Childcare in Nelson
Nelson has 9 day nurseries, 3 pre-schools, 10 school nursery classes and 8 after-school clubs. Ofsted has inspected 8 of them, and rated every one Good or better, 3 of them Outstanding. 22 have never been inspected, which usually means recently registered. Across Lancashire there are 38 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 Lancashire, 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 227 school nursery classes across Lancashire, because nobody publishes how many children they take.
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.
- Jun 2026Opened Naik Gems Nursery Sessional day care
- Jun 2026Opened PALS- Great Marsden Primary School Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Opened Excel Learning & Activity Centre Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Opened Crescent Nursery Nelson Sessional day care
- Dec 2025Closed RS Learning Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Closed Crescent Nursery Nelson Sessional day care
- Dec 2025Closed The Hive 55 Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2025Closed First Class Learning: Nelson Sessional day care
- Jun 2025Closed Include Me 2 Hodge House Sessional day care
What people ask about childcare in Nelson
Answered from the figures on this page, so they stay in step with it.
Which nurseries in Nelson take funded hours?
12 of the 30 settings in Nelson 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 Councils do not publish a list of approved providers, so the rest are unknown rather than a no.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 Nelson rated Outstanding?
Yes. 3 of the 8 settings Ofsted has inspected in Nelson hold an Outstanding grade.
Which nurseries in Nelson take babies?
13 settings in Nelson 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 Nelson?
Lancashire has 38 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 Nelson
Worth widening the search to, especially if you drive to work.