Redcliffe Nursery School has been serving the Redcliffe community for over 50 years as a Bristol City Council-maintained nursery. It has evolved to become a Centre of Excellence, recognised across the wider early years teaching community for its exemplary approach to early years education and achieving ten consecutive Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ ratings.
The nursery is purpose-built on a single level with a light, airy design that puts children’s needs at the heart. The space enables safe free flow between internal and external play areas, creating a sense of freedom, challenge and accessibility for the 150 two-to five-year-olds who attend in key groups of ten to fourteen children. The highly qualified teaching staff are deeply committed to excellence, with many having completed or pursuing masters-level studies in Early Years education. The teaching philosophy is rooted in play-led learning and spending time in the natural environment, enabling children to explore the world safely at their own pace according to their individual enquiries.
Redcliffe has particular areas of expertise in maths, literacy and creative and musical expression. The nursery has an on-site minibus used daily for trips into the forest — visiting Leigh Woods and Ashton Court so every child regularly accesses the benefits of learning in nature. Beyond the forest, children visit the local city farm, museums, the harbour area and St Mary Redcliffe church, with every opportunity taken to enable experiential learning. The nursery also has a progressive on-site food programme providing healthy, home-cooked fresh food daily, with children participating in food creation and learning about nutrition.
Redcliffe Nursery School is rooted in serving a diverse community, with over twelve different languages spoken by the children. The setting has in-house SEND expertise and works closely with parents to ensure children of all backgrounds and needs receive the support they need within a caring framework. Children’s rights are upheld to the highest possible level, and families are warmly welcomed to a safe, inspiring environment where their child can begin their lifelong learning journey.