Sign up free
Skip to main content

Nurseries in Lancaster

There are 22 nurseries and pre-schools on the Ofsted register in Lancaster, and 6 other childcare settings such as out-of-school clubs.

Inspection grades in Lancaster

  • Ofsted report cards: 3 settings (10 Strong standard, 8 Expected standard)
  • Ofsted grades before November 2025: 17 settings (3 Outstanding, 14 Good)

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

Nurseries and pre-schools

  • Appledore Montessori - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 5QU, ages 1 to 4, 23 places
    Ofsted, 4 November 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Appletree Nursery School Little Pips - Pre-school, Lancaster LA1 5QB, 6 places
  • Bowerham Primary and Nursery School Baby Unit - Pre-school, Lancaster LA1 4BS, ages 0 to 2, 12 places
    Ofsted report card, 9 June 2026: Strong standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Brookdale Day Nursery Ltd - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 4QJ, ages 0 to 4, 49 places
    Ofsted report card, 18 September 2026: Expected standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Busy Bees Day Nursery at Lancaster - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 5JR, ages 0 to 4, 125 places
    Ofsted, 5 June 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Cathedral Playgroup - Pre-school, Lancaster LA1 3BU, ages 2 to 4, 32 places
    Ofsted, 22 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Christ Church School Playgroup - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 3ES, ages 2 to 4, 18 places
    Ofsted, 9 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Furnace Barn Day Nursery - Day nursery, Lancaster LA2 6LU, ages 0 to 3, 39 places
    Ofsted, 4 October 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Hornby Day Nursery Limited - Day nursery, Lancaster LA2 8JP, ages 0 to 11, 60 places
    Ofsted, 4 October 2023: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Infinity Pre-School - Pre-school, Lancaster LA2 6JB, ages 2 to 4, 24 places
    Ofsted, 24 September 2024: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Lancaster Day Nursery - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 4RP, ages 0 to 4, 66 places
    Ofsted, 14 July 2022: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Leaps & Bounds Ellel - Day nursery, Lancaster LA2 0LQ, ages 2 to 4, 20 places
    Ofsted, 23 June 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Mad Science at Lancaster University Chapliancy Centre - Pre-school, Lancaster LA1 4YW
  • Mucky Pups Pre School - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 1TP, ages 1 to 4, 24 places
    Ofsted, 24 October 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Nazareth House Day Nursery - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 5AQ, ages 0 to 4, 67 places
    Ofsted, 11 April 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Nippers Children's Day Nursery Ltd - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 2LN, ages 2 to 4, 36 places
    Ofsted, 9 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Pre-School Centre - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 4YW, ages 0 to 4, 158 places
    Ofsted, 23 July 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Rising Stars Nursery - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 3HL, ages 1 to 4, 88 places
    Ofsted, 1 November 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Tiny Treasures - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 4HX, ages 1 to 4, 30 places
    Ofsted, 16 June 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Tiny Treasures - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 2TY, ages 1 to 4, 96 places
    Ofsted, 26 October 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Total Tots Ltd - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 3PE, ages 0 to 4, 62 places
    Ofsted report card, 5 December 2025: Strong standard in 4 areas, Expected standard in 2 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • University of Cumbria Pre-School Centre - Day nursery, Lancaster LA1 3JD, ages 0 to 4, 86 places
    Ofsted, 7 November 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective

Out-of-school clubs and other childcare

  • Bowerham Kids Club - Out-of-school club, Lancaster LA1 4BS, 100 places
  • Cockerham Kids' Club - Out-of-school club, Lancaster LA2 0EF, 20 places
  • Dallas Road Kids Club - Out-of-school club, Lancaster LA1 1TP, 48 places
  • Moorside After School Club - Out-of-school club, Lancaster LA1 4HT, 110 places
  • Scotforth After School Club - Out-of-school club, Lancaster LA1 4SE, 70 places
  • Stagecoach Lancaster - Out-of-school club, Lancaster LA1 3JD

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 Lancaster

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