Best nurseries in Dronfield
12 Ofsted-registered nurseries and pre-schools in North East Derbyshire, 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 | Ridgeway Preschool Sessional day care · 25 places · S12 3XR | Good (2025) |
| 2 | Once Upon A Time Daycare Dronfield Full day care · 101 places · S18 1LS | Good (2023) |
| 3 | Hill Top Tots Day Nursery Limited Full day care · 60 places · S18 1UW | Good (2023) |
| 4 | Little Feet Full day care · 125 places · S18 2XR | Good (2022) |
| 5 | The Avenue Nursery Dronfield Full day care · 48 places · S18 2LR | Good (2022) |
| 6 | Marsh Lane Under 5's Sessional day care · 25 places · S21 5RH | Good (2022) |
| 7 | Barlow Pre School Sessional day care · 24 places · S18 7TA | Good (2022) |
| 8 | St Andrew's Pre-School Sessional day care · 30 places · S18 8ZQ | Good (2022) |
| 9 | Dronfield Nursery Limited Full day care · 34 places · S18 1XJ | Good (2021) |
| 10 | Active Summer Camps Sessional day care · S12 3XR | Not yet inspected |
| 11 | Gosforth Preschool Sessional day care · 35 places · S18 1RY | Not yet inspected |
| 12 | TRIBE Bushcraft Centre Sessional day care · S18 7WA | Not yet inspected |
How much does nursery cost in Dronfield?
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 Dronfield?
There are 12 nurseries and pre-schools in Dronfield; listed first: Ridgeway Preschool, Once Upon A Time Daycare Dronfield, Hill Top Tots Day Nursery Limited.
How much does nursery cost in Dronfield?
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 Dronfield?
12 Ofsted-registered nurseries and pre-schools, 9 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.