55 nurseries in Barnsley
Every day nursery in the Barnsley council area, best rated first, with the ones Ofsted rated Outstanding and what a place costs after the free hours.
55 day nurseries
10 rated Outstanding
4 with a new report card (7%)
2,955 places in total
£124 a week, 50 hours for a 2 year old after free hours
Outstanding nurseries in Barnsley
10 nurseries in the area are in our top band: rated Outstanding, or graded Strong standard or better across a new report card.
| # | Nursery | Ofsted outcome | Inspected | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darfield Family Centre Nursery Barnsley, S73 | Outstanding | 26 September 2025 | 30 |
| 2 | Little Explorers Community Nursery Blackerhill Barnsley, S74 | Outstanding | 28 November 2024 | 60 |
| 3 | Child's Play Day Nursery Penistone Sheffield, S36 | Outstanding | 3 October 2024 | 57 |
| 4 | Kendray & Worsbrough Sure Start Barnsley, S70 | Outstanding | 10 September 2024 | 33 |
| 5 | Daisy Chain Pre School Sheffield, S36 | Outstanding | 10 June 2024 | 26 |
| 6 | Cawthorne Road Day Nursery Barnsley, S75 | Outstanding | 30 January 2024 | 20 |
| 7 | Cawthorne Children's Centre Barnsley, S75 | Outstanding | 21 October 2022 | 55 |
| 8 | Sidcop Road Community Nursery Barnsley, S72 | Outstanding | 21 October 2022 | 55 |
| 9 | Busy Bees Penistone Sheffield, S36 | Outstanding | 12 September 2022 | 45 |
| 10 | Tots2teens Daycare Barnsley, S74 | Outstanding | 4 October 2021 | 56 |
Day nurseries in Barnsley, best rated first
| # | Nursery | Ofsted outcome | Inspected | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darfield Family Centre Nursery Barnsley, S73 | Outstanding | 26 September 2025 | 30 |
| 2 | Little Explorers Community Nursery Blackerhill Barnsley, S74 | Outstanding | 28 November 2024 | 60 |
| 3 | Child's Play Day Nursery Penistone Sheffield, S36 | Outstanding | 3 October 2024 | 57 |
| 4 | Kendray & Worsbrough Sure Start Barnsley, S70 | Outstanding | 10 September 2024 | 33 |
| 5 | Daisy Chain Pre School Sheffield, S36 | Outstanding | 10 June 2024 | 26 |
| 6 | Cawthorne Road Day Nursery Barnsley, S75 | Outstanding | 30 January 2024 | 20 |
| 7 | Cawthorne Children's Centre Barnsley, S75 | Outstanding | 21 October 2022 | 55 |
| 8 | Sidcop Road Community Nursery Barnsley, S72 | Outstanding | 21 October 2022 | 55 |
| 9 | Busy Bees Penistone Sheffield, S36 | Outstanding | 12 September 2022 | 45 |
| 10 | Tots2teens Daycare Barnsley, S74 | Outstanding | 4 October 2021 | 56 |
| 11 | Playdays Nursery Barnsley, S72 | Expected standard in 5 of 6 | 14 May 2026 | 51 |
| 12 | Fenwood House Day Nursery Mapplewell Barnsley, S75 | Expected standard in all 6 | 17 February 2026 | 54 |
| 13 | Worsbrough Common Rising Stars Barnsley, S70 | Good | 1 September 2025 | 63 |
| 14 | Willow Tree Daycare Sheffield, S36 | Good | 12 August 2025 | 32 |
| 15 | Playdays Nursery Barnsley, S71 | Good | 6 August 2025 | 61 |
| 16 | Sandpit Nursery Barnsley, S70 | Good | 23 July 2025 | 112 |
| 17 | Wonderland Nursery Barnsley, S72 | Good | 16 July 2025 | 89 |
| 18 | Leap Ahead Day Nursery Ltd Barnsley, S75 | Good | 15 July 2025 | 56 |
| 19 | Rascalz Sheffield, S36 | Good | 12 June 2025 | 60 |
| 20 | Chatterbox Children's Academy Barnsley, S70 | Good | 2 June 2025 | 62 |
| 21 | Cliff Nursery Barnsley, S75 | Good | 21 May 2025 | 114 |
| 22 | St. Martins Day Nursery Barnsley, S71 | Good | 16 April 2025 | 70 |
| 23 | Kids World Goldthorpe Rotherham, S63 | Good | 27 March 2025 | 30 |
| 24 | Little Roos Private Nursery LTD Barnsley, S70 | Good | 19 March 2025 | 140 |
| 25 | Kids World Dearne Rotherham, S63 | Good | 5 March 2025 | 15 |
| 26 | The Hilltoppers Rotherham, S63 | Good | 12 February 2025 | 43 |
| 27 | St Joseph's Nursery Barnsley, S70 | Good | 7 February 2025 | 80 |
| 28 | Elsecar Nursery Barnsley, S74 | Good | 22 January 2025 | 26 |
| 29 | Kids World Wombwell Barnsley, S73 | Good | 5 November 2024 | 36 |
| 30 | Thurgoland Childcare Sheffield, S35 | Good | 7 October 2024 | 35 |
| 31 | Little Freddies Nursery School Sheffield, S36 | Good | 23 July 2024 | 73 |
| 32 | Little Acorns Nursery Barnsley, S70 | Good | 19 March 2024 | 28 |
| 33 | Silkstone Pre School Playgroup Ltd Barnsley, S75 | Good | 6 June 2023 | 26 |
| 34 | Mini Me's Nursery Barnsley Barnsley, S71 | Good | 21 February 2023 | 126 |
| 35 | Kabuki Child Care Centre Barnsley, S70 | Good | 6 January 2023 | 97 |
| 36 | Victoria Day Nursery Barnsley, S75 | Good | 3 August 2022 | 42 |
| 37 | Little Jo's Day Nursery and Pre-School Barnsley, S70 | Good | 25 July 2022 | 72 |
| 38 | Gawber Preschool Barnsley, S75 | Good | 26 May 2022 | 44 |
| 39 | Rainbow Day Care Hoyland Barnsley, S74 | Good | 14 April 2022 | |
| 40 | Forward Steps (Yorkshire) Ltd Barnsley, S73 | Good | 11 February 2022 | 42 |
| 41 | Growing Wild Outdoor Nursery Barnsley, S70 | Good | 13 January 2022 | |
| 42 | Wise Owl Nursery & Pre School Ltd Barnsley, S71 | Good | 25 November 2021 | 50 |
| 43 | Railway Children Nursery Jump Barnsley, S74 | Needs attention in 4 of 6 | 2 March 2026 | 75 |
| 44 | Hopscotch Nursery Barnsley, S71 | Safeguarding not met | 25 February 2026 | 60 |
| 45 | Be Our Guest Yorkshire Barnsley, S73 | Not yet graded | Not yet | 30 |
| 46 | Curiosity Cottage (Athersley) Barnsley, S71 | Not yet graded | Not yet | 111 |
| 47 | Fenwood House Day Nursery Birdwell Birdwell, Barnsley, S70 | Not yet graded | Not yet | 43 |
| 48 | Groots Childcare Hub 1 (Birkwood Primary School) Barnsley, S72 | Not yet graded | Not yet | 14 |
| 49 | Groots Childcare Hub 2 (Heather Garth Primary Academy) Rotherham, S63 | Not yet graded | Not yet | 30 |
| 50 | Kip McGrath Education Centre Barnsley South Barnsley, S70 | Not yet graded | Not yet | |
| 51 | Little Cobs Daycare Barnsley, S74 | Not yet graded | Not yet | 42 |
| 52 | Little Jo's Day Nursery Ltd Barnsley, S70 | Not yet graded | Not yet | 72 |
| 53 | Little Ray of Sunshine Daycare Penistone, S36 | Not yet graded | Not yet | 44 |
| 54 | Shining Stars Day Care Barnsley, S71 | Not yet graded | Not yet | 106 |
| 55 | Willow Day Nursery Dodworth, S75 | Not yet graded | Not yet | 62 |
How the ranking works: our ranking policy. What the grades mean: Ofsted report cards explained.
Nurseries by postcode in Barnsley
- S35 (Chapeltown, Crane Moor, Ecclesfield) 10
- S36 (Bolsterstone, Carlecotes, Catshaw) 10
- S63 (Bolton-on-Dearne, Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe) 7
- S70 (Town Centre, Birdwell, Kendray) 13
- S71 (Ardsley, Athersley, Lundwood) 7
- S72 (Brierley, Cudworth, Grimethorpe) 4
- S73 (Darfield, Hemingfield, Wombwell) 5
- S74 (Elsecar, Hoyland, Jump) 6
- S75 (Barugh Green, Cawthorne, Darton) 9
Nursery fees in Barnsley
What day nurseries in Yorkshire and the Humber charge on average. Fees in Barnsley itself can sit above or below this.
| Child's age | 25 hours a week | 50 hours a week |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 | £156no funded hours | £126after 30 funded hours |
| 2 years old | £154no funded hours | £124after 30 funded hours |
| 3 to 4 years old | £59after the free 15 hours | £118after 30 funded hours |
Regional average, not any one nursery's price. Source: Coram Childcare Survey 2026. Work out your own monthly cost.
30 hours free childcare in Barnsley
The free hours follow national rules, so they are the same in Barnsley as anywhere in England. Every day nursery listed here is registered with Ofsted, which is what a nursery needs to offer them.
| Who | Free hours a week |
|---|---|
| Working parents, child from 9 months | 30 hours |
| Every 3 and 4 year old | 15 hours |
| 2 year olds in families getting some benefits | 15 hours |
Nursery list and inspection outcomes from Ofsted's register of childcare providers, as at 30 June 2026.
Fees shown are regional averages from the Coram Family and Childcare Survey 2026, not any one nursery’s price. Confirm with the nursery before enrolling.
Eligibility rules are the government’s (childcarechoices.gov.uk). Whether a nursery offers the funded hours, and what it charges for meals and consumables, is the nursery’s decision; ask for its funded-hours terms in writing.