17 nurseries in Lancaster
Every day nursery in Lancaster on the Ofsted register, best rated first, with what a place costs in North West after the free hours.
Best-rated nurseries in Lancaster
The top of our Lancaster ranking: Ofsted's outcome first, then the newest inspection.
| # | Nursery | Ofsted outcome | Inspected | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hornby Day Nursery Limited LA2 8JP | Outstanding | 4 October 2023 | 60 |
| 2 | Lancaster Day Nursery LA1 4RP | Outstanding | 14 July 2022 | 66 |
| 3 | Total Tots Ltd LA1 3PE | Strong standard in 4 of 6 | 5 December 2025 | 62 |
| 4 | Pre-School Centre LA1 4YW | Good | 23 July 2025 | 158 |
| 5 | Busy Bees Day Nursery at Lancaster LA1 5JR | Good | 5 June 2025 | 125 |
Day nurseries in Lancaster, best rated first
| # | Nursery | Ofsted outcome | Inspected | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hornby Day Nursery Limited LA2 8JP | Outstanding | 4 October 2023 | 60 |
| 2 | Lancaster Day Nursery LA1 4RP | Outstanding | 14 July 2022 | 66 |
| 3 | Total Tots Ltd LA1 3PE | Strong standard in 4 of 6 | 5 December 2025 | 62 |
| 4 | Pre-School Centre LA1 4YW | Good | 23 July 2025 | 158 |
| 5 | Busy Bees Day Nursery at Lancaster LA1 5JR | Good | 5 June 2025 | 125 |
| 6 | Appledore Montessori LA1 5QU | Good | 4 November 2024 | 23 |
| 7 | Christ Church School Playgroup LA1 3ES | Good | 9 February 2024 | 18 |
| 8 | Nippers Children's Day Nursery Ltd LA1 2LN | Good | 9 February 2024 | 36 |
| 9 | University of Cumbria Pre-School Centre LA1 3JD | Good | 7 November 2023 | 86 |
| 10 | Mucky Pups Pre School LA1 1TP | Good | 24 October 2023 | 24 |
| 11 | Rising Stars Nursery LA1 3HL | Good | 1 November 2022 | 88 |
| 12 | Furnace Barn Day Nursery LA2 6LU | Good | 4 October 2022 | 39 |
| 13 | Leaps & Bounds Ellel LA2 0LQ | Good | 23 June 2022 | 20 |
| 14 | Tiny Treasures LA1 4HX | Good | 16 June 2022 | 30 |
| 15 | Nazareth House Day Nursery LA1 5AQ | Good | 11 April 2022 | 67 |
| 16 | Tiny Treasures LA1 2TY | Good | 26 October 2021 | 96 |
| 17 | Brookdale Day Nursery Ltd LA1 4QJ | Needs attention in 2 of 6 | 25 November 2025 | 49 |
How the ranking works: our ranking policy. What the grades mean: Ofsted report cards explained.
Nurseries by postcode in Lancaster
Lancaster is in Lancashire.
Nursery fees in Lancaster
What day nurseries in North West charge on average. Fees in Lancaster itself can sit above or below this.
| Child's age | 25 hours a week | 50 hours a week |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 | £178no funded hours | £136after 30 funded hours |
| 2 years old | £158no funded hours | £124after 30 funded hours |
| 3 to 4 years old | £62after the free 15 hours | £120after 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 Lancaster
The free hours follow national rules, so they are the same in Lancaster 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.