Best nurseries in Darwen
9 Ofsted-registered nurseries and pre-schools in Blackburn with Darwen, 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 | Darwen Children's Centre Sessional day care · 56 places · BB3 0HD | Good (2025) |
| 2 | Precious Moments Childcare (Darwen) ltd. Full day care · 55 places · BB3 2DE | Good (2024) |
| 3 | Ark Les Enfants Nursery and Forest School Full day care · 80 places · BB3 1JE | Good (2024) |
| 4 | Kidzania Childcare Darwen Full day care · 99 places · BB3 1AT | Good (2023) |
| 5 | Marshmallows Day Nursery Full day care · 63 places · BB3 3JB | Good (2022) |
| 6 | Rainbow Childcare Full day care · 32 places · BB3 1NW | Good (2022) |
| 7 | Barnabas House Private Nursery Full day care · 59 places · BB3 2EB | Report card: 5 needs attention (Nov 2025) |
| 8 | PALS-Darwen St Joseph's Primary School Full day care · 35 places · BB3 2SG | Not yet inspected |
| 9 | Progress Education Centre - Darwen Sessional day care · BB3 1QU | Not yet inspected |
How much does nursery cost in Darwen?
Typical weekly nursery prices for a child under two in North West, 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 Darwen?
There are 9 nurseries and pre-schools in Darwen; listed first: Darwen Children's Centre, Precious Moments Childcare (Darwen) ltd., Ark Les Enfants Nursery and Forest School.
How much does nursery cost in Darwen?
In North West, a part-time place (25 hours a week) for a child under two typically costs £178 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 Darwen?
9 Ofsted-registered nurseries and pre-schools, 7 of them inspected so far.
Nurseries nearby
Neighbourhoods
Darwen Town · East Darwen · North Darwen · South Darwen & Whitehall
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.