Childcare in Leigh-On-Sea
Leigh-On-Sea has 7 day nurseries, 7 pre-schools, 12 childminders and 4 after-school clubs. Ofsted has inspected 20 of them and rated 19 Good or better, 9 of them Outstanding. 10 have never been inspected, which usually means recently registered. Across Southend on Sea there are 31 places per 100 children under five, about the same as England as a whole at 32.
Places per 100 under-fives is registered capacity at nurseries, pre-schools and childminders across Southend on Sea, 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.
30 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.
- Dec 2025Closed Active Academy Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Opened Active Academy - Unit 14 Leighcliff Buildings Full day care
- Dec 2025Opened Lottie & Ollie Full day care
- Jun 2025Opened LEIGH TREASURES PRESCHOOL Sessional day care
- Jun 2025Closed Leigh Wesley Pre School Sessional day care
What people ask about childcare in Leigh-On-Sea
Answered from the figures on this page, so they stay in step with it.
Which nurseries in Leigh-On-Sea take funded hours?
1 of the 30 settings in Leigh-On-Sea 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 Councils do not publish a list of approved providers, so the rest are unknown rather than a no.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 Leigh-On-Sea rated Outstanding?
Yes. 9 of the 20 settings Ofsted has inspected in Leigh-On-Sea hold an Outstanding grade.
Which nurseries in Leigh-On-Sea take babies?
26 settings in Leigh-On-Sea 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 Leigh-On-Sea?
Southend on Sea has 31 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 Leigh-On-Sea
Worth widening the search to, especially if you drive to work.