Highfield Nursery School, Ipswich
Highfield Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Ipswich. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Highfield Nursery School in detail
Highfield Nursery School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am delighted to welcome you to Highfield Nursery School and Children's Centre. Highfield Nursery School provides exceptional care and education for children from aged two years to five years. Our Butterflies' room delivers education for our youngest pupils; two to three years old; before they move into Dragonflies or Bumblebees rooms once they turn three."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
8.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 12.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 10 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Entrance1, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Highfield Approach (adjacent), 240 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 234 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Suffolk (32), 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its May 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
8.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Keep up with Highfield Nursery School
Getting There
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 Suffolk; for families living there:
Apply to Suffolk for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 21 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
9 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 Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 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 - Ipswich
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ipswich
Across Suffolk council
Places available
8,475
Applications
7,204
Got 1st preference
92.7%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All secondary applications across Suffolk 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
10
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
9.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
102
Total Pupils
63
Boys
39
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
20.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,525
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Highfield Nursery School
What is Highfield Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Highfield Nursery School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024.
What is the catchment area for Highfield Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Highfield Nursery School is oversubscribed, Suffolk 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 102 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Highfield Nursery School?
Apply through Suffolk'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 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 21 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 9 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 Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Highfield Nursery School?
Highfield Nursery School is at Chesterfield Drive, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 6DW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)