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
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.
It’s a wonderful little nursery school which has served the good people of this deprived city centre area for a generation.
You always greet [my child] with a smile which makes me know he’s going to have a good day with you. He loves coming to nursery.
News
Rosemary Classes 1 and 2 are getting in the Festive Spirit
This week, both classes 1 and 2 have been getting in the festive spirit! We have listened to The Christmas Story, decorated our Christmas tree, wrapped gifts to go under it and explored the wonderful different textures and materials of the baubles and tinsel. We...
Rosemary Class 1 Explores Painting Surfaces and Christmas Sprays
This week in Class 1, we have been exploring painting on different surfaces including tracing paper, card, and our hands, noticing what happened to the paint on each material. This investigation helps children understand how different surfaces absorb or repel paint...
Rosemary Class 2 Explores Colour Mixing and Baby Care
We have been exploring colour mixing using pipettes and coloured water, discovering how primary colours combine to create new shades. This activity has also been developing our fine motor skills through the precise squeezing and control needed to use the pipettes...
Bristol Parent Carers December Newsletter
Bristol Parent Carers have asked us to share their December newsletter. Bristol Parent Carers provide support to any parent carer in Bristol who needs information and support for their child(ren) with special educational needs and disabilities, no diagnosis...
Rosemary Class 1 Explores Owl Babies and Clay
This week we have been loving our new core book "Owl Babies" by Martin Waddell, exploring ideas of family and the reassuring theme of if mummy goes away, she always comes back! This gentle story helps children understand separation and reunion whilst providing...
Rosemary Class 2 Explores Owl Babies and Habitats
We have been reading our core book "Owl Babies" and using it to explore emotions such as being worried or missing someone, helping children identify and understand their own feelings whilst building empathy through the story of the three baby owls waiting for their...
Rosemary Nursery School Team
- All
- Admin and Premises Team (Rosemary)
- Early Years Practitioners (Rosemary)
- Leadership Team (Rosemary)
- Senior Leadership Team
Rachel Barnwell
Jacqui Macfarlane
Jo Chambers
Kate Ticehurst
Lucy Freeman
Maria Melo
Nicky Brinkworth
Rosie Armistead
Sam Trace
Carly
Claudia
Dawn
Jaki
Jane
Khadija
Jasmine
Sucaado
Magda Bozek
Anneli
John
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.