Nurseries

Types of nurseries

Community nurseries

Community nurseries, which are run on a 'not-for-profit' basis, are managed by a committee of parents and local people. They offer full and part-time care for children aged two to five years of age, although some may be registered to take children aged under two years.

Children's centres

Children's centres are part of a programme to provide integrated education, health and family services for children aged under five years and their families. The centres are all about putting the services that you need in one place and making access to those services as easy as possible. Children's centre services concentrate on giving children under five years old the best start in life. This includes a place to play, learn and be cared for. All centres offer support for parents.

Early years centres

Early years centres are managed by Southwark children's services and offer full and part-time care for children from birth to five years.

Private and Independent nurseries

Private and independent nurseries are run on a commercial basis, and provide a range of full and part-time care for pre-school children, generally from birth to five years.

Workplace nurseries

These are privately run nurseries, which provide full or part-time care for the children of college students and/or staff of the respective organisations. Each nursery has its own admission criteria, (in some cases this may restrict places to certain categories of students/employees).

Nursery schools and classes

These are classes for children over the age of three years during school hours and term time only. Often part-time, they're usually attached to schools. Ofsted school inspectors will regularly inspect these.

Page last updated: 30 August 2024