Little Acorns Pre-School

c/o Kennington Primary School, Kennington Road, Preston PR2 8ER
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9.9 39 Reviews
  • Little Acorns Pre-School, Preston
Little Acorns Pre-School Nursery is based on the outskirts of Fulwood, Preston in Lancashire and is a charity run setting that operates in the grounds of Kennington Primary school.

The setting has been operating for over 25 years and has a current Outstanding Ofsted rating (October 2024).

At Little Acorns children are engaged in a fun and supporting environment, where children learn through play, in a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities. All the staff are warm, friendly and truly care about children.

The setting provides strong links with parents and ensure parents feel valued, listened too and respected. Staff learn to know children well and provide regular reports and updates.
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Type of Service

  • Nursery School
  • Open term time
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Owner

  • Little Acorns Pre-School
  • Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned

Person in Charge

  • Alison Shepherd (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 7

Registered Charity Number

  • 1136626

Total Places for Children

  • 36

Age Range

  • from 2 years 0 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Funding & Fees

  • We offer a range of Goverment funded sessions Monday to Friday
    8.30 to 11.30
    12.15 to 3.15
    8.30 to 3.15.
    Tue to Thursday 8.30 to 5.30
    2 year olds £19.50 per session
    3 year olds £16.00 per session
    Extended session 8.30 to 3.15 £5.00

Opening Times

  • Monday 08:00-15:15
    Tuesday 08:00-17:30
    Wednesday 08:00-17:30
    Thursday 08:00-17:30
    Friday 08:00-15:15

When Closed

  • School Holidays

Little Acorns Pre-School Reviews (39)

9.9

Little Acorns Pre-School has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.939) out of 10, based on 15 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Little Acorns Pre-School has 39 reviews.

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Total of 39, showing 1-20
Review from F A (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
After having not a good experience at my son's previous nursery, we decided to visit Little Acorns through recommendation. As soon as we walked in my son who has delayed development took to it. We instantly felt it was the place for him, the nursery was well organised, different play themes for the
little ones to explore which the staff rotate on a regular basis giving the little ones a chance to learn different things, the cleanliness of the nursery is above and beyond. The staff are all highly experienced, mature who come with much life experiences, they have been there a long time, they are an absolute blessing to the little ones, the initial welcome and introduction was very thorough everything was explained in detail. It's been 7 months for our little one and he's come along way, the staff initiated all the support for our son. Communication is excellent always keep us informed and up to date. Staff ensure that clothes and nappies are changed regularly. Thank you
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you so much for such kind words. We love providing new experiences for the children and through this we can see that the children are thriving and making so much progress.
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Review from Jackie L (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son went to this pre school in 2018 and after his experience there, I knew that if I had any more children they HAD to come here. As soon as my 2nd child turned 2, I applied for her place and so glad I did because the preschool is everything I remember it to be and more, was lovely that all the staff
was familiar and have been there a long time. The effort they put into the children is unmatched . Both of my children went to different nurseries before they were 2 years old and came here and nothing compares to Little Acorns. They have gotten to know my daughter so well, like they did my son, know her likes and dislikes etc! Know how to calm her down, I will continue to recommend this setting to anyone who is looking. It's a homely; friendly but also professional environment. The children are so lovely they always greet you if they're playing outside and the children play so lovely together. Wonderful team of staff and children. x
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you so much for your amazing review. We really do love all the children like they are our own.
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Review from S Y (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Fantastic nursery and preschool. My son has come so far thanks to the managers and teachers. He is so confident and made friends with everyone. Lots of opportunities for parents to get involved and fun interactive events for good bonding with parents and child. Will be sending his brother to the same
nursery. Cannot recommend Little Acorns enough. Everyone has made us feel very welcome.
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you so much we really appreciate your kind words.
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Review from S G (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Amazing staff with so much heart and caring mindset. Both my children attended this nursery. The teachers go that extra mile to engage with the kids and develop them in a very individualised way. The management is very committed to providing a safe clean fun and loving environment. As parents we are
very thankful to the whole team so glad I chose little acorns preschool!
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you this is such a lovely review and we all appreciate your kind words
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Review from Emma E (Mother of Child) published on 25 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Lovely nursery! My little girl started at Little Acorns about a year ago and is absolutely thriving thanks to their care and dedication. All the staff are caring and welcoming to parents and children. Any concerns, they call me promptly and send updates about my little one regularly. She loves going
to the nursery and has great relationships with staff members and other children. Can't wait for my little boy to start going when he's old enough!
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you so much for your kind words. We love seeing her smiley face in the morning.
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Review from F A (Father of Child) published on 10 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Wonderful nursery catering to the needs to children in the world we live in today. I really felt that the permanent staff knew the kids and cared about the kids and were warm and lovely also with us as parents. They tailored their development based on individual needs and I felt my daughter learnt and
grew more there as a result of this individual attention.
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you for such kind words. We all love coming to work and enjoy being with the children and speaking to all the parents.
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Review from Jessica F (Mother of Child) published on 10 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I've had both my children attend Little Acorns Pre-School. The nursery always goes above and beyond to make sure my child is happy and enjoying her time at nursery. The staff are friendly and supportive and keep me informed and up to date with my child's progress at all times. Highly recommend.
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you for such kind words about the setting. We love providing a wide range of activities for the children and look forward to seeing them everyday.
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Review from I J (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Choosing Little Acorns Pre-School is the best decision me and my partner have made. Our daughter has flourished since attending last year and she continues to show growth in her development, learning and social skills everyday. The communication with Little Acorns is second to none, they always keep
us informed of topics they are focusing on each term, ideas for learning at home, daily activities and everything in between.
Every single member of staff is incredibly helpful and friendly and they are always available on drop-off or pick-ups to give an update on the day. I could not recommend enough to anyone looking for a preschool for their child, outstanding in every way.
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you for such kind words. All the staff try hard throughout the year to provide interesting and exciting activities to support children's learning and development.
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Review from Jenny M (Mother of Child) published on 30 September 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I wanted to express my view on this wonderful Nursery in the hope it will reach lots of other parents who are searching for the perfect one! My Son has just started in September after a long 12 months of never settling into his previous Nursery. I had prepared myself for weeks of crying and was very
surprised this wasn't the case. He settled extremely well, within a couple of days. He's made lots of new friends and I can finally drop him off without feeling guilty all day at work. You instantly get a warm feeling when you enter, just feels like home. My only regret is not moving him sooner. Extremely pleased with how soon he settled in and not only do I have a happy, content son, I also feel the same. I would recommend this place to everyone. Thank you so much to his key worker - he's insisted I bring you a 'love heart' cupcake in this week! Thank you to everyone involved - especially the manager who went above and beyond for us.
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
After our conversation we were prepared for him being upset for a long time but he soon settled and has a beautiful big smile when he arrives and is doing so well. Thank you for the lovely comment.
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Review from Sophie K (Mother of Child) published on 18 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All the staff are great and I couldn’t have picked a better nursery/preschool! So happy how my little girl has come on since starting. They tackle any problems and help as much as they can between home and school time. They have activities to do all the time... sing songs... lots of learning between
outside and inside. Overall it’s great and I can’t fault the Little Acorns team, 100% effort all the time, they are very understanding and very caring... my little girl loves each and every single one of the staff members.
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Review from C S (Mother of Child) published on 13 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A very safe and caring environment for the children, and my daughter loves coming to nursery each day and has a great bond with her teachers and the other children, she’s always happy to be there.
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Review from Bincy B (Mother of Child) published on 13 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
I like the school very much. The teachers are also good. My child also likes to go to nursery every day. All teachers are putting good effort into teaching the children. Every day my child is doing a lot of activities. My child learns a lot from this nursery.
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Review from S E (Mother of Child) published on 13 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am so happy that I made the decision to send my daughter to this amazing nursery, I wouldn’t have her anywhere else. The staff are brilliant, they always go above and beyond for each and every child. My daughter is so happy here, she has come on leaps and bounds since she started and she absolutely
loves going. They do so many different activities for the children, welly walks, picnics, stay and play sessions and so much more. I would recommend this nursery to any parent wanting to start the child’s journey into nursery. I finally feel like I can go to work with my mind at rest knowing my child is happy and well cared for. Thank you so much.
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Review from Ella S (Mother of Child) published on 13 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
An absolutely lovely setting with amazing staff! They always are so good with my little one, couldn’t recommend enough.
My daughter loves coming here, when I pick her up she never wants to leave! Will be gutted when she leaves for reception.
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Review from Anmbar R (Mother of Child) published on 13 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child loves going to preschool! She has come on so much with her confidence since she started and loves telling us what she has gotten up to. The staff are amazing with her, the communication is great and I am content knowing she is learning and thriving all the time. Thank you Little Acorns!
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Review from Vickii L (Mother of Child) published on 13 November 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been attending Little Acorns Preschool since April 2022, and she has come on so much from the little girl crying in the morning and not wanting to leave me to go in with a smile on her face every morning happy to see all her friends. She has gained so much confidence and always comes
home with a big smile on her face telling me about her day. Also love the fact that they update you on how your child is getting on and sending pictures of what she has been doing. Can't thank the management and all the team enough.
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you very much. She is a lovely little girl and a pleasure to have in the setting.
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Review from Rani K (Mother of Child) published on 28 March 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Great school. All staff are very helpful, very kind to my child.
My child comes home happy and with new words.
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you, We are happy that she is happy when she comes home. It means so much to us.
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Review from N M (Mother of Child) published on 28 March 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The excellent team with an enthusiastic teacher who has helped my little girl to learn. The teachers are helpful and always welcome us, especially the kids with a smile which makes it easy for my daughter. I am really thankful for the help of the Little Acorns team she has developed new skills and we
are able to explore more. Thank you to the team for being the best for my child. Cheer up and hats off as we all know managing a child, especially a toddler is an appreciable and hard as well as an enjoyable one
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you for your lovely words. We are a team that loves all our families and children and enjoy working and playing with them.
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Review from V C (Mother of Child) published on 25 March 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
- Very good caring from the staffing side
- My son improved a lot in language
- Catching up with all letters and numbers
- Started sharing things with friends - which is good in for him
- Dealing with shoes and jacket himself
- Informing about everything which has happened in nursery by the staff
is a very
good method which reduces the parent's stress
- Information on what's going to happen like studies in prior to helping us to teach them at home
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you very much for your kind words. We always try our best to support all our children and give them the best start in life.
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Review from Jibin A (Father of Child) published on 24 March 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Little Acorns is one of the best schools in our place. All the staff looking over these are so good and friendly. Here I am free to talk with them. The caring of our kids in excellent. All the surroundings are neat and clean. And also I find the good quality of the school is time management and punctuality.
I can proudly say that this school is one of the best in the area.
Reply from Alison Shepherd, Manager at Little Acorns Pre-School
Thank you very much for such kind words. We strive to continually develop our setting and keep high standards of care for all the children.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.939)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.939) out of 10 for Little Acorns Pre-School is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 15 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 15 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.939 for Little Acorns Pre-School is calculated as follows: ( (169 Excellents x 5) + (11 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 180 Ratings = 4.939
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Little Acorns Pre-School is based on 15 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 36 number of registered child places is 7.2, which has been reached with 15 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (7)

Meet the Team (6)

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Alison Shepherd

Job Title: Manager Joined: 2005

Hi, have worked at the setting for over 20 years and have been a manager at the setting for 17 years. I hold a foundation degree, in paediatric first aid and food hygiene. I keep up to date with all the changes by attending meetings and reading.


I enjoy working with children and spend a lot of my time looking at ways to improve the setting and new ideas. During the holidays I look after my grandchild and we like to go for days out.

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Stephanie Jenkinson

Job Title: Deputy Manager Joined: 2002

I have been a nursery practitioner for over 20 years and have been at Little Acorns for 10 years where I am SENCO. I am NNEB qualified, hold paediatric first, and food hygiene.
I am a kind and caring person and have a passion for child development.


My hobbies are reading and spending time with my family.

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Jennifer Carr

Job Title: Nursery Practitioner

I am a qualified level 3 practitioner and have worked in childcare for over 20 years. I hold first aid and food hygiene and keep up to date with relevant changes.


I enjoy creative and sensory activities with the children. I also enjoy activities outdoors in all weather.


During my spare time, I like days out with my 3 children, going for walks and having film nights.

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Amanda O'Rouke

Job Title: Nursery Practitioner Joined: 1997

I qualified in 1997 as a level 3 practitioner. Over the years I have worked in a variety of settings including school nurseries and children's centres. As my own children are almost adults now I enjoy working with all age ranges of children and get a real sense of achievement seeing them develop and progress into their own little people.

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Stacy Lakeland

Job Title: Nursery Practitioner Joined: 1998

I have been a nursery practitioner for 24 years and worked at Little Acorns for 6 of them. I am qualified NVQ level 2 and 3 and hold first aid, food hygiene and safeguarding.


I have 2 children and together we enjoy going for walks. My hobbies are spending time with my family and socialising with friends.

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Jasvinder Kaur-Singh

Job Title: Nursery Practitioner Joined: 2007

I am qualified to level 3 practitioner and up to date with the relevant qualifications that enable me to be a good practitioner. I have worked in childcare for 15 years and have 2 children of my own. I enjoy spending time with my family I also enjoy reading and cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions about Little Acorns Pre-School

What is the Age Range of Children that Little Acorns Pre-School accepts?

Little Acorns Pre-School accepts Children aged from 2 years 0 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Little Acorns Pre-School Open?

Little Acorns Pre-School is open: Monday 08:00-15:15, Tuesday 08:00-17:30, Wednesday 08:00-17:30, Thursday 08:00-17:30, Friday 08:00-15:15.

How many Children does Little Acorns Pre-School have capacity for?

Little Acorns Pre-School has capacity for a total of 36 Children.

How far is Little Acorns Pre-School to the centre of Preston?

1.1 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Little Acorns Pre-School to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Little Acorns Pre-School has an Enhanced Service - more info.