Childcare in Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole)
Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole) has 24 day nurseries, 11 pre-schools, 20 childminders and 13 after-school clubs. Ofsted has inspected 44 of them and rated 42 Good or better, 5 of them Outstanding. 24 have never been inspected, which usually means recently registered. Across Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole there are 33 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole, 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.
68 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 Bibury Kindergarten Full day care
- Jun 2026Opened Kings Camps Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2026Closed Bibury Day Nursery Full day care
- Jun 2026Closed Twin Oaks Pre-School Sessional day care
- Dec 2025Closed Cuddles @ The Stadium Full day care
- Dec 2025Opened Step into Sport Oakdale Junior School Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Opened Step into Sport Longfleet Primary School Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Opened Dingley's Promise Poole Sessional day care
- Jun 2025Opened Bayside View Preschool Sessional day care
- Jun 2025Closed Globe Fit Kids Clubs - Poole Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2025Closed First Friends Wallisdown Pre-School Sessional day care
What people ask about childcare in Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole)
Answered from the figures on this page, so they stay in step with it.
Which nurseries in Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole) take funded hours?
7 of the 68 settings in Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole) 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 Councils do not publish a list of approved providers, so the rest are unknown rather than a no.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 Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole) rated Outstanding?
Yes. 5 of the 44 settings Ofsted has inspected in Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole) hold an Outstanding grade.
Which nurseries in Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole) take babies?
57 settings in Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole) 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 Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole)?
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole has 33 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 Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole)
Worth widening the search to, especially if you drive to work.