This academic year marks a very special milestone for Caverstede Nursery School, as we celebrate 80 wonderful years of nurturing, learning, and community spirit here in Peterborough.
We are the only Local Authority Maintained Nursery School in Peterborough (not for profit). We are led by a Head Teacher, Qualified Teachers and supportive Governors, and are proud to have had numerous Outstanding judgements by Ofsted.
To commemorate this occasion, we are planning a community celebration event, on Saturday 16th May 2026, 11am - 3pm to bring together our families, friends, staff, governors, and pupils — past and present — who have all been part of Caverstede’s journey over the decades. The event will honour our rich history and the many children and families who have made Caverstede such a special place.
History of our school
Caverstede has been a Nursery school since 1946 when it was opened to accommodate the babies and toddlers of mothers who worked in the factories making armaments for the war effort. The first Head teacher was Miss Betty Hay who was appointed Head teacher in 1949 having worked at the nursery since 1947. Betty remained Head teacher until 1986.
In 2002 the nursery was awarded Early Excellence Centre status which enabled us to deliver integrated early education and care. We applied for and were awarded full day care status from Early Years Ofsted in September 2004.
Caverstede was awarded Beacon School status in 2002 as part of the Government programme to offer professional development and share best practice with partner schools, funding for this programme ended in 2005. Caverstede was asked by the Local Authority [LA] to deliver training and professional support around Special Educational Needs [SEN] to 10 local Private, Voluntary and Independent settings. We no longer deliver individual support to these setting but we continue to deliver a programme of training and support to Peterborough schools and settings on behalf of the Local Authority through our Early Years Foundation Stage Special Educational Needs / Disabilities Hub. Caverstede has also worked with Post Graduate Certificate in Education [PGCE] students from Cambridge University.
Caverstede’s first 79 years have been years of success and change. It has given many hundreds of children and families a firm foundation to their educational learning and development. We have welcomed many visitors from local, national and international interests who have expressed delight with the welcoming atmosphere, high professional and educational standards and the friendliness and independence of the children. We are proud that Caverstede has continued and built upon this high quality reputation.
We achieved the Nursery World Award for Inclusive Practice in 2010 and the School Early Years Team of the Year Award in 2011. In January 2024 we were inspected by Ofsted and gained our seventh ‘Outstanding’ grading in a row.