Nurseries in Dumfries

There are 28 nurseries and pre-schools on the Care Inspectorate register in Dumfries, and 1 other childcare setting such as out-of-school clubs.

Inspection grades in Dumfries

Care Inspectorate grades: 26 settings (1 Excellent, 54 Very good, 46 Good, 3 Adequate)

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

Childminders and home childcarers

18 registered childminders in Dumfries (Care Inspectorate, as at 30 September 2026)

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

Nurseries and pre-schools

Calderbank Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG2 7AJ, 56 places
Care Inspectorate, 20 October 2022: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
Calside Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 4HB, 43 places
Care Inspectorate, 16 June 2022: Very good in 2 key questions, Good in 2 key questions
Cargenbridge Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG2 8LL, 40 places
Care Inspectorate, 5 September 2023: Very good in 4 key questions
Dumfries Toy Library - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 1EA, 26 places
Care Inspectorate, 10 May 2024: Very good in 4 key questions
Dunscore Pre-school Centre - Nursery, Dumfries DG2 0SY, 40 places
Care Inspectorate, 12 November 2019: Very good in 4 key questions
First Steps Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 3NT, 68 places
Care Inspectorate, 27 June 2024: Good in 4 key questions
Georgetown Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 4EJ, 50 places
Care Inspectorate, 14 November 2023: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
Happy Faces Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 4HA, 54 places
Care Inspectorate, 11 December 2025: Excellent in 1 key question, Very good in 2 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Heathhall School Nursery Class - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 3QZ, 60 places
Care Inspectorate, 21 November 2023: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
Kids Ahoy Childcare Centre - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 2PY, 65 places
Care Inspectorate, 18 August 2026: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Kinderhouse - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 1NQ, 35 places
Care Inspectorate, 28 May 2026: Good in 1 key question, Adequate in 3 key questions
Laurieknowe Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG2 7AJ, 94 places
Care Inspectorate, 10 September 2026: Good in 4 key questions
Lincluden Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG2 0PU, 50 places
Care Inspectorate, 22 May 2025: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
Little Acorns Pre-school Learning Centre - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 3TL, 79 places
Care Inspectorate, 6 March 2025: Good in 4 key questions
Little Gems Childcare - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 1PW, 35 places
Little Wonderland Nursery Ltd - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 3NU, 24 places
Locharbriggs Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 1UW, 32 places
Care Inspectorate, 1 May 2025: Very good in 2 key questions, Good in 2 key questions
Malory Day Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 2JE, 28 places
Care Inspectorate, 29 July 2025: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
Malory House Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 1JF, 26 places
Care Inspectorate, 8 April 2026: Very good in 4 key questions
MaxPlay2 - Nursery, Dumfries DG2 0BX, 30 places
Care Inspectorate, 29 August 2025: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Maxwelltown Playcare - Nursery, Dumfries DG2 0NF, 70 places
Care Inspectorate, 16 October 2025: Good in 4 key questions
Noblehill Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 3HB, 53 places
Care Inspectorate, 27 May 2025: Very good in 4 key questions
North West Community Campus Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG2 9DF, 70 places
Care Inspectorate, 19 March 2026: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question
St. Andrews Nursery Class - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 4EX, 48 places
Care Inspectorate, 6 October 2022: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question
St. Teresas Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG2 0DY, 36 places
Care Inspectorate, 24 April 2025: Very good in 2 key questions, Good in 2 key questions
The Orchard Nature Nursery Limited - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 4ZZ, 35 places
Care Inspectorate, 8 August 2023: Very good in 4 key questions
Thistle Grove Nursery Class - Nursery, Dumfries DG1 4JE, 16 places
Care Inspectorate, 5 June 2025: Very good in 2 key questions, Good in 2 key questions
Troqueer Nursery - Nursery, Dumfries DG2 7LR, 70 places
Care Inspectorate, 23 April 2024: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question

Out-of-school clubs and other childcare

Lincluden After School Group - Out-of-school club, Dumfries DG2 0BX, 39 places
Care Inspectorate, 28 May 2026: Good in 3 key questions, Adequate in 1 key question

Nursery groups with settings here

Dumfries & Galloway Council (13 here)

Care Inspectorate grades (Scotland)

The Care Inspectorate grades day care of children against key questions such as care, play and learning; setting; staff team; and leadership. Each is graded on a six-point scale: 6 Excellent, 5 Very good, 4 Good, 3 Adequate, 2 Weak, 1 Unsatisfactory.

Not every key question is graded at every inspection, so two settings may show different questions.

Source: Care Inspectorate

Funded early learning and childcare in Scotland

3 to 5 year olds can get up to 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare a year. That is around 30 hours a week if used only in school term time, or around 22 hours a week if used all year.

Some 2 year olds can get funded early learning and childcare too.

Source: mygov.scot: Funded early learning and childcare (checked 31 October 2026)

Council area

Nurseries in Dumfries & Galloway

Schools in Dumfries

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