Ilminster Avenue Nursery School, Bristol
Ilminster Avenue Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 4 in Bristol. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Ilminster Avenue Nursery School in detail
Ilminster Avenue Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "Here at Ilminster Avenue Nursery School we believe that every child deserves the best start in life. Play is central to this belief. Play is every child’s right. It is how they learn, how they express themselves and how they explore new experiences, finding out about the world around them."
Coming up: an open day on Friday 18 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Bristol, City of
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
What parents say
22 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Ilminster Avenue Nursery School (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school and 100% say their child is happy there.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (77%).
Who goes there
38.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 15.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 45 pupils (24.6%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Ilminster Avenue Nursery School has a resourced provision for profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bedminster Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Willinton Road (opposite), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Ilminster Avenue Nursery School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
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 April 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Your child will experience a caring, inclusive nursery where staff know them well and have high expectations for their learning. From age two, children develop strong language and social skills through stories, songs and quality adult interactions, preparing them well for school. The nursery also excels at supporting children with additional needs and building their confidence and independence through daily routines and 'special jobs'.
Key Strengths
- Warm, welcoming environment where children settle quickly and form positive relationships with staff
- Ambitious curriculum with clear knowledge and skills, particularly strong in communication and language development
- Effective support for children with special educational needs, enabling them to learn alongside their peers
- High-quality staff training and effective behaviour management creating a calm, purposeful learning environment
- Strong personal development programme building children's understanding of community, problem-solving and different cultures
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff miss opportunities for high-quality discussions, limiting children's speech and language development
- Inconsistent checking of what children have learned means some gaps in knowledge are not identified and addressed
- Variability in how staff engage in interactions with children affects learning outcomes
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff creating an open and positive culture that puts children's interests first.
Ilminster Avenue Nursery School is a friendly and inclusive setting at the heart of its community where children receive a warm welcome and develop well. The school has maintained good standards since its previous inspection in 2019, with effective leadership bringing stability and an ambitious curriculum for all children aged two to four.
At a Glance
38.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
22 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Latest from Ilminster Avenue Nursery School
Free Online Sessions for Parents and Carers on Child Exploitation Awareness
21 Sep 2026
Helping Every Child Find Their Voice: Introducing Core Boards at Ilminster Avenue Nursery School
17 Sep 2026
September Newsletter 2026 - Term 1
14 Sep 2026
Meet Our Assistant Head and SENCo
7 Sep 2026
Meet Our Family Link Worker - Lucy
4 Sep 2026
Robins Hatch in Our New Bird Boxes
19 Jun 2026
From Ilminster Avenue Nursery School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Ilminster Avenue Nursery School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Ilminster Avenue Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Ilminster Avenue Nursery School is in Bristol, City of; for families living there:
- Bristol, City of's school travel policy: Home to school travel policy
- How to apply: Apply online for home school travel support
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 31
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 11
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 31 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 23 slight.
11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 4 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
11 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 Bristol, City of is 27 (the median across 175 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 - Bristol
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bristol
Across Bristol, City of council
Places available
4,580
Applications
4,426
Got 1st preference
84.0%
Got preferred school
96.7%
All secondary applications across Bristol, City of council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
45
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
24.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Ilminster Avenue Nursery School has a resourced provision for profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
183
Total Pupils
94
Boys
89
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
45.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,084
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Ilminster Avenue Nursery School
What is Ilminster Avenue Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Ilminster Avenue Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Ilminster Avenue Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Ilminster Avenue Nursery School is oversubscribed, Bristol, City of allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Ilminster Avenue Nursery School?
Ilminster Avenue Nursery School has around 183 pupils on roll. 39% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Ilminster Avenue Nursery School have specialist SEN provision?
Ilminster Avenue Nursery School has a resourced provision for profound and multiple learning difficulties.
How do I apply to Ilminster Avenue Nursery School?
Apply through Bristol, City of's coordinated admissions process, naming Ilminster Avenue 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 Ilminster Avenue Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 31 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 23 slight. 11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 4 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 11 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 Bristol, City of is 27 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Ilminster Avenue Nursery School?
Ilminster Avenue Nursery School is at Ilminster Avenue, Knowle West, Bristol, BS4 1BX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)