Nurseries in New Town
New Town is one of Edinburgh’s most iconic and desirable neighbourhoods, known for its grand Georgian architecture, elegant streets, cultural landmarks and strong family appeal. Postcodes such as EH2, EH3 and parts of EH1 cover the area, stretching from Princes Street and George Street towards Queen Street Gardens, Canonmills and the northern crescents. With many families, professionals and city-centre commuters living locally, demand for early years childcare is consistently high. New Town benefits from excellent transport links, including multiple Lothian Buses routes, tram stops, walkable city-centre access and quick road connections to Ferry Road, London Road and the wider network. Families enjoy green spaces such as Queen Street Gardens (residents’ access), Inverleith Park and the Water of Leith walkway. Its mix of period townhouses, spacious flats and high-quality amenities makes New Town an attractive choice for parents seeking reliable nursery provision in a central, walkable and well-connected community. EH2, EH3 and EH1 help define the core commercial, residential and cultural zones, supporting easy access to nurseries, schools and everyday facilities.
Parents in New Town 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
- 6,444 places
Nurseries near you in New Town
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
Frequently Asked Questions
In New Town, children may start private nursery care from around 3 months old depending on the setting; funded early learning and childcare begins **the term after a child’s 3rd birthday** under Scotland’s national entitlement.
Children aged 3 and 4 (and eligible 2-year-olds) receive up to 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare each year, delivered across partner nurseries and council settings.
For children under 3, families pay privately for childcare. In New Town, private day nurseries typically charge between **£75–£100 per day**, reflecting the central location and premium facilities.
All nurseries in New Town are regulated by the **Care Inspectorate**, with additional oversight from the **City of Edinburgh Council** for funded placements.
Ask about staff-child ratios, qualifications, daily routines, how transitions are managed, how funded hours are applied, additional fees, communication methods, and whether the nursery accepts salary sacrifice childcare fee schemes.
Applying for funding
New Town 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
