Area avg from
£29/day*
Penny Bridge Nursery
Penny Bridge, Ulverston, Westmorland and Furness, LA12 7RQ
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 24 Limited spaces
County childcare guide
Nurseries & Daycare in Cumbria
Toddle lists 15 nurseries across Cumbria, with the most in Barrow-in-Furness, and more in Carlisle, Kendal, Penrith, Whitehaven, Ulverston and Cockermouth. 9 are rated Good by Ofsted and 2 Outstanding (Penny Bridge Nursery), while 4 are newer and not yet inspected.
12 take babies (the most around Barrow-in-Furness and Kendal) and 11 are open all year round.
Since 2023, Cumbria's childcare has been run by two councils: Cumberland (Carlisle, Whitehaven, Cockermouth) and Westmorland and Furness (Kendal, Penrith, Barrow, Ulverston). Ask Doddle above about nurseries near Barrow-in-Furness and Ulverston, or pick a town below.
How much is nursery in Cumbria, and where are they?
The most are in Barrow-in-Furness, Carlisle and Kendal, and 12 take babies from 6 months. 11 of the 15 are open all year round rather than term time only.Checked 26 Oct 2026
Source: Ofsted inspection reports and the fees and details each nursery publishes.
Childcare numbers for Cumbria
Daily fees range
Per day
£29–£56
Outstanding nurseries
13% of nurseries
2
Funded childcare
40% offer funding
6
Total nurseries
Across Cumbria
15
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Top nurseries
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Showing 1–3 of 12 selected nursery listings · 15 total in this area.
Area avg from
£29/day*
Sunnybrow
Sunny Brow, Elmhurst, Bankfield, Kendal, Westmorland and Furness, LA9 5DR
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 92 Spaces available
From
£56/day
Kids Planet Old Vicarage
112 Hartington Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 5SS, United Kingdom
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 105 Spaces available
From
£29/day
Pennington Nursery
Pennington Memorial Hall, Pennington, Ulverston, Westmorland and Furness, LA12 0RT
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 44 Waiting list
Area avg from
£56/day*
Bright Horizons Barrow Day Nursery and Preschool
Furness General Hospital, Dalton Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 4LF, United Kingdom
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 62 Spaces available
Area avg from
£56/day*
Happy Tots Day Nursery
Arndene Park, Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 9JY, United Kingdom
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 172 Limited spaces
Area avg from
£56/day*
Kids Planet Hollingarth
1 Prospect Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 9AA, United Kingdom
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 58 Limited spaces
Area avg from
£56/day*
Little Owls Nursery Carlisle
28 Portland Square, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA1 1PE, United Kingdom
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 52 Spaces available
Area avg from
£56/day*
Mother Goose Day Nursery
76 Wigton Road, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA2 7AY, United Kingdom
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 48 Spaces available
Area avg from
£71/day*
Playroom Day Nursery
Playroom Day Nursery, Unit 6A, Sneckyeat Road Industrial Estate, Whitehaven, Cumberland, CA28 8PF
Play-Based Capacity 38 Waiting list
Area avg from
£71/day*
Strawberry How Nursery School
Strawberry How Nursery, Strawberry How, Cockermouth, Cumberland, CA13 9XR
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 55 Spaces available
Area avg from
£56/day*
Kids Planet Old Stables
The Old Stables, Redhills Lane, Redhills, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0DT, United Kingdom
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 70 Limited spaces
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More nurseries
More nurseries in Cumbria
3 more nurseries in Cumbria, Outstanding first. Page 1 of 1.
By town
Nurseries by town in Cumbria
Looking for a nursery near Barrow-in-Furness, Carlisle, Kendal or elsewhere in Cumbria? Pick a town and Doddle will show the nurseries there.
Types of childcare
Types of nursery in Cumbria
Looking for a baby nursery, a private day nursery or a pre-school near you in Cumbria? Here is how many of each we list, from the 15 nurseries on this page. Ask Doddle above for the ones that suit your child.
- 12Baby nurseriesTake babies, usually from 6 months
- 11Day nurseries open all yearFull days, all year round, for working parents
- 2Pre-schools and nursery schoolsFor 2 to 5 year olds, often term time
- 2Rated OutstandingOfsted's top grade
- 6Offer funded hours15 or 30 funded hours
Map view
Map every nursery in Cumbria Nurseries near Cumbria
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Nursery cost calculator
How to Calculate Nursery Fee in Cumbria?
Get a quick estimate of what childcare could cost your family each week and month in Cumbria.
1
Your childcare week
Set the schedule you need.
2
Child and daily fee
Your local average, matched to their age.
Cumbria average
£43/day
3
Likely support
Choose the support you expect to use.
Before support
£559
per month
Likely support
£0
per month
You pay
£559
per month
Estimated cost in Cumbria
£129/week
· £6708/year
Based on the area average of £43/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 Cumbria?
The nursery postcode districts represented on this page map to these official local authorities. Choose your council below; your home postcode determines which one handles your application.
Visit Cumberland CouncilPostcodes: CA1–CA28
Visit Westmorland and Furness CouncilPostcodes: CA11 · LA9–LA14
Helpful answers
Nursery questions in Cumbria
What are the best nurseries in Cumbria?
Going by Ofsted, 2 nurseries we list in Cumbria are rated Outstanding: Penny Bridge Nursery (Ulverston) and Sunnybrow (Kendal).
How many nurseries are there in Cumbria?
We list 15 nurseries in Cumbria so far, spread over 9 postcode districts, with the biggest groups in Barrow-in-Furness, Ulverston, Whitehaven and Kendal.
Which Cumbria nurseries take babies?
12 of the 15 take babies, usually from around 6 months, and Barrow-in-Furness and Kendal have the most baby places we list. The other 3 are pre-schools and nurseries for 2 to 5 year olds, mostly around Ulverston.
Are Cumbria nurseries open all year round?
11 of the 15 open all year round. For early drop-offs or late pick-ups, the nurseries with extended hours are mostly around Barrow-in-Furness and Cockermouth.
Which council handles nursery funding where I live in Cumbria?
Cumberland Council covers places including Carlisle, Workington, Whitehaven, Cockermouth, Maryport, Keswick and Wigton. Westmorland and Furness Council covers areas including Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal, Penrith, Ulverston, Windermere, Appleby and Kirkby Stephen. The child's location therefore determines which council administers locally managed early-years funding and SEND support.
What SEND funding is available to nurseries in Westmorland and Furness?
Westmorland and Furness operates an Early Years SEND Inclusion Fund (SENIF). Settings apply for additional support for an individual child, and if the child attends more than one nursery, each setting must apply separately. The funding does not automatically transfer if the child moves to another setting.
What SEND support applies in Cumberland?
Cumberland also operates Early Years SEND Inclusion Funding for providers supporting individual children with additional needs. Funded early-years settings must have arrangements for identifying and supporting SEND, and children with more complex needs can also be considered for an Education, Health and Care Plan.
Is “Cumbria County Council” still responsible for nurseries?
No. Cumbria County Council ceased to exist on 1 April 2023. Early-years, education and SEND responsibilities now sit with Cumberland Council or Westmorland and Furness Council, depending on where the child lives.
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