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Nurseries in Runcorn

There are 24 nurseries and pre-schools on the Ofsted register in Runcorn, and 7 other childcare settings such as out-of-school clubs.

Inspection grades in Runcorn

  • Ofsted grades before November 2025: 22 settings (2 Outstanding, 20 Good)

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

Nurseries and pre-schools

  • Acorn Community Nursery - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 2JE, ages 1 to 4, 70 places
    Ofsted, 17 May 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • All Saints Pre-School Runcorn - Pre-school, Runcorn WA7 1LD, ages 2 to 4, 33 places
    Ofsted, 6 March 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Beechwood Nursery & Pre-school Ltd - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 2TT, ages 0 to 4, 84 places
    Ofsted, 28 July 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Brookvale Nursery - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 6BJ, ages 0 to 4, 73 places
    Ofsted, 6 December 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Dunky's Day Nursery (Runcorn) - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 4JJ, ages 0 to 3, 103 places
    Ofsted, 17 September 2025: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Early Learners Nursery (Runcorn) - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 5TR, ages 0 to 9, 93 places
    Ofsted, 16 August 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Gorsewood Pre-School Playgroup - Pre-school, Runcorn WA7 6ES, ages 2 to 4, 28 places
    Ofsted, 20 May 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Heathside Day Nursery - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 4QR, ages 0 to 4, 41 places
    Ofsted, 12 September 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Hillview Under Five's Pre-School Playgroup - Pre-school, Runcorn WA7 3HB, ages 2 to 4, 22 places
    Ofsted, 20 September 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • JJ's Early Explorers Ltd - Pre-school, Runcorn WA7 2NL, ages 2 to 4, 39 places
    Ofsted, 14 July 2022: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Ladybirds Neighbourhood Nursery - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 5LU, ages 1 to 4, 66 places
    Ofsted, 27 September 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Murdishaw West Pre-School Playgroup - Pre-school, Runcorn WA7 6EP, ages 2 to 4, 26 places
    Ofsted, 17 June 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Palacefields Daycare Centre - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 2QW, ages 1 to 9, 30 places
    Ofsted, 6 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Partou Little Manor Day Nursery & Pre-School - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 1TE, ages 0 to 5, 56 places
    Ofsted, 13 July 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Play Away Day Nursery - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 5PY, 87 places
  • Preston Brook Preschool - Pre-school, Runcorn WA7 3AW, ages 2 to 4, 24 places
    Ofsted, 2 April 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • S4YC @ St Mary's Preschool & Out of School Club - Pre-school, Runcorn WA7 2NR, ages 2 to 4, 48 places
    Ofsted, 8 November 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Sunshine Under 5's - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 6LJ, ages 2 to 3, 19 places
    Ofsted, 16 September 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • The Park Day Nursery - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 4SQ, ages 0 to 5, 43 places
    Ofsted, 23 February 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Vicarage Lodge Preschool Community Playgroup - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 4PS, ages 2 to 4, 28 places
    Ofsted, 12 September 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Weston Point Preschool - Pre-school, Runcorn WA7 4EQ, ages 2 to 4, 34 places
    Ofsted, 16 November 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Weston Pre-School Group - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 4RA, ages 2 to 4, 29 places
    Ofsted, 11 October 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Windmill Hill Nursery - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 6QE, ages 2 to 4, 55 places
    Ofsted, 9 December 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • World of Wonder Day Nursery - Day nursery, Runcorn WA7 2AA, 69 places

Out-of-school clubs and other childcare

  • Beechwood Link Club - Out-of-school club, Runcorn WA7 2TT, 40 places
  • Grange Link Club - Out-of-school club, Runcorn WA7 5DX, 32 places
  • Holy Spirit Playscheme - Out-of-school club, Runcorn WA7 2NL
  • Kids Activity World - Out-of-school club, Runcorn WA7 3DB, 30 places
  • Kid's Space Limited - Out-of-school club, Runcorn WA7 2FL, 20 places
  • Weston Link Club - Out-of-school club, Runcorn WA7 4RA, 50 places
  • Willow Kids Club - Out-of-school club, Runcorn WA7 5EX, 65 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 Runcorn

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