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Little Acorns (North East)

Ofsted: Needs attention·
5.0(10 parent reviews) ·Little Acorns Day Nursery, 218 Park Road, STANLEY, DH9 7AN · Durham
Number of places
61 places
Age range
1–4 yrs
Last inspected
May 2026
Local authority
Durham

About this day nursery

Little Acorns (North East) Ltd., established in 2000, offers childcare on non-domestic premises for children aged 0–10 years. 30pm on Fridays, the nursery provides a welcoming and stimulating environment where children demonstrate high levels of confidence and independence.

Staff deliver an exciting and interesting curriculum, thoughtfully adapting activities to align with children's interests, such as encouraging them to write shopping lists and visit local supermarkets when they show an interest in shopping. This approach helps children to understand the community around them.

Despite the change to parents dropping children at the front door since the pandemic, children are happy and eager to join their friends, feeling safe and secure within the setting. The nursery places a strong emphasis on social development, particularly for children needing extra support post-pandemic, planning activities like shopping games to encourage sharing and turn-taking.

Children also have ample opportunities for physical development, including exercise sessions that develop large-muscle skills, coordination, and balance.

What it's like

Children demonstrate high levels of confidence and independence as they explore the setting. Staff provide an exciting and interesting curriculum, following children's interests and weaving these into activities like writing shopping lists and visiting local supermarkets. Children are happy to leave their parents at the front door and are eager to join their friends, feeling safe and behaving well.

Highly confident childrenChild-centred curriculumEffective language supportStrong parent partnershipsAmbitious curriculumExcellent behaviour

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds

Key facts

Opening hours

7.30am until 6pm on Monday to Thursday and from 7.30am until 5.30pm on Friday

Established

2000

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Needs attention

Last inspected May 2026

Headline: Needs attention

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

AchievementNeeds attention
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesExpected standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingNeeds attention
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
InclusionNeeds attention
Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
Age range
1 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Little Acorns (North East)

Last inspected 6 May 2026 · Julie Campbell

Safeguarding effective

What it's like to attend

Children demonstrate high levels of confidence and independence as they explore the setting. Staff provide an exciting and interesting curriculum, following children's interests and weaving these into activities like writing shopping lists and visiting local supermarkets. Children are happy to leave their parents at the front door and are eager to join their friends, feeling safe and behaving well.

Inspector highlights

  • Children demonstrate high levels of confidence and independence.
  • Staff provide an exciting and interesting curriculum, following children's interests.
  • Staff support children's language development effectively, helping their listening and speaking skills to develop well.
  • Partnerships with parents are good, and parents are very complimentary about the setting.
  • The manager has clear aims for the curriculum, providing an ambitious curriculum that builds well on what children know and can do.

Areas to develop

  • 1focus on professional development opportunities to raise the quality of education to a higher level
  • 2support children's understanding of healthy eating so that they receive consistent messages around healthy food choices
  • 3provide more opportunities for younger children to express themselves fully through creative activities.
Inspection #10234617 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

They discuss how their children are happy and settled.

In addition, they comment how much progress their children make.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Staff have identified that, due to the pandemic, some children need extra support to develop their social skills. They plan activities to help children to develop these skills. For example, staff encourage children to share and take turns as they play a shopping game.

Outdoor space

Children have many opportunities to practise their physical skills. For example, they take part in an exercise session.

Parent Reviews of Little Acorns (North East)

5.0
(10)
Hope Dunn
2 years ago

Fantastic nursery! Staff are amazing and so lovely. My little boy enjoys being here and has come on so much since he has started. Couldn’t recommend more! Always keep you updated on how your child is and their activities. :)

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Annalise Lake
2 years ago

The nursery is absolutely fabulous, the staff are so generous and are amazing with all children. My little boy started in January and he has came such a long way he’s a lot more confident and has developed so well in such a short time talking! All the staff go above and beyond for all children and make the children’s time they’re such a good experience. They always do different activities for the children too! Couldn’t thank them enough for everything they do ❤️

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Amy Stephenson
2 years ago

After working in Nurseries for the past ten years I can say I've experienced many different nurseries. Nurseries that have "outstanding" ofsted ratings, nurseries that are in very good areas, nurseries that have more resources that you could possibly imagine. However none of those nurseries compare to Little Acorns. The love, care and passion that these girls have for the children, families and each other as a team shows in everything little thing that they do. As a mam all you want is to know your children are safe and happy. From the first day I took Matilda to Little Acorns I knew that all the staff would hold a small piece of Matilda's heart. I will make sure she never forgets where her journey begun and her teachers who were there to look after her and help her grow. Thank you!

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Angela Cornwall
2 years ago

Brilliant nursery, my daughter has thoroughly enjoyed her time here. The staff go above and beyond to help and look after the children. Gracie will miss them all.

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Emma Spencer
2 years ago

Brilliant nursery, the staff are friendly and helpful and my little girl loves going there, they keep you updated by tapestry and the little ones gets to fetch alot of there work home, they do cute little things on special occasions, the staff go above and beyond there incredible xxx

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Little Acorns (North East). See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: February 2009

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

  • May 2022Good
  • April 2022Good
  • April 2017Good
  • March 2017Good
  • May 2014Good
  • March 2014Good
  • March 2009Good
  • February 2009Good

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