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10 nurseries in Dorchester

Every day nursery in Dorchester on the Ofsted register, best rated first, with what a place costs in South West after the free hours.

10 day nurseries
2 rated Outstanding
1 with a new report card (10%)
522 places in total
£133 a week, 50 hours for a 2 year old after free hours

Best-rated nurseries in Dorchester

The top of our Dorchester ranking: Ofsted's outcome first, then the newest inspection.

Best-rated day nurseries in Dorchester
#NurseryOfsted outcomeInspectedPlaces
1Little Acorns Playgroup DT2 0JYOutstanding20 June 202426
2Charminster Preschool DT2 9RDOutstanding29 November 202234
3Little Robins Nursery DT1 1EBStrong standard in 5 of 68 December 202515
4Winfrith Pre-School DT2 8JLGood12 December 202418
5Sunny Day Nursery & Play Club DT1 3WAGood24 October 2024170

Day nurseries in Dorchester, best rated first

All 10 day nurseries in Dorchester
#NurseryOfsted outcomeInspectedPlaces
1Little Acorns Playgroup DT2 0JYOutstanding20 June 202426
2Charminster Preschool DT2 9RDOutstanding29 November 202234
3Little Robins Nursery DT1 1EBStrong standard in 5 of 68 December 202515
4Winfrith Pre-School DT2 8JLGood12 December 202418
5Sunny Day Nursery & Play Club DT1 3WAGood24 October 2024170
6Barn Owls Nursery DT2 0HGGood28 August 202430
7The Grove Pre-School Playgroup DT1 2LAGood9 November 202321
8Summertime Nursery & Preschool DT1 2ETGood2 August 202335
9Maiden Newton Childcare Provision DT2 0AXGood28 June 202320
10Chipmunks Day Nursery DT1 2BSRequires improvement24 September 2025153

How the ranking works: our ranking policy. What the grades mean: Ofsted report cards explained.

Nurseries by postcode in Dorchester

Dorchester is in Dorset.

Nursery fees in Dorchester

What day nurseries in South West charge on average. Fees in Dorchester itself can sit above or below this.

Average weekly price in term time, South West, Coram Childcare Survey 2026
Child's age25 hours a week50 hours a week
Under 2£181no funded hours£145after 30 funded hours
2 years old£165no funded hours£133after 30 funded hours
3 to 4 years old£61after the free 15 hours£122after 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 Dorchester

The free hours follow national rules, so they are the same in Dorchester as anywhere in England. Every day nursery listed here is registered with Ofsted, which is what a nursery needs to offer them.

Check which hours your child can get

WhoFree hours a week
Working parents, child from 9 months30 hours
Every 3 and 4 year old15 hours
2 year olds in families getting some benefits15 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.