Nurseries and childcare in Ardleigh
We know of 12 nurseries, preschools and childcare providers within 3 miles of the middle of Ardleigh, 1 of them in Ardleigh itself. 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 Ardleigh, nearest first
- Ardleigh Pre-School Preschool · 100m Ardleigh Village Hall Station Rd, Ardleigh, CO7 7RS Call
- Orchard Barns Private Kindergarten Preschool · 0.8 miles Badliss Hall Lane, Ardleigh, CO7 Call
- Oaklea Montessori Nursery Child care and day care · 1.3 miles Oaklea, Ardleigh Rd, Dedham, CO7 Call
- Langham Pre-school Preschool · 2.5 miles School Rd, Colchester, CO4 5PA Call
- Oaklea Montessori CIC Nursery Preschool · 2.5 miles St John's Cl, Colchester, CO4 Call
- Abacus Little Learners Preschool · 2.5 miles St John’s C of E Primary School, Clay Ln Grv, Colchester, CO4 0HH Call
- Little Dragons Pre School Preschool · 2.6 miles Church Meadow Bungalow, Hall Road, Colchester, CO7 7TR Call
- Yellow Brick Road Colchester Preschool · 2.7 miles Jack Andrews Dr, Colchester, CO4 9YN Call
- Humpty Dumpty Pre-School Preschool · 2.8 miles Humpty Dumpty Pre School, Rawlings Cres, Colchester, CO4 9GF 5 Call
- Seymour House Child care and day care · 2.8 miles Brinkley Lane, Highwoods, CO4 9XN Call
- Just Imagine Day Nursery Day care preschool · 2.8 miles Hawthorn Ave, via, Acacia Ave, Colchester, CO4 3JN Call
- Little Pumpkins Preschool Preschool · 2.8 miles The Ave., Manningtree, CO11 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 Ardleigh?
We know of 12 nurseries, preschools and childcare providers within 3 miles of the middle of Ardleigh. Childminders working from home don’t always appear on maps, so there may be more.
More in Ardleigh
Nursery school inspections from Ofsted, Open Government Licence. Listings from Overture Maps, the Food Standards Agency and © OpenStreetMap contributors. Missing one? Tell us.