Puddleduck Day Nursery in Ascot, St Martins Church

Two playrooms, a garden within private grounds and a separate preschool destination give Puddleduck at St Martins Church a clear identity: this is the younger children's part of a nursery and preschool offer spread across two locations. Based in Chavey Down, Ascot, it has capacity for 24 children aged 9 to 30 months. The emphasis is on exploring, developing independence and building relationships before moving on to preschool.

At its July 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged achievement, behaviour and routines, welfare and wellbeing, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, and leadership and governance to meet the Expected standard. The practical strengths include daily garden access, Forest School sessions and communication through a nursery app. There is an important qualification: in July 2026, staff interactions and their handling of routines still needed greater consistency.

Full-day bookings operate alongside a minimum attendance requirement of two full days a week. That commitment matters when matching childcare to a working pattern.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes learning here through language, communication, movement, social development and emotional wellbeing. Children explore ideas and practise solving problems, with independence forming part of the day. The Reggio Emilia philosophy adds an approach organised around children's interests, giving their ideas a role in what they explore.

In July 2026, everyday objects supplied useful opportunities for learning: staff counted shoes arranged in a circle, while climbing equipment prompted language about position and movement. Dinosaurs and ice brought imaginative and sensory exploration together. Babies used simple words to describe the sensations, connecting an experience with language they could use.

Those examples show how much depends on adult conversation. In July 2026, the most effective exchanges developed vocabulary and encouraged children to think further, but that quality varied across the setting. Leaders needed to strengthen staff practice so children received consistently good interactions throughout their time at nursery.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest School sessions involve exploring nature and tackling problems through outdoor experiences. A practitioner leads the sessions, and the branch has purpose-built facilities for them. For parents, that gives outdoor learning a defined place within the curriculum alongside ordinary garden play.

Daily use of the generously sized garden provides space for movement and discovery, with outdoor equipment supporting physical play. Regular community outings extend exploration beyond the grounds; their value is the opportunity to encounter the surrounding area as part of nursery life. Sports activities add opportunities to practise motor skills, while yoga involves coordination, flexibility and mindfulness.

Inside, the two playrooms contain spaces for creative activity and role play, quieter reading areas, physical equipment and places to rest or sleep. Children are grouped according to both development and age, including babies and older toddlers. That organisation allows activities and care to respond to the stage a child has reached.

Relationships and Communication

The nursery works with families to help children settle. In July 2026, children had established relationships with their key person, and staff offered comfort when a child needed reassurance or hesitated over a new experience. For a parent considering a first nursery place, the useful detail is the attention given to a child's emotional response as well as their participation in play.

The nursery app shares photos, activities, developmental milestones and wellbeing updates, keeping parents connected to experiences they cannot see themselves. Stay and play mornings and drop-in sessions provide opportunities to take part, while parent talks cover topics including emotional development and potty training. Communication therefore has both an everyday route and opportunities for longer conversations.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the July 2026 inspection, Ofsted confirmed that safeguarding standards were met and found that staff recognised additional needs and sought external professional input when necessary, although support strategies were still being introduced and staff needed further training. The current offer includes a SENCo role to coordinate support for children with additional needs. Families whose child needs extra help will want to understand how that role connects with their child's daily care.

In July 2026, staff checked sleeping children regularly and maintained clean, safe sleeping spaces. They also sought children's agreement before personal care such as wiping a nose or applying sun cream. These are concrete examples of how rest and respectful care were handled at that time.

Moving on is part of the offer. When they are ready, around age three, children transition to Puddleduck Preschool on Priory Road, where familiar routines and relationships support continuity. This involves another location, so the next stage also changes the family's practical arrangements.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Church Hall, Church Road, Chavey Down, Ascot, SL5 8RR. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Full Day bookings cover ten hours, with a minimum of two full days each week; admissions give priority to full-time working families.

The nursery opens for 51 weeks of the year, closing for bank holidays and a week over Christmas. Christmas Eve has an earlier finish at 4pm. Enquiries and visit bookings go through the branch's contact form or Parent Engagement Team.

Funding and Paid Extras

Eligible working families can use the 30-hour funded entitlement from the term after their child reaches nine months, with a valid code required before term starts; it is stretched across 51 weeks to 22.34 hours a week. Eligible families receiving additional government support can access the 15-hour entitlement for children aged two to three, delivered across 51 weeks as 11.17 hours a week. Families accessing funding must return the Local Authority Parent/Carer Agreement Form by its deadlines, and funded hours are applied in continuous blocks.

The total childcare fee includes core care and the Everyday Essentials package. Meals and snacks, together with nappies, wipes, sun cream and hand sanitiser, form part of that package. Catering includes breakfast, cooked lunch and tea, with vegetarian and vegan choices.

During funded hours, catering, consumables and enrichment are charged separately from the funded care. Families unable or unwilling to pay for Everyday Essentials can discuss alternatives with the manager, and fully funded sessions can be taken without additional charges. That option matters when assessing the total cost of attendance.

A non-refundable administration charge applies when securing a place, except for families taking only funded hours: they pay a deposit instead, credited to their account and returned within a month of their child starting. For current prices, ask the nursery for a quotation.

• Consistency of adult support. In July 2026, interactions and staff knowledge of routines needed further development. On a visit, ask how training has changed everyday conversations and support during routines.
• A two-day commitment. The minimum booking is two full days weekly, with priority for full-time working families. This is a significant attendance commitment for parents seeking occasional care.
• The preschool move. Children move to Puddleduck Preschool on Priory Road when they are ready, around age three. Ask how children become familiar with the next setting and how the move is planned with parents.
• Funding and extras. Everyday Essentials are separate charges during funded hours, alongside an option for fully funded sessions without additional charges. Establish which arrangement forms part of your proposed booking.

Puddleduck suits families seeking full-day attendance for a baby or toddler, with garden play, nature exploration and communication through an app forming useful parts of the offer. The separate preschool destination also gives the next stage a clear place in family planning.

The July 2026 picture combines established relationships and practical learning experiences with unfinished work on consistency. That balance should guide the decision: the outdoor offer and parent communication carry appeal, while the quality of everyday adult interaction deserves close attention.