Early years statistics 2026
Short answer: England had 59,700 Ofsted-registered childcare providers on 31 March 2026, including 27,900 nurseries and other group settings and 24,700 childminders, offering 1.31 million places. In January 2026, 501,700 children under 3 were registered for the working parent funded hours, about 80% of those eligible.
Compiled 4 November 2026 from the latest official releases. Each figure links to its source. We’ll update this page when new figures are published.
Providers and places
| Figure | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 59,700 | childcare providers registered with Ofsted on 31 March 2026, down 720 (1%) in a year | Ofsted, March 2026 |
| 27,900 | nurseries, pre-schools and other childcare on non-domestic premises, up 410 in a year | Ofsted, March 2026 |
| 24,700 | registered childminders, down 630 (2%) in a year. Childminders are most of the overall fall | Ofsted, March 2026 |
| 1.31 million | childcare places on the Early Years Register, up 26,500 (2%), of which 1.16 million are in nurseries and other group settings | Ofsted, March 2026 |
| 149,000 | places offered by childminders | Ofsted, March 2026 |
| 1,850 | registration visits by Ofsted between September 2025 and March 2026, 58% of them for childminders | Ofsted, March 2026 |
Ofsted inspections under report cards
| Figure | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1,720 | full Early Years Register inspections under the new report cards between 10 November 2025 and 31 March 2026 | Ofsted, March 2026 |
| 89% to 94% | of inspections graded ‘expected standard’ or better, depending on the evaluation area. Leadership and governance was lowest at 89% | Ofsted, March 2026 |
| Under 1% | of inspections gave any ‘exceptional’ grade | Ofsted, March 2026 |
| 27% | of full inspections graded all six areas ‘expected standard’, the most common result | Ofsted, March 2026 |
| 98% | of inspected providers met the safeguarding standards | Ofsted, March 2026 |
Funded hours
| Figure | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 501,700 | children aged 9 months to 2 years registered for the working parent entitlement in January 2026, about 80% of those eligible | DfE, January 2026 |
| 46% | of eligible babies aged 9 to 11 months were registered, against 92% of eligible 2-year-olds | DfE, January 2026 |
| 13.5 million | funded hours a week registered for under-3s of working parents, almost double 2025 (6.8 million) | DfE, January 2026 |
| 1.13 million | 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the universal 15 hours (90.2%), the lowest number in the series | DfE, January 2026 |
| 388,700 | 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the working parent 30 hours, 91% of those eligible | DfE, January 2026 |
| 85,600 | 2-year-olds registered for early learning for 2-year-olds (the disadvantaged entitlement), 72% of those eligible | DfE, January 2026 |
| 55,300 | providers delivering funded hours, including 19,200 childminders (up 3.4%) | DfE, January 2026 |
Staff
| Figure | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 286,700 | staff delivering funded hours in private, voluntary and independent settings, up 5.2% and the fifth rise in a row | DfE, January 2026 |
| 164,900 | of them hold a full and relevant level 3 qualification | DfE, January 2026 |
| 33.6% | of providers employ at least one graduate (47% of private and voluntary nurseries, 17% of childminders) | DfE, January 2026 |
What childcare costs parents
| Figure | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| £148.82 | a week, the average for 50 hours of nursery for a child under 2 in England with 30 funded hours, down 39% on 2025 | Coram, Childcare Survey 2026 |
| £188.75 | a week for 25 hours of nursery for a child under 2 when parents aren’t eligible for funded hours | Coram, Childcare Survey 2026 |
| £238.01 | a week for the same 25 hours in Inner London, the most expensive region | Coram, Childcare Survey 2026 |
| £8.00 | an hour, the median fee private nurseries charge parents for under-2s (childminders £6.00) | DfE provider survey, 2025 |
How parents choose
| Figure | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 67% | of parents of 0 to 4-year-olds chose their provider for convenience, and 58% for its reputation | DfE parent survey, 2025 |
| 86% | of children getting funded hours attend their parents’ first-choice provider | DfE parent survey, 2025 |
| 44% | of parents heard about local childcare by word of mouth in the past year, 24% through social media | DfE parent survey, 2024 |
Nursery websites
| Figure | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 41% | of 530 London nursery websites showed no prices we could find | Welcome Page study, November 2026 |
| 69% | didn’t link to their report on Ofsted’s website, and 26% still used the old ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’ wording | Welcome Page study, November 2026 |
| 11 | of the 530 had everything we checked for | Welcome Page study, November 2026 |
What the numbers mean for settings
- More places, fewer childminders. Places grew 2% while providers fell 1%, because nurseries are growing and childminders are leaving. See how to become a childminder and how to open a nursery.
- Babies are the growth market. Funded hours for under-3s almost doubled in a year, and take-up is lowest for the youngest: 46% of eligible 9 to 11-month-olds against 92% of 2-year-olds. See early years funding 2026 to 2027.
- Most settings meet the expected standard. Under report cards, 89% to 94% of inspections were graded expected standard or better in each area. See Ofsted grades explained.
- Reputation and convenience win families. Parents choose on convenience and reputation, and hear about settings by word of mouth. See how parents choose a nursery.
Questions
How many nurseries are there in England?
On 31 March 2026 Ofsted had 27,900 providers of childcare on non-domestic premises registered, which covers nurseries, pre-schools, holiday clubs and other group settings. Nursery classes in schools are counted separately by DfE.
How many childminders are there in England?
24,700 on 31 March 2026, down 630 (2%) from a year earlier, according to Ofsted. The number has been falling for years, though more slowly than before.
How many children get funded childcare?
In January 2026, 501,700 children aged 9 months to 2 years were registered for the working parent entitlement, 1.13 million 3 and 4-year-olds for the universal 15 hours, 388,700 3 and 4-year-olds for the working parent 30 hours, and 85,600 2-year-olds for early learning for 2-year-olds (DfE).
How many childcare places are there in England?
1.31 million places on the Early Years Register on 31 March 2026, up 2% in a year. 1.16 million of them are in nurseries and other group settings, and 149,000 with childminders (Ofsted).
Can I use these statistics?
Yes. Please cite the original source linked next to each figure. For our own website study, link to our study page.
Sources
- Childcare providers and inspections as at 31 March 2026, Ofsted, published 9 July 2026
- Funded early education and childcare, January 2026, DfE, published 2 July 2026
- Childcare and early years survey of parents 2025, DfE, published 9 July 2026, and the 2024 survey
- Childcare Survey 2026, Coram Family and Childcare, March 2026
- Providers’ finances: 2025 Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers, DfE, May 2026
- London nursery website study 2026, Welcome Page, November 2026
More guides: all our guides for nurseries, childminders and schools.
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