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Nurseries in Blackburn with Darwen

There are 51 nurseries and pre-schools on the Ofsted register in Blackburn with Darwen council area, and 14 other childcare settings such as out-of-school clubs.

Inspection grades in Blackburn with Darwen

  • Ofsted report cards: 8 settings (3 Strong standard, 26 Expected standard, 8 Needs attention, 6 Urgent improvement)
  • Ofsted grades before November 2025: 38 settings (4 Outstanding, 34 Good)

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

Childminders and home childcarers

  • 57 registered childminders in Blackburn with Darwen (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
  • 1 registered home childcarer in Blackburn with Darwen (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)

Childminders look after children in their own homes. We show how many are registered, not who they are.

Nurseries and pre-schools

  • Ark Les Enfants Nursery and Forest School - Day nursery, Darwen BB3 1JE, ages 0 to 4, 80 places
    Ofsted, 18 January 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Audley and Queen's Park Children's Centre - Pre-school, Blackburn BB1 1SF, ages 2 to 4, 77 places
    Ofsted, 5 September 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Barnabas House Private Nursery - Day nursery, Darwen BB3 2EB, ages 1 to 4, 59 places
    Ofsted report card, 28 November 2025: Expected standard in 1 area, Needs attention in 5 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Brownhill Playgroup Ltd - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 9QY, ages 2 to 4, 40 places
    Ofsted, 5 September 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Bumble Bees Nursery (Blackburn) LTD - Pre-school, Blackburn BB1 2HU, ages 1 to 4, 66 places
    Ofsted report card, 23 June 2026: Strong standard in 1 area, Expected standard in 5 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Cherry Lodge Childcare - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 5NX, ages 2 to 4, 53 places
    Ofsted, 22 November 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Cherry Tree Preschool Playgroup - Pre-school, Blackburn BB2 2TZ, ages 2 to 4, 40 places
    Ofsted, 9 July 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Dar Ul Madinah Uk Ltd - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 6HD, ages 2 to 4, 50 places
    Ofsted, 19 September 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Darwen Children's Centre - Pre-school, Darwen BB3 0HD, ages 2 to 4, 56 places
    Ofsted, 3 June 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Everbloom Childcare @Shadsworth Business Park - Day nursery, Shadsworth Business Park BB1 2QS, ages 0 to 4, 64 places
    Ofsted, 23 May 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Fernbank Nursery Ltd - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 8LH, ages 2 to 4, 50 places
    Ofsted, 17 September 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Greenview Nursery - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 4SR, ages 0 to 4, 59 places
    Ofsted, 7 February 2022: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Hami's Daycare - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 8DS, ages 0 to 4, 132 places
    Ofsted, 21 November 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Hamis Daycare - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 8BS, ages 1 to 3, 40 places
    Ofsted, 29 April 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Higher Croft Children's Centre - Pre-school, Blackburn BB2 3UY, ages 2 to 4, 60 places
    Ofsted, 27 January 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Jellybean Learners LTD - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 6AE
  • Kiddiwinks Day Nursery (Blackburn) Limited - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 2LB, ages 0 to 4, 91 places
    Ofsted, 28 February 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Kids Planet Blackburn - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 4JJ, ages 0 to 4, 96 places
    Ofsted, 3 July 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Kids Planet Nook Barn - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 4SN, ages 0 to 3, 55 places
    Ofsted, 15 September 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Kidzania Childcare Darwen - Day nursery, Darwen BB3 1AT, ages 1 to 4, 99 places
    Ofsted report card, 23 April 2026: Urgent improvement in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Kip McGrath Blackburn - Pre-school, Blackburn BB2 2AU
  • Learning Cubs - Blackburn - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 7EG
  • Little Cheeky Monkeys - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 2FB, ages 0 to 4, 101 places
    Ofsted, 10 October 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Little Discoverers - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 6BH, ages 2 to 4, 40 places
    Ofsted, 31 March 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Little Harwood Children's Centre - Pre-school, Blackburn BB1 5PE, ages 2 to 4, 100 places
    Ofsted, 12 October 2022: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Little Wonders Nursery Ltd - Pre-school, Blackburn BB1 1DW, ages 2 to 3, 32 places
    Ofsted, 26 March 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Livesey Children's Centre - Pre-school, Blackburn BB2 4NT, ages 2 to 4, 38 places
    Ofsted, 13 June 2025: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Marshmallows Day Nursery - Day nursery, Darwen BB3 3JB, ages 0 to 4, 63 places
    Ofsted, 29 March 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Mi Nursery Beacon Lights - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 6AY, ages 1 to 4, 64 places
    Ofsted, 21 August 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Mi Nursery Tadis House - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 9SP, 59 places
  • Palm Tree Community Nursery - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 6JX, ages 2 to 4, 28 places
    Ofsted, 23 February 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • PALS-Darwen St Joseph's Primary School - Day nursery, Darwen BB3 2SG, ages 4 to 10, 35 places
    Ofsted report card, 18 September 2026: Expected standard in 1 area
  • Peekaboo Waterside - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 3SF, ages 0 to 5, 122 places
    Ofsted, 5 July 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Precious Moments Childcare (Darwen) ltd. - Day nursery, Darwen BB3 2DE, ages 0 to 4, 55 places
    Ofsted, 28 June 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Progress Education Centre - Darwen - Pre-school, Darwen BB3 1QU
  • Queen Elizabeth's Nursery School - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 6DF, ages 0 to 3, 95 places
    Ofsted, 11 September 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Rainbow Childcare - Day nursery, Darwen BB3 1NW, ages 1 to 7, 32 places
    Ofsted, 10 February 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Riverside Nursery - Day nursery, Lower Darwen BB3 0PR, ages 0 to 4, 82 places
    Ofsted, 28 September 2022: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Scallywags Pre-School (Edgworth) - Pre-school, Bolton BL7 0AH, ages 2 to 4, 24 places
    Ofsted, 25 February 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • School House Nursery - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 6QQ, ages 0 to 4, 70 places
    Ofsted, 28 September 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Shadsworth Childrens Centre - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 2HR, ages 2 to 3, 60 places
    Ofsted, 7 September 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Shining Stars Nursery - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 7EG, ages 0 to 4, 120 places
    Ofsted report card, 15 January 2026: Expected standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • The Jumbles Nursery - Day nursery, Bolton BL7 0EF, ages 0 to 3, 45 places
    Ofsted, 2 October 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • The Old Vicarage - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 1UY, ages 0 to 4, 62 places
    Ofsted, 22 March 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Tudor House Day Nursery @ Altom - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 7ER, ages 0 to 4, 76 places
    Ofsted, 14 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Tudor House Day Nursery @ Feniscowles - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 5EP, ages 0 to 5, 98 places
    Ofsted, 3 July 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Tudor House Day Nursery @ Hancock St - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 2LZ, ages 1 to 3, 60 places
    Ofsted report card, 15 September 2026: Expected standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Tudor House Day Nursery @ Mill Hill - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 4DT, ages 1 to 4, 53 places
    Ofsted, 30 November 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Tudor House Day Nursery @ Preston New Rd - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 7AA, ages 1 to 4, 63 places
    Ofsted report card, 14 January 2026: Expected standard in 3 areas, Needs attention in 3 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Tudor House Day Nursery @ Shear Brow - Day nursery, Blackburn BB1 7EU, ages 2 to 4, 37 places
    Ofsted, 26 May 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Willow Tree Day Nursery - Day nursery, Blackburn BB2 6EX, ages 0 to 4, 60 places
    Ofsted report card, 22 January 2026: Strong standard in 2 areas, Expected standard in 4 areas; safeguarding standards met

Out-of-school clubs and other childcare

  • Butterflies Out Of School Experience - Out-of-school club, Darwen BB3 3DL, 40 places
  • Kidsland Limited @ Ashleigh Primary School - Out-of-school club, Darwen BB3 2JT, 60 places
  • Kidsland Limited at St Joseph's Church Hall Darwen - Out-of-school club, Darwen BB3 2PG, 60 places
  • Live and Kicking Out of School Club - Out-of-school club, Blackburn BB2 5EN, 75 places
  • PALS- Blackburn St Thomas' C of E Primary School - Out-of-school club, Blackburn BB1 1NE, 32 places
  • PALS-Longshaw Juniors - Out-of-school club, Blackburn BB2 3NX, 32 places
  • PALS-St Mary's and St Joseph's - Out-of-school club, Blackburn BB2 3HP, 20 places
  • Safe Hands - Out-of-school club, Darwen BB3 0HY, 30 places
  • School's Out Holiday Squad - Out-of-school club, Blackburn BB2 5EP, 40 places
  • School's Out Holiday Squad - Out-of-school club, Blackburn BB2 3NF, 15 places
  • School's Out Holiday Squad - Out-of-school club, Blackburn BB2 4TT, 40 places
  • School's Out Holiday Squad - Out-of-school club, Blackburn BB1 2ET, 45 places
  • The Out of School Experience @ Redeemer - Out-of-school club, Blackburn BB2 4JJ, 50 places
  • Westholme School Holiday Club - Out-of-school club, Blackburn BB2 6QU, 40 places

Nursery groups with settings here

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)

Towns in Blackburn with Darwen

Schools in Blackburn with Darwen

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