The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Nursery at Ightenhill Nursery School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A weekly woodland session gives Ightenhill's nursery week a clear outdoor thread. This is a standalone maintained nursery school on Lionel Street in Burnley, rather than a nursery class within a primary school. It offers 122 places, including thirty five funded 30-hour places, for children aged 2 to 5.
The Rainbow Room serves 2 to 3-year-olds; the Sunflower Room serves 3 to 4-year-olds. Qualified teachers work alongside teaching assistants, with Forest School leadership and pupil and family support roles adding different kinds of expertise to the team.
Play shapes the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together movement, communication, relationships, literacy, maths, creative activities and understanding the world. Children's interests help shape how those areas are explored, so learning can grow from something that catches their attention. Routines can change to suit the children, and special events or visitors can alter the usual pattern.
A Rainbow Room activity in June 2026 shows how that works: children explored sea creatures, sorted colours and patterns, drew fish and used nets in a water tray. One theme connected early mathematical thinking, art and small hand movements. Books and language have their own recurring rhythm: children learn a new song and Makaton sign each week, while Poetry Basket introduces 2 or 3 short poems each half term. Families can practise the signs at home, extending communication beyond the session.
The garden and woodland give children room to investigate. Every child has a weekly Forest School session, planned and delivered by three Level 3 Accredited Forest School Leaders. In April 2024, inspectors found that outdoor exploration helped children grow in confidence. In April 2024, children also learnt about community roles through local visits and about the dentist's role through a visit to the nursery.
In April 2024, key-person groups were called caterpillars, butterflies and ladybirds. Daily key-person time includes talking about feelings, giving children a regular opportunity to express themselves. At the April 2024 inspection, children settled readily, formed close relationships with staff and felt safe; safeguarding arrangements were effective.
Home visits, Stay and Play Sessions and New Parent Familiarization Sessions give families ways to build familiarity. Parents can contribute to online learning journals, attend progress evenings and speak daily with their child's key person or the pupil and family support worker. That makes communication part of ordinary nursery life.
For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), staff work with parents and relevant professionals. Makaton training supports communication, and the nursery holds the Bronze Attachment and Trauma Sensitive School Award (0-5 years). In April 2024, teachers and teaching assistants used individual support to develop children's knowledge and skills, including those with SEND.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process and meet the normal deadline. Treat that application as a separate task when planning the next stage.
For children with additional needs, the nursery's support includes the transition to school. Work with parents and other professionals provides a basis for discussing that move alongside the child's existing needs.
Provision runs during term time, with opening hours of 08:00 to 16:30. Morning sessions run from 08:45 to 11:45; afternoons run from 12:30 to 15:30. Full-day places are also offered. Universal 15-hour places usually follow an all-morning or all-afternoon pattern, with flexible places also offered: the session pattern matters as much as the total hours when fitting nursery around family routines.
Eligible two-year-olds can access 15 funded hours. Since September 2025, eligible working parents of two-year-olds can access 30 funded hours, with places limited. There are also 30-hour places for eligible 3 to 4-year-olds, reviewed termly; families must apply the term before.
Contact the nursery office on 01282 427154 to discuss individual requirements. A contact form provides another enquiry route, and families are welcome to visit and ask questions while the nursery is in action.
The nursery offers provision for children aged 2 to 5. Rainbow Room is for 2 to 3-year-olds and Sunflower Room for 3 to 4-year-olds.
Morning sessions run from 08:45 to 11:45 and afternoon sessions from 12:30 to 15:30. Full-day places are also offered, and provision is term time only.
Yes. Every child has a weekly session, delivered by the nursery's three Level 3 Accredited Forest School Leaders.
Parents can contribute to online learning journals, take part in Stay and Play Sessions, attend progress evenings and speak daily with their child's key person.
No. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the normal deadline.
