Best nurseries in Sunderland
31 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 | Castle Kindergarten Full day care · 47 places · SR5 3QH | Outstanding (2024) |
| 2 | Kids 1st Ashbrooke Full day care · 108 places · SR2 7BX | Outstanding (2023) |
| 3 | Pennywell Early Years Centre Full day care · 72 places · SR4 9AX | Outstanding (2022) |
| 4 | Mill Hill Childcare Full day care · 6 places · SR3 2PJ | Outstanding (2021) |
| 5 | B2B Plus Project Full day care · 34 places · SR2 0RY | Outstanding (2021) |
| 6 | New Beginnings Full day care · 43 places · SR5 2JX | Report card: 2 strong, 3 expected (Dec 2025) |
| 7 | Kids Planet Ashbrooke Full day care · 60 places · SR2 7HH | Good (2025) |
| 8 | Banana Moon Sunderland Full day care · 50 places · SR2 7SU | Good (2025) |
| 9 | Helpinghands Childcare Full day care · 14 places · SR3 1AT | Good (2024) |
| 10 | Busy Bees Day Nursery at Sunderland Ryhope Village Full day care · 117 places · SR2 0LW | Good (2024) |
| 11 | Apple Blossom Day Nursery Full day care · 20 places · SR4 6SD | Good (2024) |
| 12 | Little Angels Nursery Full day care · 58 places · SR3 4EN | Good (2023) |
| 13 | Springboard Nursery Full day care · 26 places · SR4 6AD | Good (2023) |
| 14 | Apple Blossom Day Nursery Full day care · 53 places · SR5 3XJ | Good (2023) |
| 15 | Sunflowers Nursery Full day care · 46 places · SR5 4LW | Good (2023) |
| 16 | Busy Bees Day Nursery at Sunderland Fulwell Full day care · 82 places · SR5 1NW | Good (2022) |
| 17 | Playdays 4 Kidz C.I.C Full day care · 30 places · SR4 8HW | Good (2022) |
| 18 | Busy Bees Day Nursery at Sunderland Doxford Full day care · 90 places · SR3 3UY | Good (2022) |
| 19 | The Cedars Nursery Sunderland Full day care · 63 places · SR2 7TW | Good (2022) |
| 20 | High View Nursery Full day care · 75 places · SR5 1PZ | Good (2022) |
| 21 | Siblings Nursery Beacon Ltd Full day care · 37 places · SR5 1SU | Good (2021) |
| 22 | Siblings Private Day Nursery Full day care · 43 places · SR5 2TA | Good (2021) |
| 23 | Bubbly Gems Ltd Full day care · 26 places · SR4 7AF | Requires improvement (2025) |
| 24 | Helping Hands Childcare Full day care · 58 places · SR4 9AR | Not yet inspected |
| 25 | Hylton Red House Nursery School Birth to Three Provision Full day care · 42 places · SR5 5QL | Not yet inspected |
| 26 | Kids Planet Ettrick Grove Full day care · 73 places · SR3 4AW | Not yet inspected |
| 27 | Little Crickets Argyle House Full day care · 6 places · SR2 7LA | Not yet inspected |
| 28 | Nurserytime Full day care · 74 places · SR5 2LR | Not yet inspected |
| 29 | Saints in Light Nursery School Full day care · 36 places · SR1 2AQ | Not yet inspected |
| 30 | Sunderland Women's Centre Sessional day care · SR1 3PZ | Not yet inspected |
| 31 | Your Co-Op Little Pioneers Nursery and Pre-School Tavistock House Full day care · 132 places · SR1 1PG | Not yet inspected |
How much does nursery cost in Sunderland?
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 Sunderland?
Of 31 nurseries and pre-schools in Sunderland, 5 have Ofsted's top results (Outstanding, or mostly strong or exceptional on the new report card). Listed first: Castle Kindergarten, Kids 1st Ashbrooke, Pennywell Early Years Centre.
How much does nursery cost in Sunderland?
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 Sunderland?
31 Ofsted-registered nurseries and pre-schools, 23 of them inspected so far.
Nurseries nearby
Neighbourhoods
Barnes Park · Fulwell · Grangetown · Hall Farm · Hendon & Docks · Herrington & Doxford · Hill View & Tunstall · Hylton Red House & Marley Pots · Lakeside & Farrington · Millfield · Monkwearmouth · North Hylton · Pallion North · Pallion South & High Barnes · Pennywell and Grindon · Ryhope · Seaburn · Silksworth · South Hylton · Southwick
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.