Best nurseries in Derby
80 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 | Shining Stars Nursery Sessional day care · 52 places · DE23 6WW | Outstanding (2025) |
| 2 | The Cottage Private Day Nursery (55 Bedford Street) Full day care · 27 places · DE22 3PD | Outstanding (2023) |
| 3 | The Early Years Academy Derby Full day care · 104 places · DE22 1AF | Outstanding (2023) |
| 4 | Oak House Nursery Full day care · 55 places · DE3 9FN | Outstanding (2023) |
| 5 | Sunnyhill Day Nursery Limited Full day care · 92 places · DE23 8DN | Report card: 5 strong (Feb 2026) |
| 6 | Osmaston Day Nursery Limited Full day care · 44 places · DE24 8XB | Report card: 5 strong (Feb 2026) |
| 7 | Little Scholars Nursery Full day care · 31 places · DE23 1GQ | Good (2025) |
| 8 | The Cottage Private Day Nursery (Uttoxeter Road) Full day care · 86 places · DE3 9AX | Good (2025) |
| 9 | Playcorner Nursery Full day care · 40 places · DE23 8GD | Good (2025) |
| 10 | Marble Hall Little Angels Day Nursery Full day care · 60 places · DE24 8BF | Good (2025) |
| 11 | First Friends PDN Full day care · 36 places · DE21 6HP | Good (2025) |
| 12 | Mickleover Methodist Preschool Sessional day care · 26 places · DE3 9GH | Good (2025) |
| 13 | The Old Forge Day Nursery Full day care · 100 places · DE65 6AA | Good (2025) |
| 14 | Playdays Opportunity Group Full day care · 50 places · DE73 6TU | Good (2025) |
| 15 | Mary Poppins Day Nursery Full day care · 82 places · DE3 9AJ | Good (2025) |
| 16 | St Andrews Pre-School Sessional day care · 26 places · DE23 1PX | Good (2024) |
| 17 | Wonderworks preschool Sessional day care · 42 places · DE21 6LN | Good (2024) |
| 18 | Aston on Trent Pre-School Sessional day care · 50 places · DE72 2AX | Good (2024) |
| 19 | Derby Montessori School Full day care · 43 places · DE22 3NJ | Good (2024) |
| 20 | The Learning Tree Derby Ltd Full day care · 16 places · DE24 9SF | Good (2024) |
| 21 | Tiny Tots Nursery Full day care · 45 places · DE24 0JP | Good (2024) |
| 22 | St Edmunds Preschool Community Interest Company Sessional day care · 30 places · DE22 2FN | Good (2024) |
| 23 | Little Owls Nursery Full day care · 61 places · DE22 4FN | Good (2024) |
| 24 | Little Angels Playschool C.I.C Sessional day care · 36 places · DE24 9HY | Good (2024) |
| 25 | Sinfin Community Childcare Full day care · 70 places · DE24 9HG | Good (2024) |
| 26 | Carlton Day Nursery Full day care · 96 places · DE22 1GQ | Good (2024) |
| 27 | Derwent Stepping Stones Full day care · 128 places · DE21 6AH | Good (2024) |
| 28 | Little Rainbows Academy Full day care · 54 places · DE24 0PA | Good (2023) |
| 29 | La Petite Academy Ltd Full day care · 76 places · DE23 1DG | Good (2023) |
| 30 | ACE Nursery Full day care · 74 places · DE23 8DH | Good (2023) |
| 31 | Orchard Private Day Nursery Full day care · 55 places · DE73 6RF | Good (2023) |
| 32 | The Cottage Private Day Nursery Full day care · 68 places · DE22 3PD | Good (2023) |
| 33 | Woodlands PDN Full day care · 118 places · DE22 1BJ | Good (2023) |
| 34 | White House Day Nursery Alvaston Full day care · 79 places · DE24 0JR | Good (2023) |
| 35 | Busy Bees Day Nursery at Derby Heatherton Full day care · 109 places · DE23 3TZ | Good (2023) |
| 36 | Fun Time Nursery Limited Full day care · 50 places · DE23 8DD | Good (2023) |
| 37 | Sunny Days Nursery Full day care · 45 places · DE21 4AA | Good (2023) |
| 38 | Busy Bees Day Nursery at Derby Oakwood Full day care · 110 places · DE21 2SF | Good (2023) |
| 39 | Heatherton Pre-School Sessional day care · 26 places · DE23 3TZ | Good (2023) |
| 40 | Little Poppies Pre School Sessional day care · 35 places · DE3 9GB | Good (2023) |
| 41 | St. Joseph's RC Pre School Sessional day care · 28 places · DE23 6SB | Good (2023) |
| 42 | Little Scholars Littleover Full day care · 69 places · DE23 3EY | Good (2023) |
| 43 | Sale and Davys Playgroup Sessional day care · 26 places · DE73 7HA | Good (2023) |
| 44 | Orchard Nursery School Full day care · 45 places · DE73 6RF | Good (2022) |
| 45 | Treetops Oakwood Full day care · 65 places · DE21 2DF | Good (2022) |
| 46 | The Orchard Garden Private Day Nursery Full day care · 107 places · DE1 1RX | Good (2022) |
| 47 | Banana Moon Day Nursery Littleover Full day care · 70 places · DE23 3AT | Good (2022) |
| 48 | Treetops Silvertrees Full day care · 84 places · DE22 3AD | Good (2022) |
| 49 | Rydale Children's Nursery Full day care · 116 places · DE22 4EN | Good (2022) |
| 50 | The Faraway Tree Day Nursery Full day care · 38 places · DE22 3HQ | Good (2022) |
| 51 | Alvaston Achievers Day Nursery Full day care · 32 places · DE24 0DD | Good (2022) |
| 52 | Scallywags Nursery Full day care · 140 places · DE73 5WX | Good (2022) |
| 53 | Thornhill Day Nursery - Tommies Childcare Full day care · 70 places · DE22 3LX | Good (2022) |
| 54 | King George V Pre-School Full day care · 24 places · DE23 6GT | Good (2022) |
| 55 | Field Lane Playgroup Limited Sessional day care · 45 places · DE24 0GW | Good (2021) |
| 56 | Incredible Kids (Derby) Limited Full day care · 91 places · DE24 8AJ | Good (2020) |
| 57 | Shardlow Hall Private Day Nursery Full day care · 136 places · DE72 2GP | Report card: 1 strong, 4 expected (Feb 2026) |
| 58 | Kids Planet Spondon Full day care · 20 places · DE21 7JP | Report card: 5 expected (Jan 2026) |
| 59 | Positive Steps Childcare LTD Sessional day care · 28 places · DE23 8ER | Inadequate (2025) |
| 60 | Bizzy Kidz Nursery Full day care · 100 places · DE23 6AH | Not yet inspected |
| 61 | Bramble Brook Pre School Sessional day care · 30 places · DE3 9HD | Not yet inspected |
| 62 | Busy Bees Pre-School Sessional day care · 72 places · DE22 2HE | Not yet inspected |
| 63 | Happy Hearts Learning Full day care · DE23 6US | Not yet inspected |
| 64 | Key Tuition Derby Full day care · DE24 9AB | Not yet inspected |
| 65 | Kids Planet Springfield Full day care · 48 places · DE21 7AB | Not yet inspected |
| 66 | Learn Smart Tutoring Centre Full day care · DE23 6FN | Not yet inspected |
| 67 | Little Oaks Nursery Full day care · 42 places · DE23 4BX | Not yet inspected |
| 68 | Little Owls Nursery Alvaston Sessional day care · 30 places · DE24 0RU | Not yet inspected |
| 69 | Little Owls Nursery Sinfin Sessional day care · 45 places · DE24 9NT | Not yet inspected |
| 70 | Nuffield Health Creche Derby Sessional day care · DE21 6DA | Not yet inspected |
| 71 | Pakistan Community Centre 3D HAF Full day care · 120 places · DE23 8PB | Not yet inspected |
| 72 | Premier Holiday Club @ Derby Moor Sessional day care · DE23 2FS | Not yet inspected |
| 73 | Rosehill Day Nursery EYC Limited Full day care · 52 places · DE23 6WY | Not yet inspected |
| 74 | Shelton-Lock Pre-School Sessional day care · 42 places · DE24 9AD | Not yet inspected |
| 75 | Stagecoach Derby Sessional day care · DE22 2LW | Not yet inspected |
| 76 | The DEN club Willington Full day care · 28 places · DE65 6DN | Not yet inspected |
| 77 | The Orange Tree Day Nursery @ Derby Full day care · 126 places · DE22 1AE | Not yet inspected |
| 78 | Umbrella Sessional day care · DE22 4LD | Not yet inspected |
| 79 | Umbrella Derby and Derbyshire at The Annie Hall Centre Sessional day care · DE22 3HQ | Not yet inspected |
| 80 | Walk in the Park Nursery Sessional day care · 30 places · DE23 8DA | Not yet inspected |
How much does nursery cost in Derby?
Typical weekly nursery prices for a child under two in East Midlands, 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 Derby?
Of 80 nurseries and pre-schools in Derby, 6 have Ofsted's top results (Outstanding, or mostly strong or exceptional on the new report card). Listed first: Shining Stars Nursery, The Cottage Private Day Nursery (55 Bedford Street), The Early Years Academy Derby.
How much does nursery cost in Derby?
In East Midlands, a part-time place (25 hours a week) for a child under two typically costs £165 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 Derby?
80 Ofsted-registered nurseries and pre-schools, 59 of them inspected so far.
Nurseries nearby
Alvaston · Littleover · Mickleover · Normanton · Allenton
Neighbourhoods
Allenton & Osmaston · Allestree North · Allestree South · Alvaston & Crewton · Aston-on-Trent & Barrow-upon-Trent · Boulton · Breadsall Hilltop · Cathedral Quarter & California · Chaddesden North · Chaddesden Park · Chaddesden West · Chellaston East · Chellaston West & Shelton Lock · Darley Abbey · Little Chester · Littleover East · Littleover West & Heatherton · Mackworth · Mickleover North · Mickleover South
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.