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Acorn at Westcroft

Ofsted: Outstanding
(Jan 2025)
·
3.5(11 parent reviews)
·4 Wimborne Crescent, Westcroft, MILTON KEYNES, MK4 4DE · Milton Keynes
Number of places
92 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2025
Local authority
Milton Keynes

About this day nursery

Acorn Early Years Foundation is a well-established childcare provider operating across Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, and Bedfordshire. They offer a range of services including nurseries, sessional preschools, and out-of-school clubs, with a strong emphasis on outdoor learning through their Forest School provision.

The foundation is committed to an eco-friendly approach, integrating sustainability into their practices and advocating for environmental awareness from an early age. They actively engage in fundraising initiatives to support various projects, including solar power installations and a hardship fund to assist families.

Acorn also focuses on professional development, offering training courses for parents, carers, and early years professionals, covering topics such as SEND, safeguarding, and various early years principles. Their dedication to quality and continuous improvement is evident in their ongoing research and numerous awards, positioning them as leaders and innovators in the early childhood sector.

Our ethos

We believe that children's interests should be at the heart of their education, and that all learning should be fun, exciting and challenging for every child; developing a love of learning in our children is at the core of our philosophy. Our pedagogy is rooted in a passion for outdoor learning, with strong links to nature-based education, including Forest School and a commitment to sustainability.

What it's like

The provider develops a flexible and highly ambitious curriculum, with outdoor learning playing an integral part, ensuring all children benefit from a natural environment. Staff empower children to explore and take risks, leading to many exceeding age-related expectations, with the nursery fostering a busy and meaningful learning environment where all children thrive.

Forest School provisionEco-friendly approachTraining and consultancyCharity-runSocial enterprise

Pricing & funding

Pricing on request

This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.

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Key facts

Term time / All Year

All Year

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Acorn at Westcroft

Last inspected 16 January 2025

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding

What it's like to attend

The provider develops a flexible and highly ambitious curriculum, with outdoor learning playing an integral part, ensuring all children benefit from a natural environment. Staff empower children to explore and take risks, leading to many exceeding age-related expectations, with the nursery fostering a busy and meaningful learning environment where all children thrive.

Inspector highlights

  • Staff across the nursery understand the intent of the curriculum and put it into practice effectively.
  • Children are collaborators in shaping a curriculum that ignites their enthusiasm and passion for learning.
  • Access to bespoke training within the organisation supports staff and parents to deepen their knowledge and learn together.
  • Children with SEND make excellent progress at the nursery.
  • The provider and senior team have superb oversight of all aspects of the nursery.
Inspection #10367595 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), thrive in the supportive, nurturing care of highly skilled staff. Staff are highly alert to what children's needs are and know how to support them, setting realistic targets and next steps to ensure continuous progress and motivating, challenging teaching.

Outdoor space

Outdoor learning plays an integral part of the curriculum, which is very well-sequenced to ensure that all children enjoy the benefits from learning in a natural environment. This includes very young babies, who develop a strong desire to explore the world around them.

Parent Reviews of Acorn at Westcroft

3.5
(11)
Lewis Martin
12 months ago

My son started with Acorn recently and he absolutely loves nursery, he is always very happy to see the Acorn team and dives in to their arms ready for breakfast. The team are amazing with my boy!. Kim is his key worker and we really enjoy getting his observations and updates you can really tell she knows our son's personality , character and development . The menu has a large variety and Sarah is an incredible cook , my son usually has seconds . They are even able to get him to eat things he won't even try at home like banana and cucumber. The admin Sabs is extremely helpful and always on hand to answer any questions regarding funding and bills . My wife and I love looking at the daily post and reading what our son has been up to and seeing the pictures. Would highly recommend acorn at westcroft to everyone.

Read on Google
Krisztina Shrimpton
a year ago

Two years later, and I’m still in disbelief that this nursery is open and functioning. When I was searching for nurseries, we didn’t live in the area and knew very little about it. During the tour, the children were conveniently on a field trip, and the nursery appeared clean and well-maintained, so we decided to enroll. However, things quickly unraveled during the settling-in period. I was informed that my child’s assigned key person was off sick, only to later discover that this person worked just one day out of my child’s three scheduled days. My child was shuffled between various staff members, which felt disorganised and far from the nurturing environment we were promised. Despite my growing concerns, I had no choice but to return to work due to dwindling holiday days, so my child officially started at the nursery. On the very first day, I was called early to pick my child up because my child was inconsolable. Another staff member was hastily assigned to care for my child, but it was clear that no genuine effort was made. The following day, the same pattern repeated. When I arrived early after being called, no one stopped me or even verified my identity. I walked straight into the room and was horrified to find my child sitting alone in a corner, still wearing the coat—exactly as had been when I dropped my child off five hours earlier. The rest of the staff were outside, chatting and watching the other children, completely oblivious. I could have walked out with my child, and no one would have noticed. That was the last day we ever set foot in that nursery, yet they still charged us for the entire month. I lodged a complaint with Ofsted last year, but nothing came of it. If you value your child’s well-being, avoid this place at all costs.

Read on Google
Kirsty M
a year ago

Neither of my children actually attend this nursery thankfully but I park behind it when I come to collect from the pre-school nearby. Today I was shocked to hear how one of the staff members was talking to a child, clearly the child was doing something and the sitting/laying on the floor due to me hearing 'stop that, i said stop, STOP IT NOW! Ugh just GET UP' the attitude, tone and shouting was appalling, you're talking to a SMALL CHILD for crying out loud, sort yourself out!

Read on Google
Mukund Tuli
4 years ago

We started sending our son at 19months to nursery and decided to go with Acorn Westcroft due to the good things we heard about Acorn. We were bit concerned about how well our little one would settle as he was in lockdown for most of the time since being born, but the team here are fantastic due to which our boy has been adjusting really well. In particular Gina, Jess, Gity, Sam, Katie, Lisa and really everyone else are lovely and so caring. We get regular feedback on our son's progress and they use the famly app which has daily posts and photos about the lovely activities during the day, meals consumption, nappy change, etc. Sonia who is the nursery manager was aware of a personal situation we are going through and has been very accomodating and helpful. I am so glad we decided to go ahead with Acorn Westcroft. Would definitely recommend.

Read on Google
Chris Poulton
6 years ago

Think its acceptable to cross dress my 4 year old and other young boys in the nursery allow them to lick each other and bite not a happy dad

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Acorn at Westcroft. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history
Improved from Good → Outstanding in 2025

Date: November 2012

  • January 2025Outstanding
  • February 2019Good
  • March 2016Good
  • November 2012Requires improvement

Frequently asked about Acorn at Westcroft

About the setting

Acorn at Westcroft Nursery registered in 2012. It operates from a purpose-built building in Westcroft district shopping area. The nursery employs 25 members of childcare staff, with 16 holding appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, all year round, from 7.30am until 6pm, offering government funded places for children aged nine months to four years, and children in receipt of funding for disadvantage.

URN
EY447038
Registered person
Acorn Early Years Foundation
Day care type
Full day care
Register
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register
Establishment type
Childcare on non-domestic premises
Previous rating
Good

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more