Childcare in Braintree
Braintree has 16 day nurseries, 4 pre-schools, 7 school nursery classes, 11 childminders and 6 after-school clubs. Ofsted has inspected 26 of them, and rated every one Good or better, 6 of them Outstanding. 18 have never been inspected, which usually means recently registered. Of those that publish a price, a full day runs from £44 to £95, typically £95. Across Essex there are 36 places per 100 children under five, better supplied than England as a whole at 32.
Places per 100 under-fives is registered capacity at nurseries, pre-schools and childminders across Essex, divided by the children aged 0 to 4 who live there at the 2021 Census. It compares areas; it is not a count of free places today. It also leaves out the 154 school nursery classes across Essex, because nobody publishes how many children they take.
44 settings, best rated first. Search by postcode to sort them by how far they really are.
What has changed here
Ofsted does not publish closures, so we work them out by comparing releases. Worth knowing if you are working from an old list.
- Jun 2026Closed Junior Adventures Group @ Finchingfield CM7 Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2026Closed CMXSC @ Rayne Primary School Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2026Closed Notley Green SSS Sports Camp Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Opened Primary Sports Group - Cressing Primary Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Opened Lyons Hall Wraparound Care Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Opened Junior Adventures Group @ Finchingfield CM7 Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2025Opened Camp 4 Champs - St Michael's Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2025Closed Bardfield After School and Breakfast Club Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2025Closed M.R.F.A. | Braintree Holiday Course Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2025Closed Camp 4 Champs at Notley High School Out-of-school day care
What people ask about childcare in Braintree
Answered from the figures on this page, so they stay in step with it.
How much does nursery cost in Braintree?
Of the 5 full-day rates published by settings in Braintree, the typical price is £95 a day, ranging from £44 to £95. These are prices the settings publish themselves, not an average of quotes.
Which nurseries in Braintree take funded hours?
15 of the 44 settings in Braintree are recorded as taking the government funded hours. Councils do not publish a list of approved providers, so the rest are unknown rather than a no.
Are any nurseries in Braintree rated Outstanding?
Yes. 6 of the 26 settings Ofsted has inspected in Braintree hold an Outstanding grade.
Which nurseries in Braintree take babies?
37 settings in Braintree are registered to take children under two. Ofsted's register does not say whether a setting runs a baby room or has space in it, so ring before you plan around it.
Is it hard to get a nursery place in Braintree?
Essex has 36 registered childcare places for every 100 children under five, against 32 across England. That is registered capacity rather than free places, so it compares areas rather than telling you what is available this week.
Towns close to Braintree
Worth widening the search to, especially if you drive to work.