Nurseries and childcare in Ipswich
We know of 21 nurseries, preschools and childcare providers within 1.5 miles of the middle of Ipswich. 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 near Ipswich, nearest first
- St Clare House Nursery Child care and day care · 0.3 miles St. Clare House, Greyfriars, Ipswich, IP1 1LP Call
- St Helens Playgroup Preschool · 0.5 miles St. Helen's St, Ipswich, IP4 4JH Call
- Small World Kindergarten Preschool · 0.6 miles Anglesea Rd Unit 1, Ipswich, IP1 5 Call
- Quayside Nursery Day care preschool · 0.6 miles Rope Walk, Ipswich, IP4 1LT Call
- YMCA Childcare Providence Home service · 0.7 miles 2 Wellington St, Ipswich, IP1 2NU Call
- Bright Horizons Quayside Day Nursery And Preschool Preschool · 0.7 miles University Of Suffolk, Ipswich, IP4 Call
- Toybox Preschool School · 0.7 miles 44 Gatacre Rd, Ipswich, IP1 2LQ 5 Call
- Wellington Nursery Preschool · 0.7 miles 52 Chevallier St, Ipswich, IP1 2PB Call
- Little Leaders Childcare Day care preschool · 0.9 miles Oak Hall, Woodville Rd, Ipswich, IP4 1PD Call
- St Mary's Pre-school Day care preschool · 0.9 miles Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, IP4 Call
- Buzzbee Babes Preschool · 0.9 miles Bramford Rd, Ipswich, IP1 5 Call
- Crash After School Club Day care preschool · 1.0 miles Clifford Rd, Ipswich, IP4 1PJ 5 Call
- Springfield Infant School and Nursery Preschool · 1.1 miles 11 Wesley Way, Ipswich, IP1 4PP Call
- The Peartree Kindergarten Preschool · 1.1 miles Conway Cl, Ipswich, IP2 8PR 5 Call
- Little Acorns Pre-school Preschool · 1.2 miles Sidegate Lane, Ipswich, IP4 Call
- Maidenhall Neighbourhood Nursery Preschool · 1.2 miles Conway Close, Ipswich, IP2 Call
- Kidzone Mobile Creche Service Child care and day care · 1.2 miles Brookfield Rd, Ipswich, IP1 Call
- Noah's Ark Pre-School Preschool · 1.3 miles St Johns Church Hall, 74 Cauldwell Hall Rd, Ipswich, IP4 4QE 5 Call
- Little Acorns Pre-school Preschool · 1.3 miles Sidegate Ln, Ipswich, IP4 5 Call
- The Nature Den Nursery Preschool · 1.3 miles Bramford Lane, Ipswich, IP1 Call
- St John's Playtime Preschool Preschool · 1.4 miles St John's UR Church, 1 Cowper St, Ipswich, IP4 5JD 5 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.
Nurseries and childcare nearby
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 Ipswich?
We know of 21 nurseries, preschools and childcare providers within 1.5 miles of the middle of Ipswich. Childminders working from home don’t always appear on maps, so there may be more.
More in Ipswich
Nursery school inspections from Ofsted, Open Government Licence. Listings from Overture Maps, the Food Standards Agency and © OpenStreetMap contributors. Missing one? Tell us.