From
£36/day
Little Thetford Acorns Pre-School and Children's Club
Oak Field, The Wyches, Little Thetford, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 3HG
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 25 Limited spaces
Town childcare guide
Nurseries in Ely
Childcare around Ely is mostly village pre-schools: Little Thetford Acorns, Isleham Pre-School and Busy Fingers follow term dates and take children from 2, with published rates around £36 to £42.
For babies and all-year care, there's Little Ted's Day Nursery and Beach Babies at Wilburton, which is rated Outstanding. Settings are across CB6 and CB7.
Cambridgeshire County Council runs funded childcare, and Ely's Best Start Family Hub is at High Barns.
Childcare numbers for Ely
Daily fees range
£36–£42
Per day
Outstanding nurseries
1
17% of nurseries
Funded childcare
6
100% offer funding
Total nurseries
6
Across Cambridgeshire
Top nurseries
View all Best nurseries in Ely
Showing 1–3 of 6 selected nursery listings · 6 total in this area.
From
£42/day
Isleham Pre-School
3a Malting Lane, Isleham, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5RZ
Play-Based Capacity 26 Spaces available
Area avg from
£51/day*
Busy Fingers Pre-school
Busy Fingers Pre School, Main Street, Little Downham, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 2ST
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 30 Spaces available
Area avg from
£51/day*
Little Wombatz Ltd
Cambridgeshire County Council, Soham Library, 5-7 Clay Street, Soham, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5HJ
Play-Based Capacity 40 Waiting list
Area avg from
£51/day*
Little Ted's Day Nursery
Chewells Lane, Haddenham, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 3SS
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 42 Spaces available
Area avg from
£51/day*
Beach Babies Wilburton
95 Stretham Road, Wilburton, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 3RY
Outdoor Play-Based Capacity 45 Limited spaces
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Map every nursery in Ely Nurseries near Ely
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Nursery cost calculator
How to Calculate Nursery Fee in Ely?
Get a quick estimate of what childcare could cost your family each week and month in Ely.
1
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2
Child and daily fee
Your local average, matched to their age.
Ely average
£39/day
3
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Before support
£507
per month
Likely support
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per month
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£507
per month
Estimated cost in Ely
£117/week
· £6084/year
Based on the area average of £39/day
Estimates based on average UK nursery rates (Coram Childcare Survey 2024). Actual fees vary by provider and registration costs.
Funded childcare guide
How to Apply for Funded Childcare in Ely?
The nursery postcode districts currently represented on this page map to Cambridgeshire County Council. Your home postcode determines which council handles your application.
Visit Cambridgeshire County CouncilPostcodes: CB6–CB7
Helpful answers
Nursery questions in Ely
Which nurseries in Ely are rated Outstanding?
Beach Babies Wilburton (CB6) holds Ofsted's Outstanding grade.
How much do pre-schools around Ely charge?
Published day rates before funded hours: Little Thetford Acorns Pre-School and Children's Club £36 and Isleham Pre-School £42.
Which Ely nurseries take babies, and which follow term dates?
Little Thetford Acorns Pre-School and Children's Club, Isleham Pre-School, Busy Fingers Pre-school and Little Wombatz Ltd take children from 2 or 3 rather than babies; Little Thetford Acorns Pre-School and Children's Club, Isleham Pre-School and Busy Fingers Pre-school follow term dates. The others we list take babies and open all year, such as Little Ted's Day Nursery.
Are there forest school or outdoor nurseries in Ely?
Yes. Beach Babies Wilburton offers forest school or an outdoor-led approach.
Can I split funded hours between Ely childcare providers?
Yes. Cambridgeshire allows funded childcare to be used across more than 1 registered setting.
Can Ely nurseries charge extra with funded childcare?
Providers can charge for additional childcare and optional services, but funded hours for eligible 2 year olds cannot have compulsory top up or uniform charges attached.
Is there a Family Hub in Ely?
Yes. Ely is 1 of Cambridgeshire's 5 main Best Start Family Hub locations. The Ely centre is at High Barns, Ely, CB7 4RB.
Can funded childcare be spread across more weeks?
Yes. Families can use fewer funded hours each week and spread the annual entitlement across more weeks where their provider offers this.
Can my child's nursery get extra SEND funding?
Yes. Cambridgeshire's Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund can support eligible children who need more help than is normally available within their early years setting.
Is Disability Access Funding available in Ely?
Yes. Eligible children receiving Disability Living Allowance can receive £975 a year for their nominated early years setting in 2026 to 2027.
Can I get help finding childcare for a child with SEND in Ely?
Yes. Cambridgeshire's free SEND Childcare Brokerage Service can check vacancies and discuss your child's needs with suitable providers.
What support does Ely Family Hub provide?
Family Hub services include baby groups, play sessions, parenting support, health visitor clinics, infant feeding support and advice for parents and carers.