Childcare in Saffron Walden (Essex)
Saffron Walden (Essex) has 14 day nurseries, 3 pre-schools, 4 childminders and 9 after-school clubs. Ofsted has inspected 19 of them and rated 18 Good or better, 5 of them Outstanding. 12 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 2026Opened Stagecoach Saffron Walden Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2026Opened Debden Barns Day Nursery Full day care
- Jun 2026Closed Stagecoach Saffron Walden Sessional day care
- Dec 2025Closed Premier Wraparound Care at Great Sampford Primary School Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Opened Ashdon Activity Club Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Opened Prestige Wraparound Great Sampford Out-of-school day care
- Dec 2025Opened Club Excel at Dame Bradbury's School Out-of-school day care
What people ask about childcare in Saffron Walden (Essex)
Answered from the figures on this page, so they stay in step with it.
Which nurseries in Saffron Walden (Essex) take funded hours?
6 of the 31 settings in Saffron Walden (Essex) 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 Councils do not publish a list of approved providers, so the rest are unknown rather than a no.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 Saffron Walden (Essex) rated Outstanding?
Yes. 5 of the 19 settings Ofsted has inspected in Saffron Walden (Essex) hold an Outstanding grade.
Which nurseries in Saffron Walden (Essex) take babies?
25 settings in Saffron Walden (Essex) 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 Saffron Walden (Essex)?
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 Saffron Walden (Essex)
Worth widening the search to, especially if you drive to work.