating learning environment that is inclusive, exciting and engaging."
From the headteacher's welcome: "We have been working really hard to ensure that it is much more user-friendly. Our Nursery is a very special place and is the only maintained Nursery school in Pontefract. I am immensely proud to be the headteacher of this wonderful Nursery school. We believe that children excel when they are welcomed into a safe, happy and stimulating learning environment."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 5 pupils (9.6%) received SEN support and 1 (1.9%) 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 Pontefract Baghill Rail Station, about 400 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cromwell Crescent (at), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 320 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 Wakefield (130), 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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from December 2013, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2022 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Staff at this nursery know children as individuals and tailor support to help each child thrive. Children with additional needs receive particularly strong support. The school has created a warm, caring environment where children behave well, look after each other, and develop important learning skills through play and exciting projects like searching for minibeasts.
Key Strengths
- Excellent support for children with SEND - staff work hard to find ways to meet their specific needs
- Strong focus on communication and language skills with planned vocabulary across all areas of learning
- Effective routines and warm, nurturing approach to behaviour management
- Well-trained staff with high expectations who spend more time with children than on paperwork
- Good assessment practices with key workers identifying what children can do and what they need help with
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum needs to be broken down into smaller, more precise steps of progress so staff are clearer about what to teach next
- Some parts of the curriculum lack important precision in knowledge and skills
- Governors do not know enough about the content of the curriculum and how well it is being taught
- Leaders need to provide governors with more information about curriculum quality and implementation
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective - governors actively check safeguarding practices, staff are well trained and understand what to report, and the school uses a good recording system to log and follow up concerns with parents and external agencies when needed.
Extracurricular Activities
Wakefield's '50 things to do before you're 5' programme including visits to Pontefract Castle and woodland walks
Harewood Centre Nursery School continues to be a good school where every child is seen as unique and receives the support they need to develop across all areas of learning. The school has a strong focus on communication and language skills, with children with SEND receiving particularly well-considered support.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Latest from Harewood Centre Nursery School
October Events
29 Sep 2026
Meet the Teacher event 14th October 2026 9am
29 Sep 2026
Welcome back to School
7 Sep 2026
From Harewood Centre Nursery School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Harewood Centre Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Harewood Centre Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Harewood Centre Nursery School is in Wakefield; for families living there:
- Wakefield's school travel policy: Home To School Transport Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 24
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 12
- Children hurt
- 14
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 12 serious and 12 slight.
14 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 5 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 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 Wakefield is 13 (the median across 157 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 - Pontefract
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Pontefract
Across Wakefield council
Places available
4,300
Applications
3,912
Got 1st preference
90.7%
Got preferred school
97.3%
All secondary applications across Wakefield council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
5
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
11.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
52
Total Pupils
21
Boys
31
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
2
Teachers
26.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Harewood Centre Nursery School
What is Harewood Centre Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Harewood Centre Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Harewood Centre Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Harewood Centre Nursery School is oversubscribed, Wakefield allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Harewood Centre Nursery School?
Harewood Centre Nursery School has around 52 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Harewood Centre Nursery School?
Apply through Wakefield's coordinated admissions process, naming Harewood Centre 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 Harewood Centre Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 12 serious and 12 slight. 14 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 5 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 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 Wakefield is 13 (the median across 157 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Harewood Centre Nursery School?
Harewood Centre Nursery School is at Harewood Avenue, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF8 2ER.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)