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Nurseries in Christchurch

There are 21 nurseries and pre-schools on the Ofsted register in Christchurch, and 7 other childcare settings such as out-of-school clubs.

Inspection grades in Christchurch

  • Ofsted report cards: 1 setting (2 Strong standard, 4 Expected standard)
  • Ofsted grades before November 2025: 15 settings (1 Outstanding, 14 Good)

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

Nurseries and pre-schools

  • Burton Day Nursery Ltd - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 7JN, ages 0 to 3, 55 places
    Ofsted, 22 November 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Burton Day Nursery Ltd - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 7JP, ages 3 to 4, 47 places
    Ofsted, 20 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Burton Teddy Bears Ltd - Pre-school, Christchurch BH23 7JY, ages 0 to 4, 50 places
    Ofsted report card, 17 April 2026: Strong standard in 2 areas, Expected standard in 4 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Dell Cottage Day Nursery - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 5QG, ages 0 to 4, 42 places
    Ofsted, 16 April 2024: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Dingley's Promise Christchurch - Pre-school, Christchurch BH23 3AS, 10 places
  • Embers - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 8DD
  • Jack and Jill Pre-School - Pre-school, Christchurch BH23 8AY, ages 2 to 4, 26 places
    Ofsted, 23 March 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Little Explorers - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 3AS, ages 1 to 5, 44 places
    Ofsted, 28 July 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Mighty Oaks Day Nursery & Pre School - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 6BL, ages 1 to 4, 44 places
    Ofsted, 14 January 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Mudeford Wood Playgroup - Pre-school, Christchurch BH23 5ET, 60 places
  • Poppets PreSchool - Pre-school, Christchurch BH23 1BU, ages 2 to 9, 22 places
    Ofsted, 7 December 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Pouncing Panthers Pre School - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 4TR, 50 places
  • Pre-School On The Marsh CIC - Pre-school, Christchurch BH23 3ND, ages 2 to 4, 28 places
    Ofsted, 23 November 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Q.U.E.S.T Work Skills - Pre-school, Christchurch BH23 8EF
  • Stepping Stones of Sopley - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 8DD, ages 1 to 4, 30 places
    Ofsted, 6 December 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Stour Road Day Nursery - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 1JL, ages 0 to 4, 35 places
    Ofsted, 16 July 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • The Forest Pre-School, Nursery & Outdoor Adventurers - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 7DX, ages 1 to 4, 62 places
    Ofsted, 2 August 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • The Montessori Preschool @ Christchurch Infants - Pre-school, Christchurch BH23 2AE, ages 2 to 4, 30 places
    Ofsted, 5 February 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Three Bears Pre-School - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 2JR, ages 2 to 4, 40 places
    Ofsted, 19 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Tops Day Nursery Christchurch - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 1DE, ages 0 to 4, 77 places
    Ofsted, 21 January 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Twynham House Nursery School - Day nursery, Christchurch BH23 1PL, ages 0 to 5, 97 places
    Ofsted, 1 September 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective

Out-of-school clubs and other childcare

  • Foundation Sports And Play - Out-of-school club, Christchurch BH23 2AE, 23 places
  • Foundation Sports And Play - Out-of-school club, Christchurch BH23 2AA
  • Little Prems 5 SPS - Out-of-school club, Christchurch BH23 3AS, 60 places
  • Pouncing Panthers Limited - Out-of-school club, Christchurch BH23 3HH, 20 places
  • Pouncing Panthers Limited - Out-of-school club, Christchurch BH23 3HP
  • Primary Forest School Christchurch - Out-of-school club, Christchurch BH23 7JY
  • Wild Spirit Kids - Out-of-school club, Christchurch BH23 2BS

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)

Council area

Schools in Christchurch

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