Ducklings Limited
GoodTakes funded hours★ 4.9 on GoogleBirth to 8+Long established
A pre-school in Milton Keynes for from 1 year 6 months up to school age, open 08:45 to 14:45, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2024. Open since 2015, with 40 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
15 and 30 hours funding.
Worth knowing. Consumables fee is £2 per week (£76 a year)* *The annual consumables fee of £76 (voluntary for children who already receive funded hours).
What childcare usually costs in Milton Keynes
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Milton Keynes from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
MK6 2QAWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
- 14 September 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 14 February 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children come in confidently to this welcoming setting. They are greeted by the friendly staff who meet them with smiles. Staff build strong bonds with the children and their families. Children settle quickly and staff meet their needs well. Staff have high expectations for children's learning and development. They are good role models and children behave well. If conflicts arise, staff support children to resolve these successfully.
Staff gather information about children when they first start, and along with regular assessment, use this to support their individual needs. Children show that they feel safe and secure by confidently exploring the resources and equipment available to them. They approach staff if they need comfort or support. Staff consistently encourage the use of good manners.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to strengthen activity planning, to further encourage all children's involvement in activities.
- 14 February 2024Good
- 28 February 2023Needs improvement
- 17 July 2017Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Ducklings Limited
- What it costs
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.