Nurseries in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a popular East of England county known for its mix of historic university city living, fast-growing market towns and family-friendly villages. Covering postcode districts CB1–CB25, PE1–PE29 and SG8, it includes Cambridge, Ely, Peterborough, Huntingdon, St Neots, March and surrounding rural communities. Families benefit from excellent rail links to London King's Cross and Liverpool Street, major roads such as the A14, A1 and M11, and a wide range of parks, riverside walks, libraries, nature reserves and strong primary schools. Nursery and preschool demand is consistently high across Cambridge, market towns including Ely and St Ives, and new-build developments such as Northstowe and Alconbury Weald.
Parents in Cambridgeshire typically pay £96 per day for childcare, which is significantly 27% higher than the UK average.
- Average Daily Cost
- £96
- Comparison
- +27% vs UK Average
- Total Capacity
- 20,207 places
Nurseries near you in Cambridgeshire
Frequently Asked Questions
In Cambridgeshire, private nurseries typically accept children from around 3 months old, depending on staffing and places available. School-based or council-run nurseries usually offer spaces from age 2 or 3. Funded early education begins the term after your child turns 3, with some 2 year olds eligible earlier based on circumstances or working-parent criteria.
Across England all 3 and 4 year olds receive 15 funded hours per week with many working families eligible for up to 30 hours. Some 2 year olds also qualify based on household circumstances, and eligible working parents of children from 9 months old may access funded childcare. Tax Free Childcare provides a 20 percent government top up to help with nursery costs.
Nursery fees in Cambridgeshire generally range from £65–£150 per day, with higher rates in Cambridge city, surrounding science parks and commuter towns such as Ely and St Neots.
All nurseries in Cambridgeshire are regulated by Ofsted, with early years funding overseen by Cambridgeshire County Council.
Ask about outdoor play access, staff retention, how funded hours are delivered, meal or consumable charges, availability of forest school activities and whether the nursery offers flexible booking patterns to suit commuting families.
Applying for funding
Cambridgeshire is covered by Cambridgeshire County Council, the local authority for this area. Visit their website to apply for early years funding.
Apply for funding on the Cambridgeshire County Council website
