York Road Nursery School, Hitchin
York Road Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Hitchin. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
York Road Nursery School in detail
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 26.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%), Asian (9%) and Mixed (9%).
In 2026, 9 pupils (8.3%) received SEN support and 3 (2.8%) 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 Hitchin Rail Station, about 1030 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bunyan Road (near), 270 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 236 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 Hertfordshire (138), 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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from November 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 Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its November 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
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 2 nearby nursery schools
Keep up with York Road Nursery School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to York Road Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. York Road Nursery School is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:
- Hertfordshire's school travel policy: Read the home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 20
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 1
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, 5 serious and 15 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
6 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 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 - Hitchin
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hitchin
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
15,222
Applications
13,456
Got 1st preference
77.5%
Got preferred school
94.9%
All secondary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
9
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
11.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
108
Total Pupils
58
Boys
50
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
27.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,607
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about York Road Nursery School
What is York Road Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
York Road Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for York Road Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When York Road Nursery School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to York Road Nursery School?
York Road Nursery School has around 108 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to York Road Nursery School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming York Road 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 York Road 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, 5 serious and 15 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 6 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is York Road Nursery School?
York Road Nursery School is at York Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1XA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)