20/05/2026
80 years anniversary celebration for Caverstede Nursery School, Walton: did you get caught on camera?
On Saturday, Caverstede Nursery School proudly celebrated 80 wonderful years of providing exceptional care and education in the early years with a joyful community celebration attended by past and present families, staff, governors, professionals and local residents.
As the only maintained nursery school in Peterborough, Caverstede continues to offer a unique and highly specialised early years education, led by qualified teachers and a dedicated team of early years professionals.
Maintained nursery schools are inspected to the same standard as primary schools and Caverstede has proudly achieved consecutive Outstanding Ofsted reports, reflecting decades of high-quality teaching, care and commitment to children and families across the city.
Katy Coles, Senior Teacher, told us, "The anniversary celebration was a fantastic success, with the nursery transformed into a vibrant festival atmosphere filled with music, activities, food vendors and opportunities for families to explore the school and its beautiful outdoor environment. Children and families spent the day playing, exploring and dancing together while enjoying live performances throughout the event."
Entertainment for the day was generously donated by talented members of the local community, beginning with past pupil George Elliott, followed by Lucy’s choir and a Taylor Swift tribute act, all of whom helped create a wonderful celebratory atmosphere throughout the afternoon.
Special speeches were shared by past and present members of the Caverstede community, including former headteacher Marilyn James, current headteacher Debbie Hayes and a heartfelt message from former headteacher Christine Parker. Guests also heard from past Chair of Governors Keith Warren, Dr Janet Clark and Hannah Benn, all reflecting on the important role Caverstede has played in generations of children’s lives.
There was also special mention of Betty Haye MBE, who became the first Headteacher in 1948 and remained associated with the school until shortly before her death in 2019. Her dedication and influence helped shape generations of children’s early education and left a lasting legacy within the Caverstede community.
One particularly special moment from the day saw a former pupil, who attended the nursery in 1950, revisit the school and share her memories of Miss Haye. She was delighted to discover both her own name and those of her younger brothers within Caverstede’s archive collection, highlighting the deep connections generations of families continue to hold with the school.
Adding to the celebrations, past pupil and television presenter Jake Humphrey sent a special video message sharing his memories of attending the nursery and congratulating the school on reaching such an incredible milestone.
The event also marked an important step in the school’s fundraising campaign to renew and rejuvenate its large outdoor learning environment. Thanks to the generosity of the community, the school has already raised over £19,000 towards its £60,000 target.
The school was overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity shown throughout the day from local businesses and the wider community. Pizzanini generously donated all profits from the event towards Caverstede’s outdoor fundraising campaign, while other food vendors also contributed to the cause. Many local businesses additionally supported the celebration by donating an incredible range of raffle prizes, helping the school make such a fantastic start towards its fundraising goal.
The school’s historical archive will remain available for visitors to explore until 22nd May. Anyone wishing to look through the photographs, records and memories from across the decades is invited to contact the school to arrange a visit.
There are still many amazing raffle prizes to be won, with tickets continuing to be available through the school. Donations towards the outdoor redevelopment project are also still being welcomed, with details available via the school website: Caverstede Nursery School: https://www.caverstede.peterborough.sch.uk/our-80th-celebration
Located in Walton, Peterborough, the Nursery School is set within their Nursery and Woodland Gardens, and consists of three classrooms which are designed to offer an environment where children are safe, inspired and happy. They are dedicated to working alongside parents to provide for the care and development of the children in our school.
