Best nurseries in Cambridge
46 Ofsted-registered nurseries and pre-schools, best Ofsted result first: the latest report card or overall grade, then the most recent inspection. Childminders are not listed (Ofsted does not publish their addresses).
| # | Nursery | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of West Cambridge Day Nursery Full day care · 120 places · CB3 0FZ | Outstanding (2025) |
| 2 | Bright Horizons Wolfson Court Day Nursery and Preschool Full day care · 76 places · CB3 0EH | Outstanding (2024) |
| 3 | Kids Planet Chris Abell Full day care · 100 places · CB2 8PH | Outstanding (2024) |
| 4 | Rainbow Day Nursery Full day care · 55 places · CB2 9LH | Outstanding (2022) |
| 5 | Stephen Perse Nurseries Salisbury Villas Full day care · 40 places · CB1 2JF | Outstanding (2022) |
| 6 | ACE Nursery School Full day care · 40 places · CB1 1JE | Outstanding (2022) |
| 7 | ACE Day Nursery Full day care · 17 places · CB5 8HT | Outstanding (2021) |
| 8 | Millington Road Nursery School Full day care · 45 places · CB3 9HP | Outstanding (2021) |
| 9 | University Nursery Edwinstowe Close Full day care · 79 places · CB2 7EB | Report card: 5 strong (Jan 2026) |
| 10 | Moonbeams Preschool Sessional day care · 50 places · CB4 2JL | Good (2025) |
| 11 | Chestnut@Chesterton Full day care · 71 places · CB4 1RW | Good (2025) |
| 12 | Newnham Nursery Sessional day care · 24 places · CB3 9JF | Good (2025) |
| 13 | Harvey Road Day Nursery Ltd Full day care · 45 places · CB1 2ET | Good (2025) |
| 14 | Mrs Cameron Day Nursery Full day care · 25 places · CB3 9DS | Good (2025) |
| 15 | Kindred Cambridge Full day care · 51 places · CB4 3EP | Good (2025) |
| 16 | Little Explorers Montessori Nursery Limited Full day care · 12 places · CB2 8DB | Good (2025) |
| 17 | N Family Club Cambridge Full day care · 82 places · CB1 3FJ | Good (2025) |
| 18 | Bright Horizons Long Road Day Nursery And Preschool Full day care · 152 places · CB2 0SZ | Good (2024) |
| 19 | Sancton Wood School, Baby Unicorns Nursery Sessional day care · 18 places · CB1 2JB | Good (2024) |
| 20 | Peek A Boo Nursery Full day care · 26 places · CB4 1RU | Good (2024) |
| 21 | Playlanders Playgroup (St Georges Church Hall) Sessional day care · 25 places · CB4 1LN | Good (2024) |
| 22 | The Joint Colleges Nursery (Cambridge) Limited Full day care · 57 places · CB2 7EB | Good (2023) |
| 23 | Cambridge Montessori Full day care · 146 places · CB1 2DG | Good (2023) |
| 24 | Twizzle Tops Day Nursery Full day care · 66 places · CB5 8HY | Good (2023) |
| 25 | Seesaw Pre-school Sessional day care · 24 places · CB5 8ND | Good (2022) |
| 26 | Romsey Mill Pre-school (Hemingford Road) Sessional day care · 24 places · CB1 3BZ | Good (2022) |
| 27 | Butterfly Day Nursery Full day care · 52 places · CB4 1DD | Good (2022) |
| 28 | Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery And Preschool Grange Road Full day care · 150 places · CB3 9DU | Good (2022) |
| 29 | Under Fives Roundabout Full day care · 34 places · CB4 3HN | Good (2022) |
| 30 | Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Cambridge Full day care · 59 places · CB2 1AA | Good (2022) |
| 31 | Smiths Children Full day care · 45 places · CB4 3DZ | Good (2022) |
| 32 | Clarence House Cambridge Full day care · 38 places · CB4 1RW | Good (2022) |
| 33 | Patacake Day Nursery Full day care · 131 places · CB1 3LW | Good (2022) |
| 34 | Bright Horizons Eddington Nursery Full day care · 125 places · CB3 1AA | Good (2021) |
| 35 | Bunnybrookes Day Nursery Full day care · 88 places · CB2 0QQ | Report card: 5 expected (Jan 2026) |
| 36 | Arbury Preschool Sessional day care · 26 places · CB4 2DE | Report card: 3 expected, 2 needs attention (Nov 2025) |
| 37 | Barton Road Day Nursery (Pembroke and Queen's College) Full day care · 45 places · CB3 9JZ | Not yet inspected |
| 38 | Bright Horizons Cambridge Milton Road Day Nursery and Preschool Full day care · 97 places · CB4 1XA | Not yet inspected |
| 39 | CamPlay Saturday Club - Cambridge Sessional day care · CB1 3HY | Not yet inspected |
| 40 | Kings Camps Sessional day care · CB3 9DN | Not yet inspected |
| 41 | Language Nursery Ross Street Full day care · 23 places · CB1 3UZ | Not yet inspected |
| 42 | Little DISCoveries Day Nursery and Preschool Full day care · 126 places · CB2 0BA | Not yet inspected |
| 43 | Monstrous Fun at Chesterton Sessional day care · CB4 3NY | Not yet inspected |
| 44 | Oaks Nursery Full day care · 61 places · CB1 8DW | Not yet inspected |
| 45 | Seesaw Pre-school CIO Sessional day care · 32 places · CB5 8RS | Not yet inspected |
| 46 | Stagecoach Cambridge Sessional day care · CB4 3NY | Not yet inspected |
How much does nursery cost in Cambridge?
Typical weekly nursery prices for a child under two in East of England, from the Coram Childcare Survey 2026. A guide only: ask each nursery for its own fees.
Working parents in England can get 30 funded hours a week in term time from when their child is 9 months old, so a 25-hour place can cost little or nothing in term time. Every 3 and 4 year old gets at least 15 funded hours. Funded hours cover 38 weeks a year; nurseries can charge for extra hours, meals and activities. Check what you can get at Childcare Choices.
Questions
What are the best nurseries in Cambridge?
Of 46 nurseries and pre-schools in Cambridge, 9 have Ofsted's top results (Outstanding, or mostly strong or exceptional on the new report card). Listed first: University of West Cambridge Day Nursery, Bright Horizons Wolfson Court Day Nursery and Preschool, Kids Planet Chris Abell.
How much does nursery cost in Cambridge?
In East of England, a part-time place (25 hours a week) for a child under two typically costs £192 a week without funded hours (Coram Childcare Survey 2026). Working parents can get 30 funded hours a week in term time from 9 months.
How many nurseries are there in Cambridge?
46 Ofsted-registered nurseries and pre-schools, 36 of them inspected so far.
Nurseries nearby
Neighbourhoods
Addenbrooke's & Queen Edith's · Arbury · Central & West Cambridge · Cherry Hinton · Coleridge · East Barnwell & Abbey · East Chesterton · Eddington & Castle · Kings Hedges · Newtown · Petersfield · Romsey · Trumpington · West Chesterton
Source: Ofsted early years inspections. Ofsted's report card (from November 2025) grades curriculum, achievement, behaviour, children's welfare and leadership as exceptional, strong, expected, needs attention or urgent improvement; earlier inspections gave one overall grade.