Puddleduck Nursery School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Clapham for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 May 2024. Open since 2007, with 34 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 Bedford
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Bedford 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
MK41 6EJWhat 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.
- 22 February 2023 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 8 May 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The manager and staff provide meaningful learning experiences across the nursery.
They warmly welcome children on their arrival. Children confidently say goodbye to their parents and quickly settle into their day. They demonstrate that they feel safe and happy in the care of the familiar adults, which supports their emotional wellbeing effectively. Staff proactively support children's independence and help them to manage their behaviours. This is reflected in the children's positive behaviour and conduct.
Staff provide a learning environment that captivates children's interest. For example, children eagerly explore the sand and learn to identify the differences between wet and dry sand. Younger children develop their hand-to-eye coordination as they use spades to carefully scoop sand into their buckets. Staff show children how to build sandcastles and praise them for their achievements when they have a go themselves. They encourage children to use large brushes to make marks on the paving slabs in the garden. Children are shown how to make large and small circle shapes and are introduced to words and concepts such as
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to use every opportunity to extend children's learning during spontaneous activities n enhance the range of resources used by the younger children in the outdoor area to further support their motivation to explore and develop their play and ideas.
- 8 May 2024Good
- 12 June 2018Good
- 1 December 2017Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Puddleduck Nursery School
- 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.