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County childcare guide

Nurseries & Daycare in Derbyshire

Toddle lists 30 nurseries and pre-schools across Derbyshire, with the most in Alfreton, Swadlincote and Belper, and more in Chesterfield, Ripley, Glossop and Derby. 20 are rated Good by Ofsted and 1 Outstanding (The Cottage Private Day Nursery (Mansfield Road)).

22 take babies (the most around Alfreton and Swadlincote) and 20 are open all year round. Of the nurseries that publish a day rate, a typical full day costs around £52, and 22 accept the 30 funded hours.

Derbyshire County Council runs funded childcare and SEND support across the county, while Derby has its own city council. Availability differs between districts, with Amber Valley under the most pressure. Ask Doddle above about nurseries near Alfreton and Swadlincote, or pick a town below.

Postcodes: DE4–DE75 · S40–S44 · SK13–SK17

How much is nursery in Derbyshire, and where are they?

A full day at a nursery in Derbyshire typically costs about £52, or around £1,130 a month full-time before funded hours. The most are in Alfreton, Belper and Chesterfield, and 22 take babies from 6 months. 20 of the 30 are open all year round rather than term time only.Checked 27 Oct 2026

Source: Ofsted inspection reports and the fees and details each nursery publishes.

Childcare numbers for Derbyshire

Daily fees range
Per day
£36–£76
Outstanding nurseries
3% of nurseries
1
Funded childcare
93% offer funding
28
Total nurseries
Across Derbyshire
30
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Top nurseries

Best nurseries in Derbyshire

Showing 1–3 of 12 selected nursery listings · 30 total in this area.

View all
The Cottage Private Day Nursery (Mansfield Road)
Area avg from
£44/day*
Ofsted: Outstanding

The Cottage Private Day Nursery (Mansfield Road)

14 Mansfield Road, Heanor, Derbyshire, DE75 7AJ
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 34 Limited spaces
Ashbourne Day Nurseries at Alfreton
From
£59/day
Ofsted: Good

Ashbourne Day Nurseries at Alfreton

Grange Street, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 7JA
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 72 Spaces available
Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School
From
£76/day
Ofsted: Good

Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Dryhurst House, Calow, Chesterfield S44 5BL, United Kingdom
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 73 Spaces available
Children 1st St Peter & St Pauls
From
£76/day
Ofsted: Good

Children 1st St Peter & St Pauls

Brambling House, Hady Hill, Calow, Chesterfield S41 0EF, United Kingdom
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 147 Waiting list
Duffield Preschool
From
£36/day
Ofsted: Good

Duffield Preschool

Duffield Meadows Primary School, Park Road, Duffield, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 4GT
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 24 Spaces available
Little Leprechauns Day Nursery
From
£65/day
Ofsted: Good

Little Leprechauns Day Nursery

17-19 Broad Pavement, Chesterfield, S40 1RP, United Kingdom
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 48 Limited spaces
Openwoodgate Pre-School
From
£36/day
Ofsted: Good

Openwoodgate Pre-School

St Marks Church Hall, Openwoodgate, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 0SD
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 24 Limited spaces
Overseal Pre-School
From
£45/day
Ofsted: Good

Overseal Pre-School

Overseal Village Hall, Woodville Road, Overseal, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE12 6LU
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 26 Spaces available
Thornhill Day Nursery & Pre-school
From
£69/day
Ofsted: Good

Thornhill Day Nursery & Pre-school

10 Thornhill Road, Off Albany Road, Derby, DE22 3LX, United Kingdom
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 70 Spaces available
Turnditch and District Playgroup
From
£39/day
Ofsted: Good

Turnditch and District Playgroup

Crompton Inglefield Village Hall, Ashbourne Road, Turnditch, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 2LL
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 24 Waiting list
Wildlings
From
£41/day
Ofsted: Good

Wildlings

Methodist School Rooms, Devonshire Street, Ambergate, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 2GJ
Forest School Capacity 28 Spaces available
Burbage Preschool
Area avg from
£44/day*
Ofsted: Good

Burbage Preschool

Burbage Institute Buxton, Nursery Lane, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6UL
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 50 Limited spaces
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By town

Nurseries by town in Derbyshire

Looking for a nursery near Alfreton, Belper, Chesterfield or elsewhere in Derbyshire? Pick a town and Doddle will show the nurseries there.

Types of childcare

Types of nursery in Derbyshire

Looking for a baby nursery, a private day nursery or a pre-school near you in Derbyshire? Here is how many of each we list, from the 30 nurseries on this page. Ask Doddle above for the ones that suit your child.

  • 22Baby nurseriesTake babies, usually from 6 months
  • 20Day nurseries open all yearFull days, all year round, for working parents
  • 8Pre-schools and nursery schoolsFor 2 to 5 year olds, often term time
  • 7Term-time onlyClose in the school holidays
  • 3Forest school nurseriesMuch of the day spent outdoors
  • 1Rated OutstandingOfsted's top grade
  • 28Offer funded hours15 or 30 funded hours
Map view

Nurseries near Derbyshire

Explore 12 mapped nursery listings in this area.

Map every nursery in Derbyshire
12 nurseries in view
Nursery cost calculator

How to Calculate Nursery Fee in Derbyshire?

Work out the funded hours your child could get and what nursery could cost each week, month and year in Derbyshire.

1

The nursery's price

Daily price used: £54 (for a 10-hour day)

All-ages average from 10 nurseries with prices on Toddle in Derbyshire

2

Your childcare week

Many nurseries close for a week or two at Christmas and bank holidays.

3

Your child and funded hours

Do you (and your partner, if you have one) both work, and each expect to earn at least £2,643.68 in the next 3 months?
What counts?

16 hours a week at the minimum wage for your age: £2,643.68 if you're 21 or over, £2,256.80 if you're 18 to 20, and £1,664.00 if you're under 18 or an apprentice. If you've been self-employed for under 12 months, or you're on parental, sick or annual leave, you can still qualify, and some benefits (such as Carer's Allowance) count for a partner who doesn't work. Check on GOV.UK

No funded hours yet.

If you both work, you could get 30 hours a week (1,140 a year).

From 1 January 2029: 15 hours a week (570 a year).

Funded hours start the term after your child reaches the age (9 months for working-parent hours, 2 for the extra-support offer, 3 for the universal 15 hours): on 1 January, 1 April or 1 September. You'll need to reconfirm your details every 3 months.

4

How will you pay?

Before support
£702
per month
Likely support
£0
per month
You pay
£702
per month
−=
Average per month (over 12 months) · Derbyshire
£702/month
· £8,424/year
Full weekly fee (before funding)
£162.00
Per year, after funding
£8,424
Daily price used: £54 (for a 10-hour day)

This is an estimate, not a quote. Nurseries set their own prices, opening weeks and funded-hours patterns, and not all offer funded or stretched places. Check with the nursery. England only.

How we work this out

570 hours a year is 15 hours × 38 weeks; 1,140 is 30 × 38. Term-time funding covers 38 weeks; in every other week your child attends you pay the full fee. Stretched funding spreads the same hours over more weeks (up to 52), so the yearly total is about the same. Funded hours are capped at the hours you use, 30 a week and 10-hour sessions. The monthly figure is the yearly cost ÷ 12.

Funded hours are for education and care and must be free. Nurseries can't charge top-up fees for funded hours, or make you pay for extra hours, registration fees or deposits as a condition of your place. They can offer meals, snacks, nappies and trips as optional extras, and you can choose to bring your own or opt out.

Hours may be pro-rated if your child starts part-way through the year, and funding stops when your child starts reception. Tax-Free Childcare is 20% of what you pay after funding, up to £2,000 a year (£4,000 if your child is disabled). Prices are Toddle averages or the price you enter; meals are a Toddle estimate.

Figures from GOV.UK, checked 20 October 2026. Rates change each April. England only: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different schemes. Sources: working parents, 3 and 4 year olds, 2 year olds, Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit, DfE guidance.

Your year at a glance

Each block is a week, from September to August.

SepNovJanMarMayJul
52 full-fee weeks
£162.00 a week
Your funding timeline
  1. Since 1 September 2026
    30 hours for working parents

    If you both work and meet the earnings test.

  2. From 1 January 2029
    Universal 15 hours

    Every 3 and 4 year old, no work or income test.

  3. From 1 September 2030
    Starts reception

    Funded nursery hours end.

Funded childcare guide

How to Apply for Funded Childcare in Derbyshire?

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 Derby CityPostcodes: DE22
Visit Derbyshire County CouncilPostcodes: DE12–DE75 · S40–S44 · SK17
Helpful answers

Nursery questions in Derbyshire

How much are nursery fees in Derbyshire?

Among the 12 Derbyshire nurseries on Toddle that publish a day rate, the middle price is £52 a day and most charge £40 to £68; the lowest published rates we list are around Belper and the highest around Chesterfield.

At £52 a day, a full-time place works out at about £1,130 a month before funded hours, and 10 include meals, for example around Alfreton and Belper.

What are the best nurseries in Derbyshire?

Going by Ofsted, 1 nursery we list in Derbyshire is rated Outstanding: The Cottage Private Day Nursery (Mansfield Road) (Heanor).

How many nurseries are there in Derbyshire?

We list 30 nurseries in Derbyshire so far, spread over 16 postcode districts, with the biggest groups in Alfreton, Swadlincote, Belper and Chesterfield.

Which Derbyshire nurseries take babies?

22 of the 30 take babies, usually from around 6 months, and Alfreton and Swadlincote have the most baby places we list. The other 8 are pre-schools and nurseries for 2 to 5 year olds, mostly around Belper and Swadlincote.

Are Derbyshire nurseries open all year round?

20 of the 30 open all year round; the 7 that follow term dates are mainly around Belper and Alfreton. For early drop-offs or late pick-ups, the nurseries with extended hours are mostly around Alfreton and Belper.

Can my child's nursery get extra SEND funding?

Yes. Derbyshire's SEN Inclusion Fund can support eligible children aged 9 months to 4 years who need additional help in their early years setting.

Is Portage available for young children in Derbyshire?

Yes. Derbyshire Portage supports eligible children aged 4 months to 4 years with significant developmental delay or complex SEND.

Is nursery availability the same across Derbyshire?

No. The latest county assessment found enough places overall, but identified Amber Valley as the district with the greatest childcare sufficiency concerns.

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