11 nurseries in Harpenden
Every day nursery in Harpenden on the Ofsted register, best rated first, with what a place costs in East of England after the free hours.
Best-rated nurseries in Harpenden
The top of our Harpenden ranking: Ofsted's outcome first, then the newest inspection.
| # | Nursery | Ofsted outcome | Inspected | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Batford Day Care AL5 5BQ | Outstanding | 27 August 2025 | 63 |
| 2 | Friends Together AL5 1PF | Outstanding | 11 January 2024 | 48 |
| 3 | Bright Horizons Harpenden Central Day Nursery and Preschool AL5 4EL | Outstanding | 25 October 2022 | 52 |
| 4 | Fingertips Woodland Nursery AL5 4QL | Outstanding | 8 June 2022 | 30 |
| 5 | Bright Horizons Harpenden Luton Road Day Nursery and Preschool AL5 2UE | Good | 5 August 2024 | 98 |
Day nurseries in Harpenden, best rated first
| # | Nursery | Ofsted outcome | Inspected | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Batford Day Care AL5 5BQ | Outstanding | 27 August 2025 | 63 |
| 2 | Friends Together AL5 1PF | Outstanding | 11 January 2024 | 48 |
| 3 | Bright Horizons Harpenden Central Day Nursery and Preschool AL5 4EL | Outstanding | 25 October 2022 | 52 |
| 4 | Fingertips Woodland Nursery AL5 4QL | Outstanding | 8 June 2022 | 30 |
| 5 | Bright Horizons Harpenden Luton Road Day Nursery and Preschool AL5 2UE | Good | 5 August 2024 | 98 |
| 6 | Busy Bees Day Nursery at Harpenden Leyton Road AL5 2HZ | Good | 14 November 2023 | 55 |
| 7 | Busy Bees Day Nursery at Rothamsted Lodge AL5 2JS | Good | 1 February 2023 | 70 |
| 8 | Whanau Day Nursery Harpenden AL5 2HU | Good | 1 February 2022 | 55 |
| 9 | Activate Camps@St George's School AL5 4TD | Not yet graded | Not yet | |
| 10 | Cosmos Nursery and Kindergarten AL5 4UN | Not yet graded | Not yet | 30 |
| 11 | Harpenden Day Nursery and Pre School AL5 4HA | Not yet graded | Not yet | 36 |
How the ranking works: our ranking policy. What the grades mean: Ofsted report cards explained.
Nurseries by postcode in Harpenden
Harpenden is in Hertfordshire.
Nursery fees in Harpenden
What day nurseries in East of England charge on average. Fees in Harpenden itself can sit above or below this.
| Child's age | 25 hours a week | 50 hours a week |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 | £192no funded hours | £155after 30 funded hours |
| 2 years old | £176no funded hours | £141after 30 funded hours |
| 3 to 4 years old | £67after the free 15 hours | £135after 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 Harpenden
The free hours follow national rules, so they are the same in Harpenden 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.