Puddleduck Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Wallingford for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2024. Open since 2005, with 57 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Oxfordshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Oxfordshire 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
OX10 8BAWhat 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.
- 17 April 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
- 10 February 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
- 16 November 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 14 November 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
As children arrive, they are welcomed by happy, friendly staff, who build good relationships with them. This helps children feel safe and secure. Staff gather information about children when they first start and use regular observations to plan around children's likes and interests. As a result, children engage at activities for extended periods of time and make good progress from their starting points.
Staff have high expectations for children. They implement routines that children understand and follow well. Staff are good role models and children behave well. If they display challenging behaviour, strategies are used to help children regulate their emotions. For example, staff have created a quiet area for children where they can use sensory equipment to support their self-regulation.
Staff recognise the need for children to be active outdoors and plan activities in the garden to support children's learning. They have created a free flow environment so children can make choices for themselves. Children enjoy a variety of activities to enhance their developing physical skills. Younger children smile as they take part in action songs and laugh with each other as they move in different ways. Older children are proud to show how they use their balancing skills to complete an obstacle course.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- create more opportunities to challenge children's thinking and encourage them to solve problems n further improve information provided to parents to ensure they are aware of their child's next steps and how they can support learning at home.
- 14 November 2024Good
- 31 July 2019Good
- 2 October 2018Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Puddleduck Nursery
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- 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
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.