Nursery schools
There are 3 types of nurseries:
- Schools and classes
- Units of independent schools
- Private day nurseries
Schools and classes
Nursery schools and classes provide early education for children aged 3 and 4.
- Children can start in the September following their 3rd birthday - although some accept children throughout the year depending on numbers.
- Local authority nursery schools take pre-school children only.
- Nursery classes are usually attached to a primary school but a place in the nursery class doesn't automatically guarantee a place at that school.
- Children attend 5 morning or afternoon sessions a week during term time. Each session is for 3 hours, although some nursery classes can offer flexible hours spread across a school day.
- Once you've searched for a list of nursery schools and classes you'll be able to use the search bar to search by postcode or the filters to refine your search.
Search for local nursery schools and classes - use the search bar to search by postcode
Units of independent schools
Nursery units of independent schools are run by the private sector, looking after children from the ages of 2 to 4, and they feed into the school's reception class.
A nursery unit of an independent school might be for you if
- You want your child to mix with similar aged children.
- You’re close to an independent school.
- You want your child to have access to different toys, equipment and stimulation.
- Your child is ready for new experiences.
Beech House is currently the only independent school in the Rochdale borough with nursery provision.
Private day nurseries
Private day nurseries are mostly run as a private business looking after children between the ages of around 6 weeks to 5 years old. Opening hours can vary but are typically Monday-Friday from 7am-7pm.
A private day nursery might be for you if
- You need childcare virtually all year round.
- Your hours fit with their opening times.
- You want your child to have access to different toys, equipment and stimulation.
- Your child is ready for new experiences.
Search for a local private day nursery - use the search bar to search by postcode
Ofsted inspections of nurseries
Ofsted regularly inspects all nurseries to assess their strengths and highlight areas for improvement.
Links to Ofsted inspection reports are listed with each childcare provider listing, where available. Alternatively, you can access the report on the Ofsted site.
- Search for local nursery schools and classes- you can also view the Ofsted report with each childcare provider listing, where available.
- Search for a local private day nursery - find the link to the Ofsted report with each provider, where available.
- Go to the Ofsted site to find an Ofsted report - search by name, address or Unique Reference Number (URN). Your chosen childcare provider should be able to provide you with the URN.