Area avg from
£65/day*
Partou Little Acorns Day Nursery & Pre-School
279 Bolton Road, Atherton, Manchester, M46 9HG
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 136 Limited spaces
Town childcare guide
Nurseries in Atherton
Atherton is a Greater Manchester town within Wigan Borough, centred on Market Street and the historic Market Place. Once shaped by coal mining and textile manufacturing, it is now a largely residential town with rail connections towards Manchester and Wigan. Atherton uses the M46 postcode district, while funded early years childcare is administered by Wigan Council.
Childcare numbers for Atherton
Daily fees range
£68
Per day
Outstanding nurseries
0
0% of nurseries
Funded childcare
0
0% offer funding
Total nurseries
2
Across Greater Manchester
Top nurseries
View all Best nurseries in Atherton
Showing 1–2 of 2 selected nursery listings · 2 total in this area.
From
£68/day
Partou Footprints Day Nursery & Pre-School
Alderford Street, Off Bolton Old Road, Atherton, Manchester, M46 9DS
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 87 Spaces available
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Nursery cost calculator
How to Calculate Nursery Fee in Atherton?
Work out the funded hours your child could get and what nursery could cost each week, month and year in Atherton.
1
The nursery's price
Daily price used: £68 (for a 10-hour day)
All-ages average from 1 nursery with prices on Toddle in Atherton
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
£884
per month
Likely support
£0
per month
You pay
£884
per month
Average per month (over 12 months) · Atherton
£884/month
· £10,608/year
- Full weekly fee (before funding)
- £204.00
- Per year, after funding
- £10,608
Daily price used: £68 (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
- £204.00 a week
Your funding timeline
- Since 1 September 202630 hours for working parents
If you both work and meet the earnings test.
- From 1 January 2029Universal 15 hours
Every 3 and 4 year old, no work or income test.
- From 1 September 2030Starts reception
Funded nursery hours end.
Funded childcare guide
How to Apply for Funded Childcare in Atherton?
The nursery postcode districts currently represented on this page map to Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council. Your home postcode determines which council handles your application.
Visit Wigan Metropolitan Borough CouncilPostcodes: M46
Helpful answers
Nursery questions in Atherton
What postcode covers nurseries in Atherton?
M46 is the main postcode district for Atherton, covering the town centre and surrounding residential areas. Checking the full address can help when comparing settings across different parts of the town.
Is Atherton part of Wigan Borough?
Yes. Atherton is within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, although its postal address is commonly shown as Manchester. Wigan Council is responsible for administering local funded childcare.
What funded childcare can families in Atherton receive?
All 3 and 4 year olds can receive 15 funded hours a week. Eligible working families can receive up to 30 funded hours a week from 9 months old until school age, normally across 38 weeks of the year.
Can funded childcare work around a full working day?
It can, depending on the sessions offered by the nursery. Funded provision can be used for sessions of up to 10 hours in one day, between 6am and 8pm, which gives families some flexibility around working patterns.
Why might I still have nursery costs if I receive funded hours?
Funded hours cover the childcare itself, but optional charges can apply for meals, nappies, sun cream, additional hours or extra activities. These extras cannot be made compulsory as a condition of receiving a funded place.
What if my 2 year old qualifies under more than one funding scheme?
Some 2 year olds qualify for 15 funded hours because their family receives additional support. If the child also qualifies through the working parent scheme, Wigan applies the additional support entitlement first, with working parent funding potentially increasing the total to 30 hours.
Can Atherton families spread funded hours across the year?
Yes, if the childcare provider offers a stretched arrangement. Instead of using the full entitlement over 38 weeks, families can use fewer funded hours each week across more weeks of the year.
Can I combine a nursery with another childcare provider?
Yes. Funded childcare can be divided between eligible providers, with Wigan allowing a child to attend a maximum of two childcare sites in one day. This can suit families combining nursery sessions with a childminder or another setting.
What support can an Atherton nursery provide if my child has SEND?
Early years settings in Wigan use a graduated approach to identify and support additional needs. Where more help is required, settings may be able to access specialist early years support and SEN Inclusion Funding for additional staffing at important times during the child's sessions.
Should I choose an Atherton nursery based only on its Ofsted result?
No. Ofsted information is useful, but it should be considered alongside opening hours, fees, funded sessions, SEND provision, age ranges and how well the setting suits your child. Newer inspections also use report cards with separate grades rather than the previous single overall effectiveness grade.