St Paul’s Nursery School in Holgate opened on December 1 1936 and was gifted to the local authority by the Rowntree family making it the oldest nursery in the city. It currently caters for children aged three – five and is tucked away in a grade two listed building in the corner of St Paul’s Square in Holgate.
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An annex was added to the building in the 1940s and since then thousands of children have passed through its doors, but head Claire Rigden says the building has recently had to be demolished and a new annex and a refurbishment will mean there will be a new and improved nursery on the site from late next year.
And, from October this year the whole of St Paul’s Nursery will be moving temporarily to Clifton Children’s Centre into a nursery space.
“This is a very exciting time for the St Paul’s family. Not only are we going to come back to a brand new building in 2025, but we are now able to make a difference in the city by supporting more families with children who are eligible for the funded two year old places, who may have not been able to find a nursery in York that meets their family’s needs,” said Claire.
“We are a strong, experienced staff team including staff who have been here for thirty years. We pride ourselves on working together with families and supporting each other, so not only is St Paul’s a fantastic place for children to attend, it is also a place where staff are happy coming to work each day.
“It will create even more opportunities for the children and families of York as St Paul’s Nursery will now open its doors to children from their second birthday, something it has not done for a long time.
“St Paul’s is well prepared for two-year olds being commissioned by City of York Council to provide support and training for other schools and nurseries throughout the city. The nursery’s staff knowledge, skills-set and understanding of child development is both thorough and highly accredited.”
The nursery has won many awards for its high-quality provision of early years education and for supporting children with additional needs, it was also recently named ‘Autism Specialist Advanced Setting’ for 2024.
If any families are interested in taking up a funded or paid place at St Paul’s Nursery School for their two, three or four-year olds, the school Claire love to hear from you.
All details can be found on the school’s website: www.stpaulsnurseryschool.co.uk
