A fantastic day enjoyed by all!
Caverstede Nursery School’s 80th Anniversary Celebration was truly a day to remember. We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came along to celebrate this very special milestone with us. It was wonderful to welcome past and present children, families, staff, governors, professionals, and members of our local community together to celebrate 80 incredible years of Caverstede.
The atmosphere throughout the day was full of joy, laughter, memories, and community spirit. From exploring the nursery and looking through our archives, to enjoying live music, activities, food, and reconnecting with familiar faces, it was heartwarming to see so many generations brought together by their connection to Caverstede.
We are incredibly grateful to all of the entertainers who generously gave their time to make the day so special. Thank you to past pupil George Elliott, Lucy’s Choir and Amelia from @shakeitoffstage for providing such fantastic entertainment and helping create such a wonderful atmosphere throughout the celebration. And Ollie for providing the sound system and support throughout the day.
A huge thank you must also go to our amazing food vendors and local businesses for their kindness and generosity. We are so appreciative of those who donated their time, products, raffle prizes, and in some cases even profits from the day, to support Caverstede and our Outdoor Learning Space Transformation & Regeneration Project. Your support means so much to us and to the children and families we serve.
Finally, we would like to give a very special thank you to the staff team at Caverstede. From planning and preparing behind the scenes, to decorating, organising activities, setting up, and ensuring the day ran smoothly, their hard work, dedication, and passion made the celebration possible. The pride and love they have for Caverstede shone throughout the entire event.
The day was a beautiful reminder that Caverstede is so much more than a nursery school, it is a place filled with memories, relationships, and community that spans generations. Thank you for helping us celebrate 80 wonderful years of nurturing, growing, and inspiring children, one generation at a time.
Photographs of the day
We were very lucky to have our wonderful photograher, Terry (The Studio Photography) here throughout the day to capture memories of the event. It was a lovely, bright sunny day and he was able to capture lots of smiling faces!
Come and celebrate with us
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.