Opening hours
Business Days: 8 am - 6 pm; Mornings: 8 am - 1 pm; Afternoons: 1 pm - 6 pm; Nursery days: 8 am - 5 pm
Children 1st @ Acorns
Ofsted: Good
(Jun 2025)
Number of places
140 places
Age range
0–5 yrs
Last inspected
Jun 2025
Local authority
Staffordshire
About this day nursery
Children 1st @ Acorns provides a nurturing environment in Tean, Stoke-on-Trent, focusing on outdoor learning and personalised support for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years. They emphasise a partnership with parents, encouraging involvement in their child's early education through daily updates, learning journals, and parents' evenings.
The day nursery offers tailored spaces for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers, fostering imagination through outdoor adventures like a paddock, farm shop, and pirate-themed play areas. They also cultivate community connections, offering enriching experiences such as celebrating harvest with older community members and library trips on their nursery bus.
The fees include infant formula, milk, home-cooked meals and snacks, health and hygiene consumables like nappies, nappy cream, wipes, and sun cream, and extracurricular activities. The day nursery operates year-round, closing only during Christmas week and for two training days, and invoices parents monthly with consistent charges to aid financial planning.
They also offer sibling and full-time attendance discounts. The team, led by Nursery Manager Jessica Heasman, is dedicated to providing high-quality care and education, aiming to help each child reach their full potential.
Our ethos
Our team have a clear vision for the future in raising the standards for all children. We have high expectations of driving the team forward whilst leading the way and shaping the future. Every child is important and they should all receive the very best care and education available. We believe our passion and vision enable us to make a real difference in this wonderful Early Years setting, providing the highest quality care to help children reach their full potential.
What it's like
Children feel safe and secure in this warm and welcoming setting. The highly engaging environment sparks children's curiosity and helps them to develop a love of learning. There is a strong emphasis on outdoor play and the use of natural resources. Children investigate, develop confidence and show a 'can-do' attitude as they explore. The ambitious, child-centred curriculum is planned around children's interests and developmental needs.
Outdoor learningPersonalised supportCommunity connectionsAll-inclusive feesYear-round operation
Pricing & funding
Funding accepted
15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds
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
Food
Infant formula, milk, home-cooked meals and snacks included
Age range
6 weeks to 5 years
Term time / All Year
All Year
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating
Last inspected 25 June 2025 · Sue Smith
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
What it's like to attend
Children feel safe and secure in this warm and welcoming setting. The highly engaging environment sparks children's curiosity and helps them to develop a love of learning. There is a strong emphasis on outdoor play and the use of natural resources. Children investigate, develop confidence and show a 'can-do' attitude as they explore. The ambitious, child-centred curriculum is planned around children's interests and developmental needs.
Inspector highlights
- Children feel safe and secure and develop a love of learning in a highly engaging environment.
- There is a strong emphasis on outdoor play and the use of natural resources, fostering confidence and a 'can-do' attitude.
- The ambitious, child-centred curriculum is planned around children's interests and developmental needs, leading to good progress.
- Children begin to develop high levels of emotional security through supportive interactions with staff.
- Communication and language development is a central focus throughout all ages, supported by diverse activities and high-quality texts.
Areas to develop
- 1strengthen staff interactions to consistently provide children with engaging and stimulating activities across all age ranges and all areas of the curriculum
- 2enhance the monitoring of staff's practice to identify areas for development and support them to continue to build on their skills and knowledge.
Inspection #10399131 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
What parents say
Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection
Parents and carers describe staff as welcoming and approachable.
They note that their children are happy, confident and benefit greatly from the rich outdoor learning opportunities provided.
Many actively recommend the setting to others, highlighting its playful, song-based approach to learning.
Parents also report noticeable progress in their children's speech and value an online system for staying informed about their child's development and next steps.
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
SEND provision
Staff know each child well and ensure all children, regardless of background or need, access the full range of learning opportunities, including music, cooking and outdoor activities.
Outdoor space
There is a strong emphasis on outdoor play and the use of natural resources. Children investigate, develop confidence and show a 'can-do' attitude as they explore. Outdoors, children demonstrate growing confidence in their gross motor skills by climbing walls and jumping over low obstacles, while babies pull themselves up and begin to cruise.
Google Reviews
5.0
(3 Google reviews)
Liandda Roberts
3 months ago
A truly amazing nursery, in a beautiful setting. My daughter absolutely loves going to learn and have fun with her teachers Miss Laura, Miss Sinead and Miss Genna.. the ladies are a true credit to the nursery. They update parents with cute pictures throughout the day, which makes leaving your little one that little bit easier.. Highly recommend!
Read on Google
Wayne Harrold
3 months ago
Can complain they look after my little princess very well and I can tell she enjoys going as she gets excited when she sees staff members so more than happy
Read on Google
Yazmin Cope
2 years ago
I feel so lucky this is the nursery that my son goes to. He has thrived with his learning and is excited to go in. Each and every staff member are so kind and passionate about child development. In particular the nursery managers are so welcoming for any questions or requests but more importantly the whole nursery team respect my wishes for care aspects for my son even if it is not the routine.
Read on GoogleReviews from Google for Children 1st @ Acorns. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Date: June 2012
- June 2025Good
- November 2019Outstanding
- March 2016Outstanding
- June 2012Outstanding
Frequently asked about Children 1st @ Acorns
About the setting
Children 1st @ Acorns registered in 2011. The nursery employs 33 members of childcare staff, with various qualification levels. The nursery opens from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks a year, except bank holidays. The nursery provides funded early education for all eligible children that attend.
- URN
- EY440074
- Registered person
- Breedon House Nurseries Limited
- Day care type
- Full day care
- Register
- Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
- Establishment type
- Childcare on non-domestic premises
- Previous rating
- Outstanding
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