Nurseries and childcare in Charnwood
We know of 52 nurseries, preschools and childcare providers across Charnwood. Most nurseries are private, voluntary or part of a school, and Ofsted inspects those too: every one has a report on Ofsted’s website.
Nurseries and childcare by area
A few to start with
- Castle View Child care and day care Watling St, Mountsorrel, LE12 5 Call
- Children 1st at Birstall Preschool 1 Park Rd, Leicester, LE4 3AX 5 Call
- Lilliput Montessori Preschool Latimer St, Leicester, LE7 7AW 5 Call
- Lime Tree Day Nursery Preschool Great Central Rd, Loughborough, LE11 5 Call
- Radmoor Nursery Day care preschool Radmoor Rd, Loughborough, LE11 3BT 5 Call
- Rawlings Under 5's Playgroup Preschool Willowcroft, Loughborough, LE12 8HQ 5 Call
- Tangent House Day Nursery Day care preschool 640 Melton Rd, Leicester, LE4 8BB 4 Call
- The Early Years Academy Loughborough Preschool 5-7 Limehurst Ave, Loughborough, LE11 1PE 5 Call
- Watermead Day Nursery Day care preschool 2 Watermead Ln, Loughborough, LE11 3TN 5 Call
- Acorn under Fives Preschool Highcliffe County Primary School, Greengate Ln, Leicester, LE4 Call
- Bradgate Pre-School at Eastfield Primary School Thurmaston Preschool Eastfield Road, Thurmaston, Leicester, LE4 Call
- Castle View Day Nursery Day care preschool Watling Street, Mountsorrel, Loughborough, LE12 7BD Call
- Charnwood Community Opportunity Services New Fields Child care and day care Christchurch Methodist Church, Field St Flat 8, Shepshed, LE12 9AL Call
- Charnwood Day Nursery And Preschool In Shepshed Elementary school Charnwood Road, Shepshed, Loughborough, LE12 5 Call
- Charnwood Forest Nursery Preschool Charnwood College, Thorpe Hill, Loughborough, LE11 4SQ Call
- Charnwood Nursery and Preschool Preschool 22-26 Lonsdale Rd, Leicester, LE4 8JF 5 Call
- Claire's Bears Childcare Home service 14 Farriers Way, Leicester, LE7 3ZE Call
- Co-operative Play and Learn Preschool Co-operative Sports and Social Grounds, Birstall Rd, Leicester, LE4 Call
- Forest Rock Day Nursery Preschool 16 Church Hill, Woodhouse Eaves, LE12 8RT 4 Call
- Gables Day Nursery Day care preschool 1324 Melton Road, Leicester, LE7 2EQ Call
- Hind Leys Forest School Preschool Forest St, Loughborough, LE12 Call
- Loughborough Children & Family Centre Child care and day care Regent St, Loughborough, LE11 Call
- Loughborough Nursery Day care preschool Garton Rd, Loughborough, LE11 Call
- Nanpantan Nursery School Preschool The Old School House, Nanpantan Rd, Nanpantan, LE11 3 Call
Choosing a nursery
- Read the latest Ofsted report. Search by name or postcode on reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Private nurseries and childminders are on it as well as school nurseries.
- Visit, and ask about the day. Ratios of staff to children, how they settle a new child in, food, naps and time outdoors.
- Ask about funded hours and extra charges. Some nurseries charge for meals, nappies or trips on top of funded hours.
- Check waiting lists early. Popular nurseries fill months ahead, especially for babies.
Questions people ask
What do Ofsted grades mean for nurseries?
Until late 2025 Ofsted gave one overall grade: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate. Newer inspections give a report card instead, grading each area on a scale from exceptional to urgent improvement. Older grades stay on a nursery’s record until its next inspection.
Can I get free childcare hours?
In England every three and four year old can get 15 hours a week of funded childcare in term time. Working parents can get up to 30 hours a week from when their child is nine months old, if each parent earns at least 16 hours a week at the minimum wage and under £100,000 a year. Check and apply at childcarechoices.gov.uk.
How do I check a nursery’s Ofsted report?
Search for it by name or postcode on reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Every registered nursery and childminder in England has a page there with its inspection reports.
How many nurseries are there in Charnwood?
We know of 52 nurseries, preschools and childcare providers across Charnwood. Childminders working from home don’t always appear on maps, so there may be more.
Other things people look for
Nursery school inspections from Ofsted, Open Government Licence. Listings from Overture Maps, the Food Standards Agency and © OpenStreetMap contributors. Missing one? Tell us.