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Nurseries in Dartford

There are 44 nurseries and pre-schools on the Ofsted register in Dartford, and 17 other childcare settings such as out-of-school clubs.

Inspection grades in Dartford

  • Ofsted report cards: 8 settings (3 Exceptional, 12 Strong standard, 23 Expected standard, 4 Needs attention, 6 Urgent improvement)
  • Ofsted grades before November 2025: 30 settings (1 Outstanding, 29 Good)

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

Nurseries and pre-schools

  • Acorns Early Years Centre - Day nursery, Dartford DA2 7UZ, ages 0 to 8, 80 places
    Ofsted, 27 October 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Anthony Roper Pre-School CIO - Day nursery, Dartford DA4 0AA, ages 2 to 5, 52 places
    Ofsted, 9 June 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Bright Beginnings - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 2JT, ages 1 to 4, 66 places
    Ofsted, 13 May 2024: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Bright Horizons Longfield Day Nursery and Preschool - Day nursery, Dartford DA3 7PJ, ages 0 to 4, 89 places
    Ofsted, 23 January 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 1NT, ages 0 to 4, 144 places
    Ofsted, 5 July 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Bright Horizons Wilmington Day Nursery and Preschool - Day nursery, Dartford DA2 7EU, ages 0 to 4, 97 places
    Ofsted, 2 November 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Broomhill Playgroup - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 3HT, ages 2 to 4, 30 places
    Ofsted, 19 June 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Busy Bees Pre-School - Pre-school, Dartford DA4 9HP, ages 2 to 4, 35 places
    Ofsted, 13 January 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Christchurch Pre-School (Dartford) Ltd - Pre-school, Dartford DA1 3DH, ages 2 to 4, 40 places
    Ofsted, 5 March 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Cuddles Pre-School - Pre-school, Dartford DA2 6JZ, ages 2 to 4, 42 places
    Ofsted, 8 February 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Enchanted Wood Preschool Ltd- Bexley Park - Day nursery, Dartford DA2 7GA, ages 0 to 4, 113 places
    Ofsted report card, 1 May 2026: Exceptional in 3 areas, Strong standard in 3 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Enchanted Wood Preschool Ltd- Old Road - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 4DN, ages 0 to 4, 61 places
    Ofsted report card, 6 May 2026: Strong standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Fleet Day Nursery - Day nursery, Dartford DA2 6JX, ages 1 to 4, 40 places
    Ofsted, 16 February 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Happy Orkids at Dartford Limited - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 5QB, 59 places
  • Highfield Road Pre-school - Pre-school, Dartford DA1 2JY, ages 2 to 4, 34 places
    Ofsted, 12 July 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Inspire Sport Skills Ltd Dartford Bridge - Pre-school, Dartford DA1 5GB
  • KatieB Kids - Day nursery, Dartford DA2 6FF, ages 1 to 4, 79 places
    Ofsted, 24 May 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Kip McGrath Dartford - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 1LU
  • Little Fingers Day Nursery - Day nursery, Dartford DA2 8DX, ages 0 to 4, 61 places
    Ofsted, 4 October 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Little Gem's Childcare - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 1QT, ages 1 to 4, 20 places
    Ofsted report card, 24 April 2026: Urgent improvement in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Milestones Day Nursery - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 5XW, ages 1 to 8, 65 places
    Ofsted report card, 29 September 2026: Expected standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Mini Gems Pre-School - Pre-school, Dartford DA1 4DD, ages 2 to 4, 30 places
    Ofsted, 1 December 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Nickie's Nippers Pre School Ltd - Pre-school, Dartford DA1 4BU, ages 2 to 4, 36 places
    Ofsted, 10 March 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Peterpan Pre-School - Pre-school, Dartford DA2 7RB, ages 2 to 4, 26 places
    Ofsted, 11 July 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Play Place Pre-School at Eynsford - Pre-school, Dartford DA4 0AA, 30 places
  • Play Place The Ark - Pre-school, Dartford DA2 6HQ, ages 2 to 4, 36 places
    Ofsted, 8 January 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Rainbow Day Nursery - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 2LP, ages 0 to 4, 124 places
    Ofsted, 26 November 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Stagecoach Dartford - Pre-school, Dartford DA1 5TF
  • St Andrews Playgroup - Pre-school, Dartford DA1 1RF, ages 2 to 4, 30 places
    Ofsted, 10 September 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Star Day Nursery - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 1RX, ages 2 to 4, 68 places
    Ofsted, 6 January 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Star Kids Children's Nursery - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 1BE, ages 0 to 4, 32 places
    Ofsted, 15 November 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Starkidsstedmunds Nursery - Pre-school, Dartford DA1 5ND, 30 places
  • St. Michaels Pre School - Pre-school, Dartford DA2 7EG, ages 2 to 4, 30 places
    Ofsted, 28 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • St Paulinus Pre School - Pre-school, Dartford DA1 4ET, ages 2 to 4, 32 places
    Ofsted report card, 3 March 2026: Expected standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • The Brent Pre School - Pre-school, Dartford DA1 1XF, ages 1 to 4, 40 places
    Ofsted report card, 21 July 2026: Strong standard in 1 area, Expected standard in 5 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • The Chapel Nursery - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 2GA, ages 0 to 5, 74 places
    Ofsted, 2 February 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • The Farningham Day Nursery - Day nursery, Dartford DA4 0BD, ages 1 to 4, 34 places
    Ofsted report card, 10 July 2026: Strong standard in 2 areas, Expected standard in 4 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • The Windmill Nursery Dartford - Pre-school, Dartford DA2 6BA, ages 2 to 4, 26 places
    Ofsted, 8 November 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • The Winning Child Nursery - Day nursery, Dartford DA2 6DA, ages 1 to 4, 70 places
    Ofsted report card, 28 April 2026: Expected standard in 2 areas, Needs attention in 4 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Tiggywinkles Pre-School and Playgroup - Pre-school, Dartford DA2 7NE, ages 2 to 4, 36 places
    Ofsted, 24 January 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Toybox Pre-School - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 3NG, ages 2 to 4, 26 places
    Ofsted, 1 October 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Twinkletoes (Early years) Pre-school Limited - Pre-school, Dartford DA4 9AX, ages 2 to 4, 30 places
    Ofsted, 8 October 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Twinkletoes Preschool - Day nursery, Dartford DA2 7AZ, ages 2 to 4, 24 places
    Ofsted, 1 October 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • West Hill Life Ltd - Day nursery, Dartford DA1 1DE, ages 2 to 4, 25 places
    Ofsted, 23 June 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective

Out-of-school clubs and other childcare

  • Anthony Roper School Breakfast And After School Club - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA4 0AA, 30 places
  • Ant Learning Tuition - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA1 4RS
  • Dartford Kumon Centre - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA1 3DH
  • Explore Learning Crayford - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA1 4HW
  • Get Creative School Clubs - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA2 7DF
  • Jacqueline's Gems @ The Brent - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA2 6BA, 65 places
  • Joydenswood breakfast and after school club ltd - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA2 7NE, 35 places
  • Joydens Wood Performing Arts Club - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA2 7NE
  • Mega Camps Dartford - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA1 1QE, 90 places
  • Progressive Sports @ St Anselm's - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA1 5EA, 15 places
  • SmileyArk Kids - Crayford - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA1 4DZ, 25 places
  • Star Kids Out of School Club - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA1 5GB, 28 places
  • The Pass Masters - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA1 5TF
  • West Hill Life Limited - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA1 2HX, 35 places
  • West Hill Life Ltd - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA4 9BN, 40 places
  • West Hill Life Ltd - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA1 5AF, 25 places
  • West Hill Life Ltd At Saint Paulinus Primary School - Out-of-school club, Dartford DA1 4RW, 30 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)

Council area

Schools in Dartford

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