What is a Maintained Nursery School

Maintained Nursery Schools are one of the UK’s unique educational assets, yet their story remains largely untold.

A Maintained Nursery School is a Local Authority school, funded and managed by the Local Authority, just like any other school. Parkview is the only Maintained Nursery School in Millom.

Maintained Nursery Schools must be led by a Head Teacher and employ qualified teachers. Additionally, like all schools in the country, the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo) must be a qualified teacher. Their work is overseen by a Governing Body.

They are inspected by Ofsted in the same way as primary and secondary schools.

Crucially, Maintained Nursery Schools do not operate for profit, unlike private nursery providers. Every penny of funding is dedicated to providing the best education and future opportunities for our children—their needs always come first.

Only 379 Maintained Nursery Schools remain in England, many of which are located in the most deprived areas of the country.

Maintained Nursery Schools are uniquely positioned to:

• Give the youngest children the best start in life, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.
• Provide high-quality early education, led by an early years specialist Head Teacher and delivered by experienced, qualified teachers, early years SENDCos, and early years teaching assistants.
• Work closely with other professionals and healthcare services to support all aspects of a child’s development.
• Put parents and families at the heart of their work.
• Share their expertise with other early education providers to benefit all children in the local community.
• Prioritise admissions for vulnerable children and offer the skills and expertise needed to support them successfully.
• Plan a progressive, skills-based curriculum that nurtures holistic child development and effectively helps close the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers.
• Specialise in early identification and intervention for children who may be developmentally delayed.

Parkview Nursery School is incredibly proud to be a Maintained Nursery School. We are passionate about what we do and work tirelessly to deliver a first-class education. By utilising our expertise, resources, and commitment to inclusion and early years education, we ensure the very best outcomes for our children.