Nurseries in South Ayrshire

There are 45 nurseries and pre-schools on the Care Inspectorate register in South Ayrshire council area, and 15 other childcare settings such as out-of-school clubs.

Inspection grades in South Ayrshire

Care Inspectorate grades: 44 settings (6 Excellent, 92 Very good, 68 Good, 7 Adequate)

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

Childminders and home childcarers

42 registered childminders in South Ayrshire (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

Alloway Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA7 4QQ, 60 places
Care Inspectorate, 25 May 2023: Very good in 2 key questions, Good in 2 key questions
Alphabet Yard - Nursery, Ayr KA7 1JX, 56 places
Care Inspectorate, 14 October 2022: Good in 4 key questions
Annbank Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA6 5DZ, 93 places
Care Inspectorate, 23 October 2024: Very good in 4 key questions
Ayr Grammar Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA7 1HX, 64 places
Care Inspectorate, 12 December 2023: Very good in 2 key questions, Good in 2 key questions
Ballantrae Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ballantrae KA26 0NH, 25 places
Care Inspectorate, 28 February 2020: Excellent in 2 key questions, Very good in 2 key questions
Barassie Early Years Centre - Nursery, Troon KA10 6RQ, 56 places
Care Inspectorate, 24 January 2024: Very good in 4 key questions
Barr Early Years Centre - Nursery, Girvan KA26 9TT, 14 places
Care Inspectorate, 7 May 2026: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Barrhill Early Years Centre - Nursery, Girvan KA26 0PP, 10 places
Care Inspectorate, 19 May 2026: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Braehead Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA8 9PJ, 58 places
Care Inspectorate, 18 April 2024: Good in 4 key questions
Cherry Tree Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA8 0PD, 150 places
Care Inspectorate, 5 March 2025: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Colmonell Early Years Centre - Nursery, Girvan KA26 0RY, 14 places
Care Inspectorate, 13 June 2025: Adequate in 4 key questions
Coylton Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA6 6JP, 70 places
Care Inspectorate, 17 November 2025: Excellent in 1 key question, Very good in 2 key questions
Crosshill Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA19 7RH, 20 places
Care Inspectorate, 31 January 2023: Very good in 4 key questions
Culzean Early Years Centre - Nursery, Maybole KA19 8BP, 120 places
Care Inspectorate, 24 April 2024: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Dailly Early Years Centre - Nursery, Girvan KA26 9SB, 30 places
Care Inspectorate, 23 October 2025: Very good in 2 key questions, Good in 2 key questions
Doonfoot Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA7 4HJ, 60 places
Care Inspectorate, 15 January 2019: Very good in 4 key questions
Doonvale Private Nursery School - Nursery, Ayr KA6 6BL, 57 places
Care Inspectorate, 10 May 2024: Very good in 4 key questions
Dundonald Early Years Centre - Nursery, Kilmarnock KA2 9EP, 47 places
Care Inspectorate, 3 November 2025: Very good in 2 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Fly High Early Learning & Childcare - Nursery, Prestwick KA9 2RN, 88 places
Care Inspectorate, 19 October 2023: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
Forehill Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA7 3JU, 130 places
Care Inspectorate, 13 March 2023: Very good in 4 key questions
Girvan Early Years Centre - Nursery, Girvan KA26 9DD, 120 places
Care Inspectorate, 8 October 2024: Very good in 4 key questions
Granny Smiths Day Nursery - Nursery, Troon KA10 6EB, 70 places
Heads of Ayr Nursery - Nursery, Ayr KA7 4LD, 106 places
Care Inspectorate, 30 March 2022: Good in 4 key questions
Heathfield Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA8 9DR, 50 places
Care Inspectorate, 8 November 2024: Good in 4 key questions
Kincaidston Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA7 3YN, 87 places
Care Inspectorate, 26 January 2024: Very good in 4 key questions
Kingcase Early Years Centre - Nursery, Prestwick KA9 2DG, 60 places
Care Inspectorate, 21 May 2019: Excellent in 2 key questions, Very good in 2 key questions
Kirkmichael Early Years Centre - Nursery, Maybole KA19 7PP, 12 places
Care Inspectorate, 1 October 2025: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
Maidens Early Years Centre - Nursery, Girvan KA26 9NL, 32 places
Care Inspectorate, 6 December 2023: Very good in 4 key questions
Marina View Nursery - Nursery, Troon KA10 6BQ, 93 places
Care Inspectorate, 7 February 2025: Good in 4 key questions
Monkton Early Years Centre - Nursery, Prestwick KA9 2RH, 30 places
Care Inspectorate, 12 November 2025: Very good in 4 key questions
Muirhead Early Years Centre - Nursery, Troon KA10 7BT, 71 places
Care Inspectorate, 20 November 2023: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Newton Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA8 8JL, 35 places
Care Inspectorate, 13 June 2024: Good in 4 key questions
Pine Trees Nursery - Nursery, Prestwick KA9 1SX, 98 places
Care Inspectorate, 3 February 2023: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
Prestwick North Early Years Centre - Nursery, Prestwick KA9 1EY, 110 places
Care Inspectorate, 15 November 2023: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
Prestwick Private Kindergarten - Nursery, Prestwick KA9 2PB, 26 places
Care Inspectorate, 1 August 2023: Good in 4 key questions
Riverbank Nursery - Nursery, Ayr KA7 1JN, 73 places
Care Inspectorate, 10 June 2026: Very good in 1 key question, Adequate in 3 key questions
Space Place Early Years Centre - Nursery, Prestwick KA9 1SP, 100 places
Care Inspectorate, 25 November 2025: Very good in 4 key questions
Straiton Early Years Centre - Nursery, Maybole KA19 7NH, 15 places
Care Inspectorate, 12 February 2020: Good in 4 key questions
Struthers Early Years Centre - Nursery, Troon KA10 7LH, 110 places
Care Inspectorate, 28 January 2026: Good in 4 key questions
Symington Early Years Centre - Nursery, Kilmarnock KA1 5QZ, 60 places
Care Inspectorate, 8 December 2025: Very good in 2 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Tarbolton Early Years Centre - Nursery, Mauchline KA5 5PY, 60 places
Care Inspectorate, 23 May 2024: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
The Meadows Private Day Nursery Ltd - Nursery, Ayr KA6 5DL, 33 places
Care Inspectorate, 24 July 2025: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
Troon Early Years Centre - Nursery, Troon KA10 6LX, 40 places
Care Inspectorate, 11 June 2025: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Wallacetown Early Years Centre - Nursery, Ayr KA8 0DW, 170 places
Care Inspectorate, 17 July 2026: Excellent in 1 key question, Very good in 3 key questions
Wellington School (Ayr) Ltd - Nursery, Ayr KA7 2XN, 80 places
Care Inspectorate, 27 June 2024: Very good in 4 key questions

Out-of-school clubs and other childcare

Aberlour Options - Ayrshire - Out-of-school club, Ayr KA6 6BE, 40 places
Care Inspectorate, 16 March 2026: Good in 4 key questions
Alloway After School Club - Out-of-school club, Ayr KA7 4QQ, 30 places
Care Inspectorate, 18 September 2025: Good in 3 key questions, Adequate in 1 key question
Barassie hub - Schools Out - Out-of-school club, Troon KA10 6RQ, 16 places
Care Inspectorate, 22 April 2026: Adequate in 3 key questions, Weak in 1 key question
Doonfoot After School Service Committee - Out-of-school club, Ayr KA7 4HJ, 40 places
Care Inspectorate, 31 January 2024: Very good in 1 key question, Good in 3 key questions
Dundonald Care Club - Out-of-school club, Kilmarnock KA2 9EP, 30 places
Care Inspectorate, 20 June 2025: Good in 1 key question, Adequate in 3 key questions
Forehill After School Club Ltd - Out-of-school club, Ayr KA7 3JU, 48 places
Care Inspectorate, 18 February 2026: Very good in 3 key questions, Good in 1 key question
Heathfield Out of School Care - Out-of-school club, Ayr KA8 9DR, 48 places
Care Inspectorate, 15 February 2019: Very good in 4 key questions
Holmston Out of Skool Club - Out-of-school club, Ayr KA7 1TT, 45 places
Care Inspectorate, 18 June 2025: Very good in 4 key questions
Mossblown Care Club - Out-of-school club, Ayr KA6 5DZ, 24 places
Care Inspectorate, 21 June 2024: Good in 4 key questions
Prestwick After School Care Service - Out-of-school club, Prestwick KA9 2LD, 65 places
Care Inspectorate, 28 May 2026: Good in 1 key question, Adequate in 3 key questions
Schools Out in Troon - Out-of-school club, Troon KA10 6JX, 40 places
Care Inspectorate, 5 November 2025: Good in 3 key questions, Adequate in 1 key question
South Ayrshire Sessional Childcare Service - Childcare setting, Ayr KA7 1DR, 78 places
Care Inspectorate, 1 February 2019: Good in 4 key questions
Struthers Care Club - Out-of-school club, Troon KA10 7JB, 30 places
Care Inspectorate, 29 May 2019: Very good in 2 key questions, Good in 2 key questions
Symington After School Club - Out-of-school club, Kilmarnock KA1 5QZ, 24 places
Care Inspectorate, 28 February 2019: Excellent in 1 key question, Very good in 3 key questions
The Sunrise After School Club - Out-of-school club, Ayr KA6 6JP, 32 places
Care Inspectorate, 27 March 2025: Good in 4 key questions

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)

Towns in South Ayrshire

Schools in South Ayrshire

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