Highfield Nursery School, Chorley
Highfield Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 0 to 5 in Chorley. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Highfield Nursery School in detail
Highfield Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "Schools are required to provide for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of their pupils. Part of this requirement means that they actively promote the fundamental British Values. Promoting these British Values is now a central part of teaching and learning. By dong this, schools aim to help children become well-rounded members of the society."
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
What parents say
25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Highfield Nursery School (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (84%).
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 11.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%), Asian (10%) and Mixed (8%).
In 2026, 26 pupils (33.8%) received SEN support and 7 (9.1%) 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 Chorley Rail Station, about 520 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Aniline Street (by), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Highfield 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 271 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 Lancashire (109), 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2014, 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 March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Highfield Nursery School excels at creating an exciting learning environment where every child thrives, from the youngest two-year-olds to those preparing for primary school. Staff are highly skilled at teaching a carefully planned curriculum and supporting children with different needs, including those with SEND. Children develop strong language skills, excellent behaviour and the independence and confidence they need for their future learning.
Key Strengths
- Expertly taught, well-ordered curriculum broken down into clear developmental steps that help all children succeed
- Highly skilled staff who check children's understanding and quickly address any misconceptions
- Excellent support for children with SEND through careful adaptations and strong partnerships with parents and professionals
- Strong focus on communication and language development using skilled teaching and additional methods like signing and symbols when needed
- Children develop excellent behaviour, confidence and independence with clear routines that make the nursery calm and reassuring
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts children's interests first.
Highfield Nursery School provides exceptional education where children develop strong learning skills, confidence and independence from ages 2-5. The school maintains outstanding standards across all areas with a highly ambitious curriculum and excellent care.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
25 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby nursery school
Social & online
Keep up with Highfield Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Highfield Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Highfield 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
- 20
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 14 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 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 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)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
26
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
42.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
77
Total Pupils
46
Boys
31
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
2
Teachers
38.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Highfield Nursery School
What is Highfield Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Highfield Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Highfield Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Highfield Nursery School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Highfield Nursery School?
Highfield Nursery School has around 77 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Highfield Nursery School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Highfield 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 Highfield Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 14 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Highfield Nursery School?
Highfield Nursery School is at Wright Street, Chorley, Lancashire, PR6 0SL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)