Nurseries in Edinburgh
Edinburgh is Scotland’s historic capital and a highly family-friendly area, combining vibrant urban life with access to green space and good transport links. Postcodes in the city such as EH1-EH17 and EH28-30 cover a broad range of neighbourhoods from central to suburban. With a strong local economy and many professionals working and raising families here, demand for high-quality early years provision is significant. The city is well served by rail, tram, bus and road networks, offering easy commutes across the region. As an example of accessibility: parents can reach nurseries in EH14 (Murrayfield) or EH15 (Portobello) quickly from the centre. The mixture of city living and quieter residential zones means nurseries located in the EH2/EH3 central districts as well as in the outer EH16/EH17 suburbs have differing but complementary appeal to families seeking childcare. The broad postcode coverage means you can reference EH1, EH16 and EH30 as representative of central, south-east and west-end family zones.
Parents in Edinburgh typically pay £81 per day for childcare, which is slightly 7% higher than the UK average.
- Average Daily Cost
- £81
- Comparison
- +7% vs UK Average
- Total Capacity
- 10,509 places
Nurseries near you in Edinburgh
nuuri registered
55 places
Ages 3 months to 5 years
4 / 6 inspection score
12 June 2018
nuuri registered
143 places
Ages 1 months to 5 years
4 / 6 inspection score
17 May 2024
nuuri registered
126 places
Ages 3 months to 5 years
4 / 6 inspection score
1 February 2019
nuuri registered
56 places
Ages 32 months to 5 years
4.75 / 6 inspection score
20 September 2022
nuuri registered
59 places
Ages 3 months to 5 years
4.5 / 6 inspection score
16 July 2019
nuuri registered
71 places
Ages 3 months to 5 years
4 / 6 inspection score
17 April 2024
nuuri registered
34 places
Ages 2 years to 5 years
5 / 6 inspection score
27 June 2023
nuuri registered
97 places
Ages 1 months to 5 years
4.25 / 6 inspection score
24 August 2023
nuuri registered
32 places
Ages 1 months to 5 years
4.75 / 6 inspection score
27 March 2025
nuuri registered
56 places
Ages 3 months to 5 years
4.25 / 6 inspection score
29 May 2025
nuuri registered
12 places
Ages 4 months to 5 years
4.25 / 6 inspection score
8 January 2025
nuuri registered
120 places
Ages 9 months to 5 years
4.25 / 6 inspection score
28 August 2019
nuuri registered
105 places
Ages 3 months to 5 years
4 / 6 inspection score
1 December 2022
Frequently Asked Questions
In Edinburgh, children may start nursery visits or enrolment from the age of 3 months for private day nurseries; full funded hours for early years and childcare in Scotland begins **the term after a child’s 3rd birthday**. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Under the full national offer in Scotland, children aged 3 and 4 (and eligible 2-year-olds) can receive up to 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare per year. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
While the funded hours reduce cost burden, families still pay for childcare under the age of 3 years, additional hours, wrap-around or premium nursery services. In Edinburgh many private nurseries charge a day rate of between £70 - £95, and high living costs mean fees can be significant. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
The regulator for early learning and childcare in Scotland is Care Inspectorate, and locally services are overseen by City of Edinburgh Council. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
When selecting a nursery, ask about staff-child ratios, qualification levels, the daily schedule, how they manage transitions (e.g., for 2-year-olds moving to 3-year-old rooms), how the funded hours are integrated, what extra charges there are, any salary sacrifice schemes the nursery is signed up to, and how they communicate with parents.
Applying for funding
Edinburgh is covered by City of Edinburgh Council, the local authority for this area. Visit their website to apply for early years funding.
Apply for funding on the City of Edinburgh Council website
