The Top 5 Options for the Best Preschools in Edinburgh You Can Trust With Your Kids
Finding the best preschool in Edinburgh can feel like a daunting task for any parent, much like picking a music school in Glasgow, especially with so many varying options catering to different educational philosophies and schedules.
Whether you’re a busy commuting professional searching for convenient full-day care or an expat family seeking a welcoming environment with a structured transition to primary education, Edinburgh offers incredible choices.
From outdoor-focused nature programs to heavily structured Montessori environments, every facility brings something unique to the table.
We’ve explored the city to identify the most highly regarded early learning centres that provide an engaging and nurturing start for your little ones.
How much does preschool cost in Edinburgh?
The average out-of-pocket cost for a full-time preschool in Edinburgh ranges significantly depending on the child’s age, typically falling between £1,400 and £1,800 per month before government funding is applied.
| Age Group | Full-Time Monthly Cost (5 Days/Week) |
| Under 3 Years Old | £1,600 – £1,800 |
| 3 to 5 Years Old | £1,400 – £1,600 |
1. The Montessori Nursery & School
Website: https://www.themontessorinurseryschool.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montessori.edinburgh/
Address: 13a Murrayfield Avenue
Contact: 0131 346 8921 | [email protected]
Hours: Mon to Thu 8:15 am – 3:15 pm, Fri 8:15 am – 12:45 pm
When exploring options for early education, it’s hard not to be entirely captivated by the incredibly thoughtful approach at The Montessori Nursery & School.
We were immediately struck by their multi-age mini-society, where younger children naturally learn from older peers while the older ones build self-esteem by acting as role models.
It feels like an incredibly polished and harmonious environment that naturally fosters independence and confidence without ever feeling forced.
The child-led learning pace, free-flow outdoor classrooms, and daily nature walks to the nearby woodland truly set a remarkable standard for early development.
Having spoken directly to parents whose children attend, they often describe the environment as transformative for their child’s social skills.
However, the schedule here revolves strictly around term-time only, meaning working families will need to arrange alternative care during school holidays.
2. St Margarets Nursery & Pre-school
Website: https://stmnursery.com/
Address: 10 Craigmillar Park
Contact: 0131 667 0778 | [email protected] | [email protected]
Hours: Mon to Fri 8 am – 6 pm
Managing morning drop-offs is stressful enough without having to pack a mountain of supplies for the day. St Margaret’s alleviates a massive burden for busy parents by offering an all-inclusive care model that provides meals, nappies, wipes, and formula.
Their seasonal menu was even developed alongside a National Health Service (NHS) nutritionist, ensuring children receive healthy, balanced meals including vegetarian options.
Beyond the exceptional daily care, children are exposed to incredibly enriching extracurricular activities like language lessons and sports classes.
While the convenience of having everything provided is brilliant, the session options are quite rigid for those needing varying schedules.
The Craigmillar Park location specifically mandates full-day sessions, which creates a significant hurdle for parents seeking part-time or ad hoc care.
Customer Reviews
Bright, Welcoming Facilities with a Reassuring Team
My husband and I were very impressed with the team and nursery facilities. Bright and airy rooms for children, lovely soft play areas and garden, high quality of equipment. Atmosphere during our show around was amazing and Hayleigh put all of our worries at ease. Our son loved playing with his new friends and we highly recommend St Margaret’s Nursery.
- Dominika Dubiel | Google Review
Beautiful Spaces, Healthy Meals, and Thoughtful Staff
Our son has been going to St Margarets for over 2 years now and he absolutely loves it. The rooms are beautiful and they have lots of space to play outside. The many is varied and if my son does not like the food that day, they always provide lots of healthy alternatives. The staff has always been thoughtful and helpful.
- Rist vdw | Google Review
3. Corner House Nursery The Grange
Website: https://www.thrivechildcare.com/nurseries/nursery-in-the-grange/
Address: 13 Minto Street
Contact: 0131 668 3300
Hours: Mon to Fri 8:00 – 18:00
Immersing children in nature and teaching them where their food comes from is a core philosophy at Corner House Nursery The Grange.
The facility functions as a registered Environmental Conservation Organisation (ECO) nursery, meaning early learners actively help grow fruits and vegetables in the on-site greenhouse and vegetable patch.
Those homegrown ingredients are then handed over to the nursery chef, allowing the children to enjoy meals they physically helped cultivate.
The expansive outdoor spaces and cosy Victorian house setting create a wonderfully welcoming atmosphere. During our tour of the grounds, we were genuinely impressed by how engaged the toddlers were while working in the dirt and sand play areas.
The main drawback to their programming is the administrative inflexibility when life circumstances inevitably shift.
Parents have to provide a full month of written notice just to reduce their child’s sessions, making sudden schedule changes quite difficult to manage.
Customer Reviews
A Welcoming Preschool with Strong Family Connections
Its a lovely nursery with a fantastic atmosphere. The staff are brilliant and really get to know the families as well as the children in their care. Our daughter loved it and our second child is thoroughly enjoying his time in Pre School.
- Emma Hibbert | Google Review
Nurturing Environment Where Children Thrive
The Grange Corner House Nursery has been fantastic for our child. The staff are dedicated, warm, and professional, creating a nurturing and stimulating environment. Our child has thrived in confidence, social skills, and academic readiness. Communication with parents is excellent, always keeping us informed. Highly recommend this nursery to any parent. Thank you, Grange Corner House team!
- AnMari Mac | Google Review
4. Edzell Nursery Ltd
Website: https://www.edzellnursery.co.uk/
Address: St James Church 57b Inverleith Row
Contact: 07909 672 377 | WhatsApp | [email protected]
Hours: Mon to Thu 8:30 am–3 pm, Fri 8:30 am–12:30 pm
Finding a smaller, more intimate setting is often a priority for parents who want highly personalised attention for their kids.
Edzell operates with a small capacity of just 30 children, allowing their Montessori-trained educators to meticulously observe and tailor activities to each individual child.
Here, children guide their own work cycle, whether they want to collaborate with friends or focus independently on multi-sensory materials. Much like a focused art school, this setup encourages deep, uninterrupted engagement with their chosen tasks.
There’s also a large outdoor garden that provides ample room for imaginative play.
Getting your child into this lovely environment, however, requires careful long-term planning and patience. They only admit new children in August, January, and April, meaning families needing an immediate start will likely be placed on a waiting list.
Customer Reviews
A Safe and Stimulating Montessori
We love Edzell. We have trusted them with both our children’s early years development. This is a really safe, nurturing and such a stimulating environment. So much for the children to engage with in the Montessori based learning environment. We received excellent and informative feedback on their activities, so we could track their progress. Highly recommend!
- Oliver Mezger | Google Review
Individual Care in a Nurturing Environment
Edzell Nursery is exceptional. The level of individual care and attention each child receives is outstanding — every child is seen, heard, and supported in a way that’s both nurturing and inspiring. Unlike many other nurseries, Edzell combines a warm, welcoming atmosphere with a high standard of early years education. It’s a place where children thrive, and parents feel genuinely reassured. A real gem!
- Diego Zanelli | Google Review
5. Summerside Kindergarten & Pre School
Website: https://summersidekindergarten.org/
Address: 1 Summerside St
Contact: 01315546560 | [email protected]
Hours: Mon to Fri 9 am to 5 pm
Finding a place with long-term staff stability is rare in the childcare industry, but this location has managed to keep team members since 1992.
This incredible consistency provides a comforting and familiar face for your child every single day.
They balance play-based exploration with structured educational activities to build primary school readiness.
The nursery also fully embraces the eco-schools program by maintaining an allotment and even keeping a dedicated horticulturist on staff.
Their practitioners are fully qualified to provide additional support for different communication and physical needs.
The program does include practitioner-led assignments, so it might not align perfectly if you want a purely unstructured approach.
You should also reach out to them early to join the waiting list, as finding available space requires planning far in advance.
Customer Reviews
Positive Development from Infancy to School Age
Both my children started Summerside from the age of 9 months until school age and have loved it. It was amazing to watch the transformation from babies into intelligent young boys. Would highly recommend this nursery and all their staff!
- Willow Boutique | Google Review
A Cosy Environment with Kind Staff and Regular Outings
Our daughter loves Summerside. She has a lovely group of friends. The staff are all so nice and kind hearted towards the children. I like that the nursery is within a house, makes it more cosy. The garden is quite small but the children are constantly out of the nursery on walks… to a park, library, to see the ducks or to the nursery allotment.
- Anne C | Google Review