Puddleducks Nursery
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in Bedford for children from birth to 5, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 November 2021. Open since 2017, with 42 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 Central Bedfordshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Central Bedfordshire 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
MK45 4HSWhat 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 August 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 29 November 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children demonstrate good levels of confidence at this nursery. Babies settle with familiar staff, snuggling with them for comfort and reassurance. This emotional security allows them to build their self-assurance. By the end of the morning, they are babbling and smiling at visitors and crawling to toys of their choice. Older children speak clearly, gaining the attention of staff when they need to. Staff respond with genuine care and interest in what children are saying. This helps children gain a sense of belonging at their nursery.
Children have a range of opportunities to build up strength in their small finger and hand muscles; vital for later writing skills. Babies handle their spoons with control and squeeze soft and squidgy materials. Older children paint with brushes and carefully place small googly eyes on their craftwork. They explore the range of resources by themselves as they shake shakers and feel paint.
Outside, children marvel at the ice that has formed overnight. They spend time independently investigating how to break the ice to get to the toys that are stuck.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- refine further the focus for professional development so that all staff develop their teaching skills to the highest levels n help staff extend children's learning when there are spontaneous opportunities, to help children think of their own ideas without giving them the answer first.
- 29 November 2021Good
- 5 May 2021Inadequate
Rated Good or Outstanding at 1 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Puddleducks 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.