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Nurseries in Bideford

There are 12 nurseries and pre-schools on the Ofsted register in Bideford, and 1 other childcare setting such as out-of-school clubs.

Inspection grades in Bideford

  • Ofsted report cards: 2 settings (5 Strong standard, 7 Expected standard)
  • Ofsted grades before November 2025: 7 settings (1 Outstanding, 6 Good)

Grades are shown only where the inspectorate has published the report.

Nurseries and pre-schools

  • Abbotsham and Alwington Pre-School - Pre-school, Bideford EX39 5AP, ages 2 to 4, 26 places
    Ofsted report card, 30 January 2026: Strong standard in 3 areas, Expected standard in 3 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Appledore Adventure Club at Skern - Pre-school, Bideford EX39 1NG
  • Bearfoot Preschool Ltd - Pre-school, Bideford EX39 5AP, ages 2 to 4, 35 places
    Ofsted report card, 24 March 2026: Strong standard in 2 areas, Expected standard in 4 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Bideford Baptist Pre-school - Pre-school, Bideford EX39 2JR, ages 2 to 4, 40 places
    Ofsted, 8 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • East the Water Stepping Stones Pre School - Day nursery, Bideford EX39 4BL, ages 1 to 5, 44 places
    Ofsted, 25 May 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Horwood Coombe Inspire Ltd - Day nursery, Bideford EX39 5LH
  • Make Waves Nursery - Day nursery, Bideford EX39 3SG, ages 1 to 4, 65 places
    Ofsted, 4 December 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Muddy Boots - Day nursery, Bideford EX39 2RQ, ages 2 to 11, 24 places
    Ofsted, 30 June 2021: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Snapdragons Pre-School - Pre-school, Bideford EX39 1HT, ages 2 to 4, 20 places
    Ofsted, 4 March 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Tapeley park forest school - Pre-school, Bideford EX39 4NT
  • Tarka Tots Nursery - Day nursery, Bideford EX39 2QS, ages 0 to 8, 45 places
    Ofsted, 27 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • The Little Learners Childcare - Day nursery, Bideford EX39 3JZ, ages 0 to 6, 30 places
    Ofsted, 21 March 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective

Out-of-school clubs and other childcare

  • Little Butterflies After School Club - Out-of-school club, Bideford EX39 4LU, 15 places

Ofsted report cards (England, from November 2025)

Since 10 November 2025 Ofsted has graded nurseries and pre-schools on a report card. There is no single overall grade. Instead, each of six areas gets one of five grades: Exceptional, Strong standard, Expected standard, Needs attention, Urgent improvement.

The six areas are inclusion; curriculum and teaching; achievement; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; children's welfare and wellbeing; leadership and governance. Safeguarding is judged on its own, as met or not met.

Expected standard means the setting does what Ofsted expects of every setting. Strong standard and Exceptional are above that; Needs attention and Urgent improvement mean Ofsted found things the setting has to put right.

Source: Ofsted reports

Ofsted grades before November 2025 (England)

Inspections before November 2025 gave one overall grade on a four-point scale: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement, Inadequate. Ofsted also graded the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management, and said whether safeguarding was effective.

Settings keep their last grade until Ofsted visits again, so many nurseries still show a grade from this older scale.

Source: Ofsted reports

Funded childcare hours in England

All 3 and 4 year olds in England can get 15 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks of the year.

Working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years old can get 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year (Free Childcare for Working Parents), if they meet the earnings rules. You confirm your details every 3 months.

Some 2 year olds can get 15 hours a week when the family gets certain kinds of extra support.

The hours are used at a registered provider that offers them, so ask each nursery how it offers the funded hours.

Source: GOV.UK: Free Childcare for Working Parents, check if you're eligible · GOV.UK: Free childcare and education for 2 to 4 year olds (checked 31 October 2026)

Council area

Schools in Bideford

Sources: Ofsted, registers as at 30 June 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.