Outstanding
155 placesMK41 7QZ01234 362946
East of England
Childcare in Bedford
202 registered providers with 4,157 places, up 17.3% since December 2021.
39day nurseries
95childminders
27after-school clubs
94newly registered since 2021
50.0%rated Good or better
112closed since 2021
Childminders are disappearing here. Numbers are down 20.8% since December 2021, against a national fall of about 24%.
Towns
Where to look
Pick the place you actually live.
Highest rated
Settings across the council
The sixty largest and best-rated. Childminders are not named, because Ofsted withholds them.
Outstanding
108 placesMK40 3QJ01234 342818
Outstanding
100 placesMK40 2NY01234 327776
Outstanding
95 placesMK42 9AU01234 272262
Outstanding
85 placesMK44 1BE07961 291 058
Outstanding
67 placesMK44 2JX01234 378880
Outstanding
36 placesMK43 9NN07407438829
Report card Apr 2026
112 placesMK42 9XE01234 330220
Good
100 placesMK41 7NU01234 216768
Report card Apr 2026
82 placesMK40 4GP01234 860500
Good
76 placesMK40 3LH01234 360500
Good
75 placesMK41 7PN01234 353566
Good
75 placesMK40 2DN01234930282
Good
74 placesMK43 8RH01234 843132
Good
70 placesMK42 8BQ01234 855 492
Good
70 placesMK41 8QA01234 267832
Good
66 placesMK43 8JP07729 583 331
Report card Nov 2025
62 placesMK44 1LQ01234 608899
Good
60 placesMK43 9SP01234420222
Good
59 placesMK41 6BP01234 341 142
Good
56 placesMK41 7UY01234 342613
Good
55 placesMK43 8JT01234825152
Good
52 placesMK40 2BB01234 354960
Report card Apr 2026
51 placesMK40 2DA01234 216147
Good
51 placesMK41 9JA01234 352202
Good
48 placesMK41 0JY07340956133
Good
44 placesMK40 4LE01234 261703
Good
40 placesMK45 3BX01234 742546
Good
40 placesMK42 8LS01234 852140
Good
40 placesMK41 8EP01234 327247
Good
34 placesMK41 6EJ01234 330957
Good
32 placesMK41 7QF01234273773
Good
32 placesMK42 7NR01234 841234
Good
32 placesMK43 9HB01234 767158
Good
32 placesMK44 3PU07972 148 085
Good
32 placesMK40 3SY07964296257
Good
30 placesMK42 9XP01234343080
Good
30 placesMK42 7AL01234 300532
Good
30 placesMK43 9JB01234 767785
Good
25 placesMK42 6BH01234 819854
Good
24 placesMK43 8DB01234888970
Good
24 placesMK43 7DB01234 414706
Good
23 placesMK40 4PQ01234343431
Good
22 placesMK44 2HH01234 376100
Good
20 placesMK42 7PS07827 297342
Not yet inspected
220 placesMK42 0BX01480 467 567
Not yet inspected
126 placesMK40 2TU07395087250
Not yet inspected
125 placesMK40 2BU0123420261864
Not yet inspected
104 placesMK41 7NT0330 111 7077
Not yet inspected
90 placesMK43 8NR07543307636
Not yet inspected
82 placesMK44 1BE07961291058
Not yet inspected
60 placesMK41 9DQ07543307636
Not yet inspected
60 placesMK42 8SJ01234 327955
Not yet inspected
57 placesMK40 4BD07508208593
Not yet inspected
53 placesMK45 3AG01234930505
Not yet inspected
52 placesMK40 4AZ01234262743
Not yet inspected
42 placesMK43 8LD07752395157
Not yet inspected
41 placesMK40 3EU07394871794
Not yet inspected
40 placesMK40 3EP07508208593
Report card Apr 2026
40 placesMK43 7RQ01234826452
No longer open
Settings that have closed
Worked out by comparing consecutive Ofsted releases; the closure falls in the six months before the date shown.
| Setting | Town | Places it had | Last rating | Gone by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keep Guard Day Nursery | Kempston | 60 | Good | Jun 2026 |
| SS Ltd @ GGA | Bedford | 53 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2026 |
| Polam School | Bedford | 32 | Outstanding | Jun 2026 |
| Dawn Until Dusk Ltd @ Wixams Tree Primary | Bedfordshire | 36 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2025 |
| Stepping Stones Pre-School | Bedford | 24 | Good | Dec 2025 |
| Kip McGrath Education Bedford North | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2025 |
| Football Fun Camp | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2025 |
| Football Fun Camp | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2025 |
| Footsteps Nursery School | Bedford | 40 | Good | Jun 2025 |
| Jordan's Close Scout Activity Centre | Great Barford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2025 |
| Bedford Mencap | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2025 |
| SSG Bedford ASC | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2025 |
| Munchkin Sports Bedford School Holiday Camp | Bedford | 180 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2024 |
| Dawn until Dusk Ltd at Shortstown Primary | Shortstown, Bedford | 40 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2024 |
| Dawn until Dusk Kings Oak | Bedford | 40 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2024 |
| SS Ltd @ King's Oak Primary School | Bedford | 30 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2024 |
| Dawn until Dusk Ltd at Cauldwell | Bedford | 24 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2024 |
| Carlton Pre-School | Bedford | 20 | Good | Dec 2024 |
| Autism Bedfordshire Summer Scheme | Bedford | 16 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2024 |
| Brightstars Day Care | Bedford | 13 | Inadequate | Dec 2024 |
| Activate Camps@Bedford School | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2024 |
| Oakley Kindergarten | Bedford | 40 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2024 |
| Autism Bedfordshire Summer Scheme | Bedford | 25 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2024 |
| Junior Adventures Group @ Christopher Reeves NN29 | Wellingborough | 20 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2024 |
| Family Groups Bedford | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2024 |
| Premier Holiday Club | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2024 |
| Premier - Castle Newnham | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2024 |
| Stagecoach Bedford | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2023 |
| Queens Park Community Nursery | Bedford | 73 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2023 |
| Wootton Community Nursery | Bedford | 60 | Good | Jun 2023 |
| Sporty Scholars Ltd @ Bedford | Bedford | 50 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2023 |
| Goldington Community Nursery | Bedford | 42 | Good | Jun 2023 |
| Premier Holiday Club - Cotton End | Cotton End | 0 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2023 |
| Multi-Active Bedford | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2023 |
| Explore Learning Bedford | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2023 |
| Oakley Pre-School | Oakley | 24 | Outstanding | Dec 2022 |
| Multi-Active Wootton | Wootton | 0 | Not yet inspected | Dec 2022 |
| Little Fishes Day Nursery | Bedford | 53 | Good | Jun 2022 |
| Rainbow Pre School Playgroup | Bedford | 30 | Good | Jun 2022 |
| Energy Kidz Out Of School Club - Elstow Mk42 | Bedford | 24 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2022 |
| Putnoe Primary School Nursery | Bedford | 9 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2022 |
| Premier Holiday Club - Wixams Tree | Bedford | 0 | Not yet inspected | Jun 2022 |