Registered childcare

Types of childcare

Childminders

Childminders care for children in the childminder's home, providing learning and play opportunities through a wide range of planned and free activities. Some childminders will take children to and from school. Childminders are registered with Ofsted to mind children aged from 6 weeks upto 8 years. They can also take older children.

Day Nurseries

Nurseries provide care and education for children from as young as 6 weeks up to aged 5 years, with some providing out of school care for school aged children upto aged 8 years.

View all day nurseries in Birmingham

Nursery schools and classes

Nursery schools and classes provide entitlement to Early Learning during term time only, for children aged 2, 3 and 4 years.

Pre-school play groups

Pre-School Play Groups provide part-time care and education for children aged from 2 to 5 years. Some will accept chidren aged 2 years. Sessions vary from 2½ to 6 hours and are held mostly during term time only.

View list of pre-school play groups

Out of school clubs

Out of school clubs offer supervised play and care for school children outside of normal school hours. They can either be after school only, before school only or before and after school. Clubs that are managed by the school are automatically registered under the school's registration. Other clubs must register with Ofsted to take children aged from 4 to 8 years and generally take children aged upto 12 years.

View list of out of school clubs

Holiday Playschemes

Holiday Playschemes offer supervised play and care for school-aged children during the school holidays. These can be part time or full time and can run for a few days or for a few weeks during the summer holidays. Playschemes that run for more than 14 days a year and offer places to children aged under 8 years must be registered with Ofsted.

Page last updated: 16 January 2026