St Paul's Nursery in Holgate set to reopen in April

St Paul’s Nursery School in St Paul's Square in Holgate is preparing to celebrate the opening of a brand-new building in April.

A reopening date is planned for Monday, April 13 for children and a grand opening party on Saturday, April 18 from 10am - noon.

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As previously reported by The Press, St Paul's appealed for past pupils and staff to get in touch and head, Claire Ridgen says they had a great response.

St Paul's Nursery in Holgate, pictured in December, looks set to reopen (Image: Haydn Lewis)

"We are inviting all past pupils who responded to the campaign," she said.

“We’re so excited to be building this new chapter for St Paul’s. Our nursery has been nurturing little learners for decades, so it feels really special to reconnect with the people who started their journey here — whether that was five years ago or 75."

St Paul’s Nursery School opened on December 1 1936 and was gifted to the local authority by the Rowntree family making it the oldest nursery in the city. It currently caters for children aged two - five and is tucked away in a grade two listed building in the corner of St Paul's Square in Holgate.

From October last year the whole of St Paul’s Nursery moved temporarily to Clifton Children’s Centre into a nursery space. 

An annex was added to the main nursery building in the 1940s and since then thousands of children have passed through its doors, but head Claire Rigden, speaking to The Press last year, said that the building had to be demolished and a new annex and a refurbishment to make a new and improved nursery on the site is currently underway. 

Head Claire Rigden

The construction is being undertaken by Hull-based Hobson and Porter, who undertake similar educational development projects across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

All details can be found on the school’s website: www.stpaulsnurseryschool.co.uk