Howard Street Nursery School, Rochdale
Howard Street Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 4 in Rochdale. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Howard Street Nursery School in detail
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 57.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (53%), Black (15%) and White British (12%).
In 2026, 11 pupils (15.1%) received SEN support and 1 (1.4%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Rochdale Interchange (Manchester Metrolink), about 570 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Redcar Street, 20 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Howard Street Nursery School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Howard Street Nursery creates a happy, safe environment where children arrive with confidence and develop into keen learners. The school offers an ambitious curriculum with excellent support for all children, including those with additional needs, plus memorable learning experiences like canal trips and woodland exploration. Staff work hard to help children develop strong communication skills and learn to respect and value differences in their community.
Key Strengths
- Well-designed curriculum that meets the needs of all children, including those with SEND and two-year-olds
- Strong focus on communication, language and early reading skills through stories, singing and rhyme times
- Excellent personal development programme promoting respect for different cultures and communities
- Rich educational experiences including trips like canoeing and woodland exploration
- Good behaviour management with children learning to be kind, respectful and well-mannered
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff, particularly those working with two-year-olds, miss opportunities to talk with children about their learning and build their knowledge during play
- Need for all staff to make fuller use of discussions to support and extend children's learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff receiving regular training, knowing children well, and responding promptly to concerns with external agencies.
Extracurricular Activities
Canoeing, woodland nature reserve visits, cultural events at local primary school, Eid stay and play sessions
Howard Street Nursery School is a community nursery for children aged 2-4 in Rochdale that has been rated Good overall. Children are happy, feel safe, and achieve well across all areas of learning.
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 3 nearby nursery schools
Latest from Howard Street Nursery School
September 2026
28 Sep 2026
July 2026
28 Sep 2026
June 2026
28 Sep 2026
May 2026
28 Sep 2026
April 2026
28 Sep 2026
March 2026
28 Sep 2026
From Howard Street Nursery School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Howard Street Nursery School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Howard Street Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Howard Street Nursery School is in Rochdale; for families living there:
- Rochdale's school travel policy: Home to School Transport Policy
- How to apply: Apply for school travel expenses
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 42
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 36 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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 Rochdale is 10 (the median across 106 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 - Rochdale
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rochdale
Across Rochdale council
Places available
3,030
Applications
2,860
Got 1st preference
86.8%
Got preferred school
97.0%
All secondary applications across Rochdale council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
11
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
16.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
73
Total Pupils
35
Boys
38
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
3
Teachers
24.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£66,401
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Howard Street Nursery School
What is Howard Street Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Howard Street Nursery School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023.
What is the catchment area for Howard Street Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Howard Street Nursery School is oversubscribed, Rochdale allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Howard Street Nursery School?
Howard Street Nursery School has around 73 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Howard Street Nursery School?
Apply through Rochdale's coordinated admissions process, naming Howard 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 Howard Street Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 36 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Rochdale is 10 (the median across 106 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Howard Street Nursery School?
Howard Street Nursery School is at Howard Street, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL12 0PP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)