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York Campus Nursery

Ofsted: Good
(Aug 2025)
·
5.0(10 parent reviews) ·York Campus Nursery, Kimberlow Lane, Heslington, YO10 5AG · York
Number of places
94 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Aug 2025
Local authority
York

About this day nursery

York Campus Nursery is a vibrant and inclusive childcare setting for children from three months up to nearly six years old, including those who have already started school and require holiday care. The nursery prides itself on providing a secure, joyous, and stimulating environment that fosters each child's unique diversity and potential.

With a strong commitment to quality and consistency, the nursery aims to lay solid foundations for children's development while working in close partnership with parents and carers. Located on the University of York campus, the facility offers a multicultural atmosphere and adheres to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum.

The EYFS framework guides the nursery in nurturing children's physical, communication and language, and personal, social and emotional development, alongside specific areas like mathematics, literacy, understanding the world, and expressive arts and design. Children benefit from a rich array of engaging activities, blending both adult-led instruction and child-initiated play, exploration, and investigation to promote creativity, imagination, confidence, and independence.

The nursery also emphasises healthy living through freshly prepared meals by University chefs and actively encourages indoor and outdoor play for overall well-being. Staff are dedicated to providing a high staff-to-child ratio, ensuring personalised attention and a supportive atmosphere for all children.

Our ethos

York Campus Nursery is committed to fostering each child's unique diversity and potential within a secure, joyous, and stimulating environment. They adhere to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, guiding the nurturing of children's development across various domains. Their approach blends adult-led instruction with child-initiated play, exploration, and investigation to promote creativity, imagination, confidence, and independence.

What it's like

The setting welcomes and includes all children, celebrating difference as children learn about each other's home cultures. Staff effectively support children's needs and language development, working with parents and professionals like speech therapists. This inclusive practice and ambitious curriculum ensure all children make good progress.

Multicultural settingEYFS curriculumUniversity campus locationFreshly prepared mealsStrong parent partnerships

Pricing & funding

Fees are structured around morning and afternoon sessions, with an optional early morning drop-off. A minimum booking of two sessions per week is required. Additional charges apply to funded-only hours for consumables, snacks, and lunch, while lunch in the baby rooms can be purchased or parent-provided.

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)Tax-Free Childcare

Good to know

  • Minimum booking requirement of two sessions per week.
  • Nursery closes on bank holidays and for two weeks at Christmas.
  • Parents of babies can optionally provide their own lunch.
  • Consumables, snacks, and lunch charges apply to funded hours.

Key facts

Opening hours

8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (closed bank holidays and 2 weeks at Christmas)

Session types

Early morning drop off (30 mins), Morning Session (5 hours), Afternoon Session (4.5 hours), Full Day (9.5 hours)

Waitlist

Long waiting list for children under two years old; no charge to register interest.

Age range

3 months to 5 years 11 months

Term time / All Year

All Year

Established

2023

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for York Campus Nursery

Last inspected 7 August 2025 · Ruth Mason

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

The setting welcomes and includes all children, celebrating difference as children learn about each other's home cultures. Staff effectively support children's needs and language development, working with parents and professionals like speech therapists. This inclusive practice and ambitious curriculum ensure all children make good progress.

Inspector highlights

  • The setting welcomes and includes all children, celebrating difference.
  • Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength.
  • Staff prioritise children's communication and language development.
  • Children develop their motor skills effectively, both fine and gross.
  • Staff provide lots of opportunities for children to make choices and become independent.

Areas to develop

  • 1improve communications with parents to ensure they know their child's next steps and how to support them at home
  • 2help children to learn about keeping safe online and where to get help if they need it.
Inspection #10413833 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

parents report their children make great progress in their social skills.

staff are very caring and their children enjoy their time at the setting.

parents report that they receive daily communication from staff through an app and chats at the setting door.

some parents report they are not fully aware of their child's next steps in learning.

Additionally, they state they are not provided with ideas of how to continue their child's learning at home.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the setting. Staff effectively support children's needs and language development, working with parents and other professionals, such as speech therapists.

Outdoor space

Older children use large construction outdoors to choose what to build and how. They also balance on scooters and negotiate spaces.

Parent Reviews of York Campus Nursery

5.0
(10)
Sarah Lake
3 months ago

Fantastic nursery, I feel what I write here won't articulate how truly wonderful the nursery is from it's experienced knowledgable staff, brilliant facilities and there caring approach to looking after every child. Thank you 🙂

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Elizabeth Richardson
3 years ago

The staff at York Nursery are amazing. Our son has been here since he was 8 months old and they have looked after him so well. He has come on so much since starting here and loves attending. We have always found the staff so warm and welcoming and have been helpful in every way.

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Ruth Penfold-Mounce
3 years ago

My son and daughter attended the campus nursery from approx 12 months old for 3 days a week until they started school. It was the best decision I ever made. They were surrounded by staff who cared and helped them develop emotionally, physically and mentally. They transitioned easily to school as a result. The staff were so helpful in terms of parental support and I drew on staff wisdom for so much including toilet training. Both children still have friends from nursery because the bonds they formed were so strong. I can't recommend the nursery enough.

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Oznur Yardimci
3 years ago

Warm and cozy place feeling like a friend's living room, lovely and friendly staff, and a good staff to child ratio in the baby unit. Nice daily activities involving lots of singing and dancing. Very nice garden which is part of the university campus. My child is overall quite happy to be attending there.

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Gemma Williams
3 years ago

A lovely nursery with lovely staff. My daughter started as a 10 month old in lockdown and has flourished ever since. She is excited to go in and doesn't want to leave. Having recently progressed from the baby room to the nursery room, the staff were very accommodating to make sure she settled in. The nursery has a good mix of solo play and group activities to make the day interesting for the children and to develop their skills. It is easy to see that the staff really care about the children and the only negative thing I can think of is that they all don't get paid enough for the fabulous job that they do.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for York Campus Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Most recent inspection

7 August 2025

Good

Only one graded inspection on record — a trend chart will appear here once a second graded report is published.

View full Ofsted report

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more