Nurseries & Daycare in London

Of the London nurseries on Toddle that publish their fees, nursery rates for a full day run from £41 to £148, with a typical day around £90. Rates vary by area, age group and what's included: 60 of the 195 include meals in the fee.

Funded hours make a big difference. Eligible working parents can get up to 30 funded hours a week for children aged 9 months to 4 years, and every 3 and 4 year old can get 15 hours. Ask each nursery for its rates after funding, including any charges for meals, nappies or extra hours.

Based on the London nurseries on Toddle that publish a day rate, a typical full day costs around £90. Five days a week at that rate works out at about £1,950 a month before any funded hours.

Funded hours can cut this a lot. Eligible working parents can get up to 30 funded hours a week for children aged 9 months to 4 years, and nurseries may charge separately for meals, nappies and extra hours, so ask each nursery for its monthly cost after funding.

Ofsted grades are the most reliable starting point. Of the 195 London nurseries on Toddle, 130 are rated Outstanding and 65 are rated Good.

Outstanding nurseries across London include Apples And Honey Nightingale (SW12), Be Me Day Nursery Angel (N1), Clapham Montessori (SW4), Colville Day Care (W11), German Kindergarten London Fields (E8), Goslings Day Nursery (SE15), Kido Wandsworth (SW18), Little Londoners Day Nursery (N16). The "More nurseries" list on this page shows every Outstanding nursery first, with its area, ages and day rate.

The best nursery for your family also depends on location, the days you need and whether you want an approach such as Montessori or forest school, so it's worth visiting two or three before you choose.

Toddle currently lists 195 nurseries in London, spread across 94 postcode districts. The most are in south west, south east and north London, followed by west, east and north west London.

London has many more Ofsted-registered nurseries in total; these are the ones listed on Toddle. Some areas such as Harrow, Croydon, Enfield and Twickenham have their own pages, so check those too if you live nearby.

Yes. North London (N postcodes) is one of the areas with the most nurseries on Toddle, including around N16, N5 and N1, and there are more in north west London (NW). The "Nurseries by area" boxes on this page show how many each part of London has today.

Pick an area in the "Nurseries by area" section on this page and Doddle will show the nurseries there, best rated first.

Yes. 42 of the London nurseries on Toddle are nurseries and pre-schools just for children aged 2 to 5, and many nursery schools also take younger children. Most London pre-schools follow the Early Years Foundation Stage, and 34 run in term time only, like a school.

If you need a full working day, look for a day nursery or daycare setting that's open all year round: 154 of the London nurseries on Toddle are.

153 of the 195 London nurseries on Toddle take babies from 6 months, and most of them keep children until they start school. The other 42 are nurseries and pre-schools for children aged 2 to 5.

Baby rooms often fill first, so it's worth contacting nurseries several months before you plan to return to work.

Yes. Eligible working parents can get 30 funded hours a week for children aged 9 months to 4 years, usually over 38 weeks a year. Of the London nurseries on Toddle, 174 accept 15 funded hours, 154 accept 30 funded hours and some offer stretched funding across more weeks of the year.

Apply by 31 December for a January start, 31 March for an April start and 31 August for a September start.

Most are. 154 of the London nurseries on Toddle are open all year round, which suits working parents, while 34 run in term time only. Many offer extended hours for earlier drop-offs or later pick-ups. Check each nursery's opening hours and holiday closures before you book.

Yes. Toddle lists 22 Montessori nurseries in London and several that offer forest school, along with nurseries that follow child-led or outdoor learning approaches. Most London nurseries follow the Early Years Foundation Stage, the curriculum every Ofsted-registered nursery in England uses.

Yes. Your child can live in one borough and go to nursery in another, for example near your work. For funded childcare, the borough where the nursery is located funds your child's place at that setting.

No. Paying for extras can't be a condition of getting your funded hours. Nurseries can charge separately for meals, nappies, extra hours and optional activities, but they should offer an alternative if you don't want to pay, such as bringing your own food.

Many of the London nurseries on Toddle say they offer SEND support, and some have a sensory room. Each borough runs its own early years SEND services, so check the local offer for the borough where the nursery is, and speak to the nursery's SENCO before your child starts.