From
£37/day
Gorran Pre-School
Gorran, St. Austell, Cornwall, PL26 6LH
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 136 Limited spaces
Town childcare guide
Nurseries in St Austell
St Austell has a real shortage of baby places: Cornwall Council projected 61 places against 89 needed for children aged 9 to 23 months across St Austell and Mevagissey, and a shortfall for 2 year olds too.
The nurseries on Toddle here are all rated Good, including Brighteyes, Minibugs and two Stepping Stones settings, plus Gorran Pre-School out towards the coast. Brighteyes publishes a day rate of £75.
Cornwall Council runs funded childcare. St Austell Family Hub at Chi Austel runs a Thursday baby clinic and has a free sensory room.
Childcare numbers for St Austell
Daily fees range
£37–£75
Per day
Outstanding nurseries
0
0% of nurseries
Funded childcare
6
100% offer funding
Total nurseries
6
Across Cornwall
Top nurseries
View all Best nurseries in St Austell
Showing 1–3 of 6 selected nursery listings · 6 total in this area.
Area avg from
£59/day*
Stepping Stones Childcare (Cornwall)
12-14 Wesley Place, Mt Charles, St Austell, Cornwall, PL25 4QA
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 36 Spaces available
Area avg from
£59/day*
Bright Eyes Childcare
Goonamarris Industrial Est, Goonvean, St. Stephen, St. Austell, Cornwall, PL26 7QF
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 48 Spaces available
Area avg from
£59/day*
Stepping Stones Childcare (Cornwall)
Scol Kensa, Carclaze Road, St Austell, Cornwall, PL25 3AG
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 50 Waiting list
From
£75/day
Brighteyes
43 North Street, St. Austell, Cornwall, PL25 5QE
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 53 Spaces available
Area avg from
£59/day*
Minibugs St Austell
17a Moorlands Road, St Austell, Cornwall, PL25 5BS
Child Led Capacity 76 Limited spaces
1 / 2
Map view
Map every nursery in St Austell Nurseries near St Austell
Explore 6 mapped nursery listings in this area.
6 nurseries in view
Nursery cost calculator
What will nursery cost in St Austell?
Answer four quick questions. You'll see your monthly cost straight away.
1When was your child born?
Age: 2 yearsFree hours are available.
2Are you working?
Each working parent needs to earn at least £2,643.68 over 3 months, and under £100,000 a year.
3How much time at nursery?
Days a week
5
Hours a day
10
4What does the nursery charge?
About £56 a day for 10 hours. All-ages average from 2 nurseries with prices on Toddle in St Austell
You'd pay about
£681a month
£8,176 a year after your free hours
- Nursery fees
- £1,213
- Free hours (30 a week)
- −£532
- You pay
- £681
Doesn't include meals, nappies or trips. Most nurseries charge for these separately.
You could get 30 free hours a week.
They end when your child starts reception, around September 2029.
Why isn't it lower in the holidays?
38 weeks free hours: £112/wk 14 weeks full fee: £280/wk
Free hours cover 38 term-time weeks. Many nurseries can spread them across the year instead. Ask yours.
Only going term time? Your cost will be lower. Ask your nursery for their term dates.
Estimate only. England. Based on GOV.UK figures, checked 20 October 2026.
Funded childcare guide
How to Apply for Funded Childcare in St Austell?
The nursery postcode districts currently represented on this page map to Cornwall Council. Your home postcode determines which council handles your application.
Visit Cornwall CouncilPostcodes: PL25–PL26
Helpful answers
Nursery questions in St Austell
How much does a day at nursery in St Austell cost?
Published day rates before funded hours: Gorran Pre-School £37 and Brighteyes £75.
Which St Austell nurseries take babies, and which follow term dates?
Gorran Pre-School and Stepping Stones Childcare (Cornwall) take children from 2 or 3 rather than babies; Gorran Pre-School follows term dates. The others we list take babies and open all year, such as Bright Eyes Childcare.
Is it difficult to find an under 2 nursery place in St Austell?
The official figures show a significant shortage.
Across St Austell and Mevagissey, Cornwall Council projected:
61 full time equivalent places available
89 places needed for children aged 9 to 23 months
28 place shortfall
These figures cover St Austell and Mevagissey together rather than St Austell town alone. The council also states that funded provision for children under 2 is the biggest childcare sufficiency concern across Cornwall.
Can I find all year childcare in St Austell that covers a full working day?
Yes. Cornwall's current Family Information Service lists a St Austell provider on Penwithick Road that accepts children from 6 months old, operates throughout the year and opens from 8am to 6pm Monday to Thursday.
The current privately paid rate is £7.50 per hour from 16 March 2026, with no separate lunch or consumables charge listed. It also accepts the 30 hour funded entitlement.
This is one verified St Austell example, not an average for all local nurseries.
Is there a free sensory space for children in St Austell?
Yes. St Austell Family Hub has a sensory room that families can book free of charge for a 30 minute session.
The room includes soft flooring, a bubble tube, fibre optic lights and multisensory equipment designed to provide a calm space for children to play, explore and develop.
This is particularly useful for families whose children benefit from quieter sensory play.
Is there also a shortage of nursery places for 2 year olds?
Yes. Cornwall Council recorded 84 available full time equivalent places for 2 year olds across St Austell and Mevagissey against projected demand for 96.
That leaves a projected shortfall of 12 places.
Parents should not assume availability becomes easy immediately after their child turns 2.
Can a St Austell nursery charge a registration fee for a funded place?
No. Cornwall Council states that a provider cannot charge a deposit or registration fee to secure a funded childcare place.
Providers can charge separately for additional hours, meals, nappies, wipes, sun cream and trips, but parents must still be able to access funded childcare without paying compulsory extras.
Do I have to buy meals and nappies from the nursery during funded hours?
No. Cornwall Council requires providers to give parents an alternative where charges apply.
Parents can provide their own packed lunch, nappies, wipes or sun cream instead of paying the provider's charge. Trips are optional, and additional childcare hours can be purchased separately.
This makes the nursery's complete charging policy more useful than comparing its headline hourly rate alone.
Where can I get my baby weighed in St Austell?
St Austell Family Hub runs a child health drop in clinic every Thursday from 9:30am to 11:30am.
A breastfeeding peer support group runs every Thursday from 10am to 11:30am at the same hub.
Parents can use the child health clinic for weighing and non urgent questions about their child's health and development.
Where is St Austell Family Hub and is parking available?
St Austell Family Hub is at:
Chi Austel
White River Place
St Austell
PL25 5AZ
It is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Parents visiting the Family Hub can give their vehicle registration to reception to have parking authorised for the duration of their visit.
What happens if my child needs SEND support at a St Austell nursery?
Cornwall's Early Years Inclusion and SEND Team supports children aged 0 to 5 who are not meeting expected development milestones.
Support is accessed through a referral from the child's early years provider or a health professional. The team provides advice and strategies for nursery staff, short term interventions, longer term support for complex needs and help with transition to school.
Cornwall also operates the Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund. Eligible 3 and 4 year olds receiving Disability Living Allowance and funded early education receive a £938 annual Disability Access Fund payment to their early years setting.