Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean

Draycott Road, Upper Tean, Stoke-on-Trent ST10 4JJ
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9.9 128 Reviews
  • Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean, Stoke-on-Trent
Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean is rated 'Outstanding in All Areas' by Ofsted (November 2019) and is situated within picturesque countryside and is easily accessible from the A50. The nursery has been refurbished to offer spacious, age-appropriate rooms for babies, toddlers and pre-school children. The outside space has been transformed to provide a range of outdoor learning environments for children to enjoy.

A friendly and enthusiastic team of staff are fully trained and experienced to provide a rich and stimulating learning environment for the children to learn, explore and play in. The ratio of staff to children is high to ensure each child receives the maximum level of support and care.

Children 1st has been an award-winning, family-run childcare provider since 1988 and is an accredited training centre. The company is in the Top 3 in the UK for Ofsted Outstanding results according to the 2021 Nursery World Nursery Chains Report.

The nursery features a large garden designed to maximise the potential for outdoor play in all weather conditions, with carefully chosen, age-specific equipment. The staff encourage the children to choose their own activities both indoors and outdoors to support independent learning.

The nursery operates an open door policy and welcomes parents to share information about their child on a daily basis.

An 'out of school' care facility is also available for children aged between five and twelve years. Funded places are available for eligible 2, 3 and 4-year-olds.

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Care Provided by Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Dawn McCusker (Nursery Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 34
  • Total Places for Children
  • 140
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 2 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:30-18:00
    Tuesday 07:30-18:00
    Wednesday 07:30-18:00
    Thursday 07:30-18:00
    Friday 07:30-18:00
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean Reviews (128)

Total of 128, showing 1-20
9.9

Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.933) out of 10, based on 41 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean has 128 reviews.

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Review from K C (Mother of Child) published on 1 July 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child loves attending nursery. He has lots of opportunities to do tasks he enjoys, play outside, and engage with others.
He has been supported well through his speech development struggles and has strong relationships with the staff.

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Review from Y C (Mother of Child) published on 28 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

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 is 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.

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Review from Jade H (Mother of Child) published on 7 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Acorns is an absolutely fantastic nursery with wonderful staff, whose care, dedication and passion make the nursery a fabulous environment for the children. We wouldn’t send our daughter anywhere else - they really are the best!

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Review from Melissa S (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Worthy of their outstanding rating. My daughter has been attending since she was 9 months old and has thrived in their care. All of the staff are helpful and friendly and their commitment to the happiness, safety and development of all children is obvious. The facilities are unmatched by other local
nurseries and we have felt reassured in choosing them since our initial tour.

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Review from Liz H (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean has a fantastic team. I am a mother of 3 children and my 3rd child has just started here. I'm always confident that when I leave they will be happy. The outdoor space is amazing and the nursery feels fresh and open. The team are very supportive and will take time to
discuss your needs or just be there to give you a helping hand if you feel like you need it especially when initially getting used to drop-offs. Fabulous team, thank you, everyone.

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Review from Lucy B (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

One word to describe Children 1st Acorns.
Wow! What a fantastic, beautiful nursery! Fantastic setting in a perfect location! Nothing is ever too much. Staff are friendly and down to earth. We love Children 1st Acorns and are glad we picked it! Our daughter loves it so much she cries to go on a Saturday
and Sunday.

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Review from E L (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter just started at the beginning of February, her sessions at Children 1st Acorns and she loves it. I am very impressed with the amount of feedback they are giving about what she's been up to during the day. I really love the location of the nursery as kids have so much room available to explore
and have fun.
As a mom, I've been concerned about how she will adapt but I'm amazed how smooth has been the transition. The ladies there are lovely and caring and they helped Lilly to get settled quickly. Also, it's the first time when my little one is eating everything at every meal, no exception. And that for me is amazing news. I think most parents can relate to how hard it is to get them to eat when home.
I would like to say Thank you, Children's 1st @Acorns for all your hard work to keep our kids happy.

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Review from Amy M (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has attended Children 1st Acorns since she was 9 months old and has loved every second of it.
She has learnt so much in her time there and I would highly recommend Children 1st Acorns to anyone who is looking to enrol their child into a nursery.
The staff are amazing and do as much as
they can to help if you have an issue or need an extra session.

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Review from Leigh H (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We absolutely love this nursery. The staff made the whole settling-in process so easy, we found it a bit overwhelming with it being our first child but the ladies made everything really easy and comfortable, and we still don’t know how the manager remembers all the names and details about all the kids
so well!
Communication is excellent and all the staff are really friendly and polite.
Our little girl's development has come on even after just a couple of months of her attending and we couldn’t be happier!

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Review from Emily H (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Amazing. Great for after-school care and also for school holiday care. My child loves coming and I struggle to get her out most nights! She loves the activities and the food. Well done!

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Review from A O (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child has attended Children 1st nursery since she was 12 months old four days a week. She has excelled since being at nursery and the staff have been excellent in supporting her with walking, speech, potty training and social skills. She has formed many close bonds with the staff and it is lovely
to know how cared for she is. Now at almost 3, she comes home every day chattering all about the things she has been doing and especially the lovely food she has been eating!

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Review from Rebecca M (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending for almost a year now and I have nothing but positive things to say about Children 1st Upper Tean.
I feel the staff go above and beyond to meet my daughter's needs and the manager is so supportive, and I would without a doubt recommend this nursery.
The facilities are
amazing indoors and outdoors, and my daughter's confidence has grown and developed greatly while attending Children 1st.

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Review from Brooke B (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic nursery - staff are friendly and welcoming to the parents - any questions or issues raised are always taken on board.
My children absolutely love it here - I send both of them here, my 18-month-old and my 7-year-old in the school room (before and after school) he loves it so much that we’re
the last people to leave on a Thursday/Friday!
My 18 month has just moved up as they have recognised she’s ready for more challenging activities, and that her being in the baby room isn’t as stimulating anymore, when she started she was a nightmare crying for me, but it didn’t take long for her to settle, and the staff kept reassuring me she just cried mostly at pick up time as she knew it was time to come home.
I would not send my children to another nursery as the care they receive is just fantastic.
Keep up the good work all of you, 10/10.
Shout out to the best ladies around! Make me feel like they love my children just as much as I do!

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Review from Claire B (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son absolutely loves this nursery, he has been going to the nursery since he was a baby, and now he’s in after school club there. We had to change briefly, due to work circumstances, but now he is back he is so much happier and he is always telling me so! The outdoor area is fantastic and he loves
playing outdoors with his friends there after school. It’s a clean, bright, friendly environment with good safety measures in place. I searched around a lot of nurseries before deciding on this one and I’d highly recommend it.

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Review from A J (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

What a nursery! My daughter has been going since she was 1 year old, and for the last 8 months, I have watched her grow in confidence and really flourish here. This nursery puts so much care into the children, nothing is too much for them. I was quite anxious about her starting nursery due to an allergy
and they have been excellent with it, which really puts my mind at ease. It's a joy to send her here and she now looks forward to going in. Thank you Children 1st!

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Review from Samantha A (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Lovely, caring atmosphere. Staff go above and beyond to support both the families and children. The equipment is brilliant as are the outdoor facilities. Our daughter has been there since she was 10 months old and she has grown with the nursery, they really know and care about the children.

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Review from Victoria W (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I’ve had 3 children attend Children 1st since they turned 1, and the care they have received has been outstanding. I never have any worries about leaving my child, and the team are always professional, sensible and considerate. The team always have time to listen to any questions or concerns parents
may have. They are attentive to each child’s needs and it is wonderful to watch my children develop relationships with their key workers and other staff. My children eat well, join in many different activities and are always happy on drop off and pick up. I always recommend Children 1st to anyone looking for a nursery!

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Review from D F (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All three of my children have attended Children 1st, my youngest has been there for a few months now and I wouldn’t have considered sending him anywhere else. All of my children have been welcomed into the setting and have enjoyed their time in the nursery. The staff are lovely and friendly and the
nursery facilities indoors and Outdoors are excellent. I love the variety of indoor/outdoor activities especially as they move up through the groups.
It is probably a bit more expensive than some other nurseries but it is definitely worth the extra cost.

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Review from G C (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has attended nursery since he was just 6 months old. He is 2.5 now and has grown and developed in the most amazing way and we can’t thank the wonderful and dedicated staff enough for their support and encouragement so that our son can have the confidence to be the best he can be. We are reassured
he is safe and cared for. We really could not have chosen a better nursery.

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Review from Amelia A (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little boy has very recently joined Children 1st Nursery and I have nothing but positive things to say!
Every day we have such a beautiful welcome, it feels like a home from home. The nursery is so clean and bright.
Greeted with smiles and such warmth.
Like any parent, the worry of the big milestone
of starting nursery was overwhelming, but seeing my little boy put his arms out to his nursery workers at each drop-off fills me with such comfort. To know that after just 2 half sessions he had felt so at ease and happy to be there is the best feeling. He has bought home pictures he has made and every day we have had such great communication about his day.
We are only one month into our nursery journey but already so happy that we chose here to be a part of our lives and it is the place to watch our child grow.
Thank you!

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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.933)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.933) out of 10 for Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 41 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 41 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.933 for Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean is calculated as follows: ( (459 Excellents x 5) + (31 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 491 Ratings = 4.933

  • b) 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5').

    The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean is based on 41 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 140 number of registered child places is 28, which has been reached with 41 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

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Meet the Team (1)

Dawn

Dawn McCusker

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2006

Let me introduce myself, I am Dawn McCusker, Nursery Manager at Children 1st @ Upper Tean, Acorns. I started my career way back in 1993 after gaining my NNEB qualification at Stoke on Trent College. Over the years, I have gained a great deal of experience working within the Early Years sector. I also hold a NVQ Level 4 in Nursery Management and have successfully held my position as Nursery Manager since 2006.


Together, Children 1st and myself have a clear vision for the future in raising the standards for all children. I have high expectations in driving the Children 1st ethos forward, ‘Leading the way, shaping the future’ and our dedicated team are embracing the fantastic new journey that lies ahead. Here at Children 1st @ Upper Tean Acorn’s we have built good relationships with parents and the local community, where our friendly yet professional approach has always achieved success.


I consider that every child is important and that they should all receive the very best care and education available – providing fun and engaging activities for learning through play. I believe that I have the drive and vision to contribute to making a difference in this wonderful Early Years setting, providing the highest quality care, so children can reach their full potential. I feel that the dedicated, hardworking, team ethos at Children 1st would provide the perfect setting for your little one(s).


Frequently Asked Questions about Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean

What is the Age Range of Children that Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean accepts?

Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean accepts Children aged from 0 years 2 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean Open?

Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean is open: Monday 07:30-18:00, Tuesday 07:30-18:00, Wednesday 07:30-18:00, Thursday 07:30-18:00, Friday 07:30-18:00.

How many Children does Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean have capacity for?

Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean has capacity for a total of 140 Children.

How far is Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean to the centre of Stoke-on-Trent?

8.3 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Children 1st @ Acorns Upper Tean has a Platinum Service – more info.