Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford)

St Giles Mews, Vicarage Road, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes MK11 1BN
Review Us
9.9 92 Reviews
  • Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford), Milton Keynes
Situated on the site of Elizabeth House, in Vicarage Road, Stony Stratford. This nursery provides high quality, affordable childcare and early years education for the local community, in a building which has been completely refurbished and extended, with two spacious play areas indoors, with direct access to three outdoor play areas.

Acorn places a strong emphasis on outdoor play and learning, and the children will have the opportunity to be outdoors at some point every day, whatever the weather. Included in their fees are regular Forest School sessions; these exciting educational experiences are suitable for pre-schoolers and are delivered by fully trained forest school leaders and offer an innovative approach to outdoor play.

All the nursery meals are freshly prepared and delivered each day by Acorn Catering, which operates from the hub kitchen at their Shenley Church End nursery. They use local ethically sourced produce to create delicious meals and all menus have been designed to be nutritionally balanced ensuring they offer a variety of foods.

A home visit from the manager and your child’s key person is offered to all new families as they believe children benefit from meeting their key person in a familiar environment, before attending the nursery for settling-in sessions. Children are encouraged to form close bonds using their key person system to ensure learning and development are encouraged on an individual basis.
Show Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford) on the Map

Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Laura Marshall (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 18

Registered Charity Number

  • 1145108

Total Places for Children

  • 40

Age Range

  • from 0 years 4 months
  • to 4 years 11 months

Funding & Fees

  • Full time place starting from £1,630560
    Full day from £8550
    Morning session from £47.50
    Afternoon session from £43

  • Fees are inclusive of all meals, snacks, drinks (including approved formula milk), nappies and activities.
    We do not charge registration fees, but only a £50 deposit which is refunded against the first month’s fees. We don’t charge for settling in sessions, but we do expect payment for all nursery fees to be paid up front at the beginning of each month, which is standard practice for all childcare providers. We do not charge for bank holidays, our four training days each year, or for the three days closure between Christmas and New Year. We do, however, charge for days which children don’t attend through illness or holidays, apart from exceptional circumstances.
    Please view the prospectus on our website for a full fees guide.

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:15
    Tuesday 07:30-18:15
    Wednesday 07:30-18:15
    Thursday 07:30-18:15
    Friday 07:30-18:15

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays, Staff Training Days & between Christmas & New Year

Parking

  • There is a small car park for children to be dropped off/picked up.

Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford) Reviews (92)

9.9

Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford) has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.897) out of 10, based on 26 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford) has 92 reviews.

Overall Experience
  • 85
  • 6
  • 0
  • 0
  • 1
Date Published
  • 92
  • 0
  • 16
  • 26
  • 66
Reviewer Connection to Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford)
  • 72
  • 15
  • 4
  • 1
Total of 92, showing 41-60
Review from J C (Mother of Child) published on 7 March 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been attending this nursery for 6 months now and loves every day. The staff were fantastic getting her settled in and always take great care of her. She’s kept busy with lots of fun activities and spends lots of time in the garden which she loves. Am very pleased to have her at this
nursery and would recommend anyone looking for a fun and nurturing childcare setting!
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from A N (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of my daughters have absolutely loved their time at Acorn Stony. We have never had any 'I don't want to go to nursery' mornings and I think the lovely staff, setting, and activities are to thank for this. There is always a warm welcome and informative pass over. I also love receiving the in-depth
observations on the app, they really confirm how happy, confident, and comfortable the children are.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Sabre J (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have 2 children attending Acorn (4 and 1) and both children are very happy at nursery. My eldest has been well supported with growing independence, there is plenty of outside space for him to run around and play and get lots of fresh air. My youngest has been going for 4 months and has settled in
really well. The staff are attentive to his needs and communicate well about how he is doing. The meals and snacks provided are healthy and varied, the activities are child-led and based on what they are showing an interest in. The older children take part in forest school and go for outings in the local community. The nursery uses an app to keep you up to date with what the children are eating/naps and post pictures of activities and assessments. Overall we are extremely happy with Acorn and would highly recommend them.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Cecile L (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son is going to Acorn full-time since 1 year and a half. He is getting more confident every day thanks to the extremely professional staff. Acorn is like an extension of our family to us! We are so grateful.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from E H (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter loves going to nursery and we are so pleased we found Acorn in Stony Stratford. The staff are so kind and go above and beyond. The children have a lovely setting to play and learn in - both inside and outside. There always seems to be lots of fantastic activities on the go and the staff
are great at nurturing each child based on their personal needs and interests.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Chloe M (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We were recommended Acorn in Stony by a few people and from the first visit instantly knew it was the place for our son. He took a little while to settle in (mainly due to spending most of his life in lockdown) but the staff were so accommodating and gave him all the support and affection he needed.
His confidence has grown so much and he is so excited at drop-off and doesn’t want to come home! The regular updates on the app are great and I especially appreciate the detailed observations. There are so many things to do there, many activities set up daily, ample opportunity for messy play and so much time spent outdoors. The nursery manager has been particularly helpful and accommodating when there was a period of time I needed my son in a few extra days at short notice, I really appreciated this. I am really happy and look forward to my seeing my son continue to thrive at Acorn, thank you.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from N A (Father of Child) published on 1 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I wanted to take the time to write a quick review on Acorn Nursery. We have both our sons registered at the nursery one of them has already started and we couldn’t be happier with how they treat our son each day that he goes there. The entire staff are so welcoming, warm, and engaging with my boy and
as well as parents. Thanks to a member of staff in particular, she went out of her way to help him settle into the nursery. The constant updates you get via the app also enable us to be part of their day. Massive thanks to the Acorn manager.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Rhian P (Mother of Child) published on 19 January 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son has been attending Acorn since May last year and practically runs to our front door and to the car when he knows it's nursery time! He gets a fantastic range of play opportunities to support his development, meals that make me wish they'd save me a portion and spends time with fantastic staff
who clearly love their jobs. From my perspective, I feel at ease knowing he is in fantastic hands and is going to have a super day each time I drop him off and head to work. I'm always so grateful for the updates, both daily ones and sporadic picture/written development ones so I can see what he has been up to. It's a lovely setting that encourages independence, outdoor activities, imaginative play, and all-round development.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Samantha S (Mother of Child) published on 19 January 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Amazing nursery that both my children have been using since it opened. They have been amazing support for myself alongside excellent care and support for my children. They have also supported my child with the flow of speech therapy from her 1-1 sessions and continued the work within nursery. Amazing
flexibility and grateful my children have and are in an amazing setting.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Yvonne R (Mother of Child) published on 19 January 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has just started Nursery at Acorn Stony Stratford and I have to say that we have been very pleased with them, the team at Acorn helped my 6-month-old daughter settle into the nursery very quickly! She did struggle the first 3 days but since then she has really settled in and comes home very
happy! The carers are attentive, responsive, and caring and they are always willing to improve and make things better for the children they care for.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Asha A (Mother of Child) published on 27 September 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Very nice environment, friendly and professional practitioners and develop children in the right way. My child loves the stuff and has made good friends. My child has been supported in each of her development stages.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Kelly M (Mother of Child) published on 10 September 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery has a great learning setting. Loads of activities and a nice indoor and outdoor area. I'm happy leaving my daughter here as she is happy and has a close group of friends. The staff communicate well after each session with details of her day. The app they use is very useful.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Jennifer W (Mother of Child) published on 21 July 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our little guy is just about to turn one and started attending when he'd just turned 8 months for a couple of days a week to try and get some time with other children which he was missing out on due to Covid restrictions. It was a brilliant decision. He has been so happy and has come on leaps and bounds
developmentally. We feel like all of the staff genuinely care about his happiness and wellbeing, and we love hearing about all the hijinks he gets up to through the day when it's home time. They have accommodated any requests we've had and we love being able to see how he's doing in real time through the app.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Andrew R (Father of Child) published on 28 June 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I attended a Fathers Day BBQ breakfast organised by the nursery (the day after fathers day). Firstly, I was impressed that the nursery had organised this in the first place. I thought it was a wonderful idea to further celebrate the day but also showed how the nursery went 'above and beyond' for its
users. It was very well organised and followed all the covid guidelines to keep everyone safe. The staff are great because they are approachable, friendly, and show genuine interest in you and your child. There were plenty of activities set out for the children to keep them interested and entertained. It was good to have the opportunity and time to interact with other fathers I wouldn't otherwise have had the time to interact with. It was also useful to speak with the staff about how your child gets on day to day at the nursery and see parts of the nursery I had never seen before. Thank you Acorns you are a wonderful and dedicated bunch!
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Hannah B (Mother of Child) published on 28 June 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We love this nursery! Couldn’t recommend it enough. Our son loves attending and has such a great bond with all the staff. The groups are a great size so the children have so much one-to-one time. The special events they put on are amazing. Father’s Day was especially lovely as it has been hard during
lockdown to be able to join in. So much effort was put in and our son was so proud to be able to show me around what he calls ‘home’. I couldn’t have wished for a better place for him to be. Cannot fault the nursery and the time and effort they put in to make our kids feel safe and loved. He will certainly miss them all when he goes to school but they are making a great effort of getting him ready and excited for his new chapter in life.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Shelley O (Mother of Child) published on 23 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
A lovely nursery with caring and attentive staff. Our daughter loves attending twice a week and has developed so much since starting last year. The nursery encourages outdoor play whatever the weather, which she loves. They are also really good at ensuring her allergy, meaning she doesn’t miss out and
has a varied menu of food each week.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Jessica C (Mother of Child) published on 23 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Acorns Day Nursery (Stony Stratford) have been amazing for my daughter. She loves it so much already! They have been brilliant with her dairy intolerance and have really looked after her welfare since she started. One member of staff has been wonderful, keeping me and my daughters dad updated with her
regular ventures in the nursery!
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Jeremy C (Father of Child) published on 23 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little girl is very shy, but the team at Acorns Day Nursery (Stony Stratford) are bringing her out of her shell and it’s wonderful to see. We’re Going On a Bear Hunt is a particular fave and she loves the actions. The photos sent show the activities the children are doing, keeping you up to speed.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Bettina B (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son was attending a different nursery for almost a year in a different town but due to moving to the area, I had to find a new nursery for him. After researching and visiting a few of them I picked this one as I really liked all the members of staff I met, the rooms and the garden. I was very nervous
for my son to start in a new nursery but he has settled so quick I couldn't believe it! The staff has made me so comfortable leaving him there, he is loving his new friends, the activities, he loves being there! I know I couldn't have picked a better nursery for him, and their daily reports on the app are so brilliant, very informing! I couldn't recommend them more!
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from Jacob S (Father of Child) published on 9 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter really enjoys spending time at Acorns. The setting is perfect and it’s great seeing the excitement she has going in each day. Since my daughter has started nursery, her development has improved amazingly and she’s turned into a very bright little girl.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.897)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.897) out of 10 for Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford) 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 26 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 26 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 4.897 for Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford) is calculated as follows: ( (282 Excellents x 5) + (28 Goods x 4) + (2 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 312 Ratings = 4.897
  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 Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford) is based on 26 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 40 number of registered child places is 8, which has been reached with 26 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.

Loading

Loading Loading

Loading

Loading

Awards / Recognitions (12)

Meet the Team (2)

Georgia

Georgia Willshire

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2018

Georgia - Manager
Georgia joined Acorn in 2011 and has worked across 2 Acorn sites progressing from a senior practitioner to a nursery manager. Georgia is very passionate when creating rich and inviting environments which capture children’s interests and support their individual learning and development. Georgia helps support all staff to provide the children with the best possible start, building stable foundations to watch the children learn, achieve and grow as individuals. Outside of work Georgia has 3 young children who have also attended Acorn nurseries.


Georgia is also Stony's Designated Safeguarding Lead, so if you ever have any concerns or would like to chat about anything safeguarding related, please visit or call the nursery and ask to speak to Georgia directly - alternatively, the setting can provide a direct email address for her.


If you have any questions, or would like to book a visit please contact us.

Julie

Julie

Job Title: Senior Administrator Joined: 2016

Julie - Senior Administrator

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford) to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Acorn Day Nursery (Stony Stratford) has an Enhanced Service - more info.