Puddleducks Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Brackley 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 July 2024. Open since 2002, 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 West Northamptonshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in West Northamptonshire 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
NN13 5LTWhat 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.
Ofsted inspector, 24 July 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children enjoy their time at this welcoming and homely nursery. Staff know the children well and develop close bonds, helping children feel safe and secure.
Children leave their parents with ease and settle quickly into their day. Staff create a calm environment. They use daily routines, to help children to understand what is coming next. For example, in the morning children know they have a welcome song and before lunch they join in with yoga or dance. Children show high levels of confidence in their interactions with adults and have a positive attitude to learning.
Children thrive in the exciting outdoor learning environment that inspires their curiosity. Staff show toddlers how to squeeze and roll dough to strengthen their hand muscles. They promote children's sensory exploration, encouraging them to smell the lemon scent and pick flowers to add to their dough. Staff encourage babies to become inquisitive and confident learners and promote their physical development. For example, babies use their whole bodies and various tools to create marks with paint.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to focus more precisely on the intent for children's learning during adult-led activities.
- 24 July 2024Good
- 13 August 2018Good
- 4 September 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Puddleducks Day 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.