Best nurseries in Darlington
27 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 | Parkside Childcare Full day care · 34 places · DL1 5TY | Outstanding (2024) |
| 2 | All Saints Blackwell Pre-School Sessional day care · 26 places · DL3 8DT | Outstanding (2022) |
| 3 | The Outdoor Pre-School Sessional day care · 32 places · DL3 8JA | Outstanding (2022) |
| 4 | Ferndene Nursery Full day care · 78 places · DL3 8PQ | Good (2025) |
| 5 | Kids 1st - Darlington Full day care · 108 places · DL2 2GF | Good (2025) |
| 6 | St. Edwin's Pre-School Full day care · 20 places · DL2 2LR | Good (2025) |
| 7 | Danesmoor House Day Nursery Full day care · 76 places · DL3 8RH | Good (2025) |
| 8 | Darlington College Childcare Centre Full day care · 53 places · DL1 1DR | Good (2024) |
| 9 | Upperthorpe Nursery Full day care · 99 places · DL3 7PZ | Good (2024) |
| 10 | Eastbourne Pre-School Full day care · 24 places · DL1 1LJ | Good (2023) |
| 11 | Mowden Pre-School Sessional day care · 20 places · DL3 9QG | Good (2023) |
| 12 | Maidendale Nursery Full day care · 72 places · DL1 4SU | Good (2023) |
| 13 | Pierremont Pre-School Full day care · 26 places · DL3 6DG | Good (2023) |
| 14 | Lowson Street Pre-School Sessional day care · 30 places · DL3 0EY | Good (2022) |
| 15 | Secret Garden Day Nursery Full day care · 40 places · DL1 2DF | Good (2022) |
| 16 | Busy Bees Day Nursery at Darlington Full day care · 88 places · DL3 9EX | Good (2022) |
| 17 | Flora House Day Nursery Full day care · 60 places · DL3 8PA | Good (2022) |
| 18 | Sadberge Pre-School Full day care · 21 places · DL2 1SW | Good (2022) |
| 19 | The Play Hut Full day care · 69 places · DL1 3BL | Good (2022) |
| 20 | Broadway Daycare Full day care · 55 places · DL1 1EJ | Good (2022) |
| 21 | Little Lingfields Limited Full day care · 59 places · DL1 1RW | Good (2022) |
| 22 | Big Kids Little Kids Nursery and out of School Club Full day care · 104 places · DL1 1QU | Good (2022) |
| 23 | Serendipity Nursery And Outdoor Learning Full day care · 57 places · DL2 1DL | Report card: 5 expected (Feb 2026) |
| 24 | First Class Learning Darlington Sessional day care · DL1 5RF | Not yet inspected |
| 25 | Kids Planet Darlington Full day care · 64 places · DL3 6DX | Not yet inspected |
| 26 | Outdoor-Ambition Ltd Full day care · DL3 0EG | Not yet inspected |
| 27 | Stagecoach Darlington Centre Stage Sessional day care · DL1 1LA | Not yet inspected |
How much does nursery cost in Darlington?
Typical weekly nursery prices for a child under two in North East, 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 Darlington?
Of 27 nurseries and pre-schools in Darlington, 3 have Ofsted's top results (Outstanding, or mostly strong or exceptional on the new report card). Listed first: Parkside Childcare, All Saints Blackwell Pre-School, The Outdoor Pre-School.
How much does nursery cost in Darlington?
In North East, a part-time place (25 hours a week) for a child under two typically costs £166 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 Darlington?
27 Ofsted-registered nurseries and pre-schools, 23 of them inspected so far.
Nurseries nearby
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.