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Little Acorns Day Nursery (Springfield)

Ofsted: Urgent improvement·
4.2(10 parent reviews) ·Throstlenest Avenue, Wigan, WN6 7AS · Wigan
Number of places
40 places
Age range
1–4 yrs
Last inspected
Apr 2026
Local authority
Wigan

About this day nursery

Little Acorns Day Nursery (Springfield) is a childcare setting located in Wigan, catering to children aged 0–4 years. Registered in 2019, the nursery operates Monday to Friday, all year round, closing only for bank holidays and one week at Christmas, with sessions from 7:30 am until 6 pm.

The nursery has a total of 40 places, with 51 children currently on roll, and employs 12 childcare staff, including two with Level 6 qualifications and four with Level 3. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three-, and four-year-old children.

The latest Ofsted inspection on May 2, 2025, rated the nursery as "Requires Improvement" overall, with specific areas like the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management also requiring improvement. " The nursery focuses on a strong key-person system, fostering strong attachments and bonds between staff and children.

Children enjoy daily fresh air and outdoor play, and hygiene routines are well-embedded. The curriculum is designed for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and staff demonstrate a good understanding of their key children's learning and development needs, particularly for children with SEND.

However, the report indicates variability in the quality of staff interactions and teaching, and weaknesses in staff deployment, particularly for older children, leading to some children not always making consistent progress.

Our ethos

Little Acorns Day Nursery is committed to providing individualised care within a nurturing, "home from home" environment that fosters each child's unique qualities and confidence. They adhere to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, ensuring activities are geared towards achieving early learning goals.

What it's like

Leaders have a clear vision to provide good-quality care and education, however, the quality of staff interactions and teaching is variable. Leaders and staff create a curriculum for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, weaknesses in the effective deployment of staff, particularly for older children, mean that on occasion, some children are not supported well enough to make consistently good progress.

Strong key-person systemDaily outdoor playSEND provisionMathematical skillsStory and song time

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-Friday 7:30am-6pm

Age range

0-11 years

Term time / All Year

All_year

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Urgent improvement

Last inspected Apr 2026

Headline: Urgent improvement

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

AchievementUrgent improvement
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesNeeds attention
Children's welfare and wellbeingUrgent improvement
Curriculum and teachingUrgent improvement
InclusionUrgent improvement
Leadership and governanceUrgent improvement
Age range
1 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Little Acorns Day Nursery (Springfield)

Last inspected 27 April 2026

Safeguarding effective

Actions the provider must take

  • Review and improve the deployment of staff to ensure that children’s learning needs are met more consistently across all rooms in the nursery by 23/05/2025.
  • Ensure risk assessments are robust and effective at identifying and minimising potential risk to children by 23/05/2025.

What it's like to attend

Leaders have a clear vision to provide good-quality care and education, however, the quality of staff interactions and teaching is variable. Leaders and staff create a curriculum for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, weaknesses in the effective deployment of staff, particularly for older children, mean that on occasion, some children are not supported well enough to make consistently good progress.

Inspector highlights

  • Children enjoy listening to stories and singing songs, which helps to develop their communication skills.
  • There is an effective key-person system in place. Staff form strong attachments and bonds with children.
  • Children enjoy daily fresh air and outdoor play. Hygiene routines are embedded into practice.
  • Staff build partnerships with parents and external professionals that work with children.
  • Staff support children's mathematical skills throughout the nursery.

Areas to develop

  • 1Leaders do not always ensure that staff are deployed effectively.
  • 2Leaders have some systems in place to monitor risk assessments, however, these are not always effective.
  • 3Staff interactions with children are not always effective in meeting children’s individual needs. Not all staff understand how to promote children’s learning through different experiences.
Inspection #10390128 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Leaders and staff create a curriculum for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have a good knowledge of their key children's learning and development needs, especially for children with SEND.

Outdoor space

Children enjoy daily fresh air and outdoor play. Staff do complete visual safety checks of both the indoor and outdoor learning environment.

Parent Reviews of Little Acorns Day Nursery (Springfield)

4.2
(10)
Daniel Rushton
2 years ago

I do not physically understand how anyone can leave a bad review about this nursery, my son started to attend here last September. My son has additional needs & this nursery have gone above and beyond to provide every necessary support he’s needed wether that be something sensory or just general support. I wouldn’t send any of my children anywhere else in the future, this nursery have gone above and beyond at every point and sending my son here is the best decision I’ve ever made. Highly recommended, fantastic supportive staff that always go the extra mile. We are so grateful for everything you’ve done for him, we are so grateful ❤️

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Adele Banks
2 years ago

What an amazing nursery with professional staff who are fully dedicated to the children and always make sure the children are happy and safe. My nieces attended this nursery and were always made to feel welcome. Would highly recommend sending you children here.

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Megan Leonard
2 years ago

My children were always happy to be dropped off at little acorns, lots of activities to help with their development and so much communication from staff to let me know what they have been up to. The staff make me and my children feel welcome and I was confident leaving them as they ran in happily as I went to work. Would definitely recommend.

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Barry Brown
2 years ago

All three of my grandchildren have attended this nursery and I am truly grateful for all they have done. The children’s happiness is their number one priority and that showed when my grandchildren loved nursery days.Would recommend to anyone.

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Georgia Lenie
2 years ago

Both my children attended little acorns and I couldn't fault it. Staff are brilliant, lots of fun games & activities for the kiddies. I would definitely recommend!! Thank you so much for going above & beyond for my little uns and everyone else's. Ya'll Great!!

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Little Acorns Day Nursery (Springfield). See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: March 2022

The most recent inspection point has been hidden because the parsed entry didn't match the headline Ofsted rating (Requires improvement). We're re-checking it against the original report.

  • June 2025Requires improvement
  • May 2025Requires improvement
  • April 2022Good
  • March 2022Good

Frequently asked about Little Acorns Day Nursery (Springfield)

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