Welcome to Rosemary Nursery School
Welcome to Rosemary Nursery School, Bristol’s oldest nursery school with a proud heritage dating back to the 1920s. Nestled in the heart of St Jude’s behind Cabot Circus, we offer a unique early years experience that combines nearly a century of educational excellence with a truly special environment.
Ofsted has described us as “a very beautiful school” and “an oasis of care,” and we take great pride in our large outdoor space that serves as a hidden gem within this bustling inner-city location. This carefully nurtured garden creates wonderful opportunities for children to explore nature through gardening, forest school activities, and adventurous outdoor play.
As a term-time nursery offering 15 or 30-hour places depending on eligibility, we celebrate being part of Bristol’s diverse community and warmly welcome families from all backgrounds. Our experienced practitioners create a caring and nurturing environment where children develop independence, resilience, and confidence in their play and learning.
We believe every child deserves the very best start in life, and our dedicated team works closely with families to ensure each child settles meaningfully and reaches their full potential in our remarkable urban oasis.
Partnership with Families
Our partnership with parents is a big part of our work.
You know so much about your child.
Your support and encouragement will make a big difference to their learning.
Bristol's Educational Pioneer
As Bristol’s oldest nursery school with roots stretching back to the 1920s, Rosemary Nursery brings nearly a century of educational wisdom to early years practice. This remarkable heritage represents generations of dedicated service to Bristol families, creating a legacy of excellence that continues to evolve with contemporary understanding of how children learn and grow. Our long-standing presence in the community reflects our unwavering commitment to providing high-quality early education in the heart of the city, where experienced practitioners blend time-tested approaches with innovative teaching methods to support every child’s unique journey.
Urban Sanctuary for Nature Learning
Despite our central location behind Cabot Circus, Rosemary Nursery offers what Ofsted calls “an oasis of care” – a tranquil haven where children can connect deeply with the natural world. Our large outdoor space serves as a hidden gem within the bustling urban environment, providing rich opportunities for gardening, forest school adventures, and exploratory play. This carefully designed garden creates a perfect contrast to city life, allowing children to experience the wonder of growing plants, discovering wildlife, and engaging in meaningful outdoor learning that nurtures their curiosity and environmental awareness.
Celebrating Community Diversity
Rosemary Nursery proudly embraces its position within Bristol’s vibrant, diverse community, welcoming families from many different cultural backgrounds with warmth and respect. This inclusive approach enriches every child’s learning experience, exposing them to various languages, traditions, and perspectives that broaden their understanding of the world. Our commitment to working in partnership with parents recognises that families are children’s first educators, and their involvement makes a significant difference to learning outcomes. Together, we create a nurturing environment where every child feels valued, supported, and encouraged to reach their full potential.
Nursery Places
Funded Places Available
We offer 15-hour free places for funded 2-year-olds, 15-hour funded places for 2-year-old children of working parents and 15 or (eligible) 30-hours for 3-year-olds.
Core Sessions (15 Hours)
Monday to Friday: 8:30am to 11:30am
OR
Monday to Friday: 12:30pm to 3:30pm
OR
2½ days – Monday, Tuesday 8:30am to 3:30pm and Wednesday 8:30am to 11:30am
OR
2½ days – Wednesday 12:30pm to 3:30pm and Thursday, Friday 8:30am to 3:30pm *
30-Hour Sessions (for eligible working parents)
Monday to Thursday: 8:30am to 3:30pm and Friday 8:30am to 11:30am
Paying Places
The above sessions are also available as paid places. Our fee is £8.00 per hour. We do not offer ad hoc sessions or alternative session times. Places are allocated in line with our admissions policy.
We do not offer an After-School Club at Rosemary Nursery School.
* We will only invoice parents who incur a charge for their child’s sessions – Paying daycare and after-school club
Free and Funded Childcare
Good news! There are lots of options for free and funded childcare at Bristol’s nursery schools. Every family’s situation is different, so explore the options on the Bristol Nursery Schools website to see what applies to you.
What Parents Are Saying
We absolutely loved the nursery. The staff are wonderful, friendly, and caring. Our daughter really liked the place and was very happy there. The atmosphere feels warm and family-like, and we truly appreciate how much the staff care about the children’s safety and well-being. You are all doing a fantastic job. Thank you for making us feel so welcome!
My son loves the garden. We live in a flat and don’t have any outside space but the garden at nursery is amazing. It’s great to know that he can run and play in a safe space.
We have moved to the other side of Bristol but still want to send [my child] to Rosemary as she loves it so much!
News
Celebrating Diversity and Getting Ready for Our New Pets in Class One
Over the past two weeks, Class One at Rosemary Nursery School has been learning about Black History Month. Children have enjoyed sharing and exploring books filled with beautiful, diverse images, helping them to think about their own families and communities....
Making Our Mark in Rosemary Class 2
Children in Rosemary Class 2 have had a wonderfully messy and creative time exploring early writing and coordination through a range of exciting mark-making activities. Using paint pens, squishy foam and sticky paint glue, they have been discovering how different...
Garden Harvest Brings Autumn Discoveries at Rosemary Nursery School
Over the past two weeks, Kelly from Children's Kitchen has been visiting the garden at Rosemary Nursery School, harvesting some of the wonderful fruits and vegetables that she and the children planted during the spring and summer of last year. There has been plenty...
Stretching, Creating and Exploring in Rosemary Class One
Children in Rosemary Class One have enjoyed another busy week of learning, inspired by their interests and our core story, Dear Zoo. Following on from last week's water painting activity at the chalkboard, children explored painting on the easel indoors. As they...
Exploring Animals with Dear Zoo
The children in Rosemary Nursery Class 2 have shown a wonderful interest in animals this week, which linked perfectly with our core book, Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell. Through the story, the children explored new vocabulary and talked about the different animals they...
Support And Information Sessions For Parents And Carers
Bristol Parent Carer Forum has shared details of several upcoming sessions designed to support parents and carers of children with additional needs. These sessions will cover a range of topics, including understanding how different needs can interact, exploring...
Rosemary Nursery School Team
- All
- Admin and Premises Team (Rosemary)
- Early Years Practitioners (Rosemary)
- Leadership Team (Rosemary)
- Senior Leadership Team
Mrs Rachel Barnwell
Jacqui Macfarlane
Jo Chambers
Kate Ticehurst
Lucy Freeman
Maria Melo
Rosie Armistead
Sam Trace
Carly
Claudia
Dawn
Jaki
Jane
Khadija
Jasmine
Sucaado
Magda Bozek
John
Asma
Isobel
Register Your Interest
Discover the nurturing environment at Central Bristol Nursery Schools. Request a tour or contact us for more information to learn how we can support your child’s early education journey.