Childcare in Ongar
Ongar has 6 day nurseries, 1 pre-school and 2 childminders. Ofsted has inspected 6 of them, and rated every one Good or better, 1 of them Outstanding. 3 have never been inspected, which usually means recently registered. 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.
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 Moreton SSS Provision Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Closed Hollytrees Pre-School Full day care
- Dec 2025Closed Step Start Nurseries Fyfield Full day care
- Jun 2025Opened Step Start Nurseries Fyfield Full day care
What people ask about childcare in Ongar
Answered from the figures on this page, so they stay in step with it.
Which nurseries in Ongar take funded hours?
1 of the 9 settings in Ongar 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 Councils do not publish a list of approved providers, so the rest are unknown rather than a no.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 Ongar rated Outstanding?
Yes. 1 of the 6 settings Ofsted has inspected in Ongar hold an Outstanding grade.
Which nurseries in Ongar take babies?
9 settings in Ongar 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 Ongar?
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 Ongar
Worth widening the search to, especially if you drive to work.