Childcare in Harpenden
Harpenden has 11 day nurseries, 8 pre-schools, 8 school nursery classes, 5 childminders and 16 after-school clubs. Ofsted has inspected 19 of them, and rated every one Good or better, 8 of them Outstanding. 29 have never been inspected, which usually means recently registered. Across Hertfordshire 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 Hertfordshire, 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 317 school nursery classes across Hertfordshire, because nobody publishes how many children they take.
35 settings match. 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 Fingertips Creative Arts Pre-School Sessional day care
- Jun 2026Closed Fusion Pre-School Southdown Sessional day care
- Jun 2026Closed FizzBug @ Grove Infant School Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2026Closed Fizzbug @ The Grove Junior School Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2025Opened FizzBug Holiday Club @ Harpenden Leisure Centre Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2025Opened Fusion Pre School Southdown Sessional day care
- Jun 2025Opened Harpenden Day Nursery and Pre School Full day care
- Jun 2025Closed FizzBug Holiday Club @ Harpenden Leisure Centre Sessional day care
- Jun 2025Closed Harpenden Day Nursery Full day care
What people ask about childcare in Harpenden
Answered from the figures on this page, so they stay in step with it.
Which nurseries in Harpenden take funded hours?
12 of the 48 settings in Harpenden 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 Councils do not publish a list of approved providers, so the rest are unknown rather than a no.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 Harpenden rated Outstanding?
Yes. 8 of the 19 settings Ofsted has inspected in Harpenden hold an Outstanding grade.
Which nurseries in Harpenden take babies?
35 settings in Harpenden 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 Harpenden?
Hertfordshire 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 Harpenden
Worth widening the search to, especially if you drive to work.