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Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook)

Ofsted: Strong standard·
5.0(6 parent reviews) ·Unilever Research Site, Sharnbrook, BEDFORD, MK44 1LQ · Bedford
Number of places
62 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Nov 2025
Local authority
Bedford

About this day nursery

Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) is a childcare setting for children aged 0-4 years, located at the Unilever Research Site in Sharnbrook, Bedford. Registered with Ofsted since August 29, 2017, the nursery operates Monday to Friday from 7:15 AM to 6:15 PM and offers all-year provision.

The nursery is praised for its highly inclusive and nurturing environment, where children feel safe, secure, and are treated with dignity and respect. Staff demonstrate a secure understanding of the barriers children face to their learning and wellbeing, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and swiftly identify and plan individualised support.

The setting places a high priority on outdoor exploration and physical development, effectively using its outdoor spaces and nature for activities like bug hotels, den building, and walks to a wooded area for balancing and swinging. Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make rapid progress in their communication and language development.

Leaders ensure continuous improvement and maintain high standards through professional development and targeted support, fostering a positive environment where staff feel valued and motivated.

What it's like

Children enjoy a highly inclusive, nurturing setting where they feel safe, secure and are treated with dignity and respect. Staff know children well, provide tailored support including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and prioritise outdoor exploration and physical development to support learning.

Highly inclusiveNurturing environmentOutdoor explorationStrong SEND supportRapid language developmentSkilled teaching

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.

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:15 - 18:15

Term time / All Year

All_year

Established

2017

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Strong standard

Last inspected Nov 2025

Headline: Strong standard

Grade summary

Exceptional
—
Strong standard
Expected standard
—
Needs attention
—
Urgent improvement
—

Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.

Category grades

AchievementStrong standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesStrong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
InclusionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceStrong standard
Age range
0 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook)

Last inspected 11 November 2025 · Ann Austen

Safeguarding effective

What it's like to attend

Children enjoy a highly inclusive, nurturing setting where they feel safe, secure and are treated with dignity and respect. Staff know children well, provide tailored support including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and prioritise outdoor exploration and physical development to support learning.

Inspector highlights

  • Children make excellent progress and are well prepared for transitions, including school.
  • Staff support communication and language development, including rapid progress for children who speak English as an additional language.
  • Staff use the outdoors and nature extremely well to develop physical skills and learning.
  • Strong inclusion: staff quickly identify needs and provide individualised support, working with parents and professionals.
  • Leaders prioritise professional development and maintain high standards through monitoring and targeted support.

Areas to develop

  • 1Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards.
  • 2They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known or previously known to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.
Inspection #10143477 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Staff have a secure understanding of the barriers children face to their learning and wellbeing, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities; they identify needs quickly, plan individualised support, hold regular discussions with parents and other professionals, and the setting has a special educational needs coordinator.

Outdoor space

Staff use the outdoors and nature extremely well to develop children's coordination, agility, core strength and fine motor skills; children make bug hotels, build dens, dig for worms, and older children walk to a wooded area to practise balancing, swinging and other physical skills.

EAL / language support

Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make rapid progress in their communication and language development.

Parent Reviews of Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook)

5.0
(6)
James Atter
3 months ago

I have 2 children currently here and I could not ask for more from Acorn. I never believed that people I pay to look after my children could be so genuinely caring and invested in my children. They add so much value in educational development and emotional development as well as play and important socialising. I have closer nurseries to me than Acorn but our attendance here has never been in question as a family.

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Sam. M.
3 years ago

This is a fantastic nursery and great value for money, we were new to the area and tried the big chain nursery which charged significantly more for a good service but one couldn't shake the corporate nature of this. Acorns is just where you want your child to be, fantastic staff who are committed and caring and nurturing and a homely atmosphere which makes you feel like you are simply dropping your child off at another home from home with professionals who keep you well updated. I cannot recommend it enough

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Samuel Dudley
3 years ago

A fantastic nursery. When we moved house we needed to find a more local nursery. we are so lucky to have found acorns! All the staff are friendly and attentive. out door play in a priority for them and it really shows in how happy and content our son is when he comes home. They plan lots of actives with bakery visits, trips out, Santas grotto, parents days etc. Our sons keys workers obviously do a great job as he always talks about them at home with a smile on his face! A BIG thankyou to all the team!

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Lorna Evans
4 years ago

Friendly, outgoing staff that do a fantastic job. They work very hard to achieve the best standards. This nursery is perfect for engaging the children with the environment. Lots of outdoor play and learning.

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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