Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook)

Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1LQ
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10 57 Reviews
  • Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook), Bedford
Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) is set in the beautiful grounds of Colworth Science Park, and offers a homely atmosphere in which your child can relax and have fun whilst learning and socialising with other children.

The team of qualified, experienced and dedicated staff provide the best possible care for your child within the context of a happy and secure environment.

The nursery is dedicated to providing high-quality care and education for children aged four months to four years, working in partnership with parents to help children learn and develop.

Children have use of a large indoor nursery space, as well as access to a secure and secluded private garden at the back of the nursery. The garden is a wonderful outdoor area with plenty of space to run around and play.

The children not only get to play outdoors in a safe environment, but gain access to a host of new experiences and education about nature and the world around them, the local wildlife, and how the environment changes through the seasons.

Through active playing and exploration, children are learning skills such as problem solving, spatial-awareness and mathematical language.

Their menus have been carefully planned to be both seasonal and nutritionally balanced and tasty ensuring clean plates every time! Their cook prepares all the nursery meals and snacks onsite each day providing nutritionally balanced meals which are both healthy and appetising. Acorn only use fresh, local, ethically sourced produce to create their delicious meal and can accommodate most dietary requirements and have won several awards for their food.

You are very welcome to visit the nursery to see the facilities and meet the staff.

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Care Provided by Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook)

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Aimee Bishop (Nursery Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 24
  • Registered Charity Number
  • 1145108
  • Total Places for Children
  • 62
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 4 months
    • to 4 years 11 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:15-18:15
    Tuesday 07:15-18:15
    Wednesday 07:15-18:15
    Thursday 07:15-18:15
    Friday 07:15-18:15
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays, Staff Training Days & between Christmas & New Year

Funding & Fees Guide for Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook)

  • Full time place starting from £1,360
    Full day from £71
    Morning session from £41
    Afternoon session from £37

  • Fees are inclusive of all meals, snacks, drinks (including approved formula milk), nappies and activities.
    We do not charge registration fees, only a £100 deposit which is refunded against the first month’s fees. We don’t charge for settling in sessions, but we do expect payment for all nursery fees to be paid up front at the beginning of each month, which is standard practice for all childcare providers. We do not charge for bank holidays, our four training days each year, or for the three days closure between Christmas and New Year. We do, however, charge for days children don’t attend through illness or holidays, apart from exceptional circumstances.
    Please view the prospectus on our website for a full fees guide.
  • Parking

  • A large car park is located at the front of the nursery


Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) Reviews (57)

Total of 57, showing 21-40
10

Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) has a Review Score of 10 (9.966) out of 10, based on 22 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) has 57 reviews.

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Review from C K (Mother of Child) published on 15 May 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Acorn is an incredible setting. The facilities and outdoor space allow children to actively explore and understand the world. Staff are dedicated to caring and fully understanding children's individual journeys. The nursery feels happy, colourful, and filled with opportunities to learn something new.
Communication between parents and the setting is impressive. Consistent use of the app allows for daily photos (and many of them!), a clear understanding of what the children have eaten and a quick and easy way to make contact with key workers. Having seen a number of nurseries, Acorn, by far, is the best. My son adores it!

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Review from H D (Mother of Child) published on 3 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I’m exceptionally impressed by Acorns Nursery. All of the staff are lovely and clearly go above and beyond with their work.
The activities that the children partake in are so detailed and well thought out. They set up activities that align with the current interests of the children. They even frequently
send the children home with activity bags to do at home.
There is a huge emphasis on outdoor play all year round, not just when it’s nice weather. Every day they are outside exploring and then have a planned morning in the woodlands once a week.
I would highly recommend Acorns!

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Review from Anna B (Mother of Child) published on 13 December 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My husband and I are delighted with the overall care and experience our two children receive at Sharnbrook. The outdoor space and activities provided are fantastic and much care and planning goes into their outside experience, play and learning. The provision of activities, creative play and opportunities
are brilliant. The food provided is varied and healthy and the indoor space is well-managed and accessible to parents. The staff are very energetic, fun, caring and enthusiastic so I know my children have a secure, happy experience there.

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Review from Chloe A (Mother of Child) published on 30 November 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Acorn Day Nursery in Sharnbrook have honestly been amazing and I couldn't recommend them enough. In such a short space of time my son has come on leaps and bounds and all my worries and concerns have been listened to and measures put in place to help push and support my son's development. I'm honestly
so pleased we chose the nursery after being quite worried with my son being so young but I honestly couldn't be happier. My son loves it there, especially his key person! She's definitely one in a million! Goes over and beyond for him and to a point I feel now with only little language she understands him and can communicate in other ways to fulfill his needs and wants. Would recommend them in a heartbeat!

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Review from Victoria H (Mother of Child) published on 30 November 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This childcare setting is excellent! I can't speak highly enough of it. The staff team are amazing and continually goes above and beyond to care for my son. Unfortunately, my son lost his father this year and the team at Acorn has loved him through it. They supported him as he adjusted and continued
to help him hit his developmental markers. The food they provide is great and the activities they do with the children are creative, exciting and developing. This is a fantastic setting, I feel very lucky to have found it and privileged that my son is part of the Acorns family - well done!

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Review from R W (Mother of Child) published on 29 November 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Sharnbrook Acorn Day Nursery is in my opinion the best nursery around. I was extremely anxious about leaving my daughter with anyone other than myself or her daddy. The staff at Acorn Sharnbrook made all my worries disappear. We had a home visit which was great for my daughter as her key worker played
with her to ensure she would remember her when she started. The settling sessions were painless as the staff kept in such close contact with me so I knew exactly what was going on with my girl. Day to day I know everything is fine with her, the app keeps me in close contact knowing if she has eaten and what she has eaten. The meals are healthy and yummy. The activities that are planned are fun and educational. But it's the staff that make this such a wonderful place for the children, they are all great. My daughter is excited to go to nursery and I will be sad for her to leave when it's time for school.

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Review from D L (Father of Child) published on 7 November 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has attended Acorn Day Nursery in Sharnbrook since he was 10 months old. We spent a lot of time looking at different nurseries in the area and agreed that Acorns met all of our expectations of a nursery. Our son has a wonderful bond with his keyworker and the other staff within the setting,
and we are seeing the progress he is making each week. The app is great and was a key part in the settling process, reassuring us with photos and updates on his day. The outdoor space is amazing and the varied experience and activities offered are great. Our son loves going to nursery and that makes us very happy. We have complete trust in the staff and know that our little boy is getting the best care. Admin queries are dealt with quickly and professionally. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

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Review from K B (Mother of Child) published on 23 May 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Acorn nursery Sharnbrook has a been a fantastic place for my child to grow and learn. Having been at the nursery from 1 year old and now leaving for school in September the nursery has been fundamental in helping them grow and mature into a very confident, articulate individual. The outdoor experiences
the children have on an almost daily basis make Acorn stand out from other nurseries and is the reason I still commute to the nursery each day despite working from home. We will certainly miss everyone when we leave at the end of the year.

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Review from Jo-Anne R (Mother of Child) published on 16 May 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The Squirrels team goes above and beyond their call of duty. They are always eager to receive feedback and improve. The bond they have with the kids is great! A lot of thought and preparation goes into the activities prepared for the class, and I love the emphasis on outdoor play and exploration.

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Review from G S (Mother of Child) published on 21 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter loves coming along to Acorn Sharnbrook, she enjoys the forest school and all the varying activities! She has made lots of friends, her creativity has developed and she is very happy. She has also enjoyed trying new foods with the varying kitchen menu. She has developed lovely relationships
with her designated key workers as well.

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Review from Rachel S (Mother of Child) published on 21 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Where do I begin? Acorns Day Nursery in Sharnbrook has provided the highest quality of care for my two daughters since day one. The staff are warm, friendly, and welcoming and the nursery itself is safe, inviting, and consistently interesting and educational with a strong lean towards bringing the outside
in, with nature being at the forefront of all learning. The home-cooked food is outstanding with the children themselves often picking homegrown vegetables and cooking them to eat for lunch the very same day. Any administrative queries have been quickly resolved by the very efficient management team. Overall we could not be happier with the care, love, and attention to detail provided by everyone involved at the nursery, and would highly recommend to all who ask!

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Review from Ted P (Father of Child) published on 21 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter is very settled at Acorn Sharnbrook and always enjoys her time there. There are a great range of activities and the outdoor time and nature-based activities are especially valued. The staff are all kind and attentive and the food menu is healthy and varied. There is great communication
via the app and handovers at pick up. Highly recommend.

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Review from Sarah K (Mother of Child) published on 21 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We feel like Acorn Day Nursery in Sharnbrook is an extension of home for our baby boy. When choosing the nursery it was important to us to feel that the nursery and its staff shared our values. Here we found a safe, loving and happy environment.
We feel our son’s needs are always met and our routines
at home are followed as closely as possible, which meant even as a ‘lockdown baby’ he settled quickly into nursery without any issues. He is cared for by his key worker and all the carers as if a family member. He is genuinely excited to go to nursery. Our son is thriving at Acorn and we feel well supported with his development.
We love the closeness to nature with furniture and toys made from natural materials and the outdoor facilities are unrivalled, in our opinion. A key area for us was the food provided for the children. The seasonal menus offer home-cooked food which our son loves (and always has our mouths watering!).

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Review from Sophie W (Mother of Child) published on 20 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have had two children come through Acorns Day Nursery (Sharnbrook). Child number two is currently in their Oaks Room which is preschool. Having been in the setting since he was 8-months old. The nursery is a fantastic setting and provides the children with the opportunity to be outside in beautiful
surroundings on a daily basis. The activities the staff do and the themed play is so well organised. The app they use is updated regularly so you know what the children are up to throughout the day. I also get great feedback at pick up from his key worker and have done so throughout The menu for food is delicious and varied which is a joy. I cannot recommend Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) enough.

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Review from H J (Mother of Child) published on 20 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has attended Acorn Day Nursery in Sharnbrook since September 2020. The diligence, care and nurture offered by the staff is impressive. From joining as a baby to now moving into Oaks as a 3 year old, my son has had experiences, learning and fun that I could not offer him at home. The staff can't
do enough to support us as parents and are so encouraging with all major milestones. Potty training flowed seamlessly from home to nursery and that was a great comfort to a first-time parent! In short, an outstanding provision.

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Review from Sally R (Mother of Child) published on 19 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My son has been at Acorn Nursery Sharnbrook for eighteen months, first in the baby room and then in the toddler room.
The staff are amazing. They are well trained, responsible and affectionate. They teach the little ones to be happy, confident, kind and polite members of society right from day one.
My
son has complex allergies and leaving him anywhere is a worry, but I am 100% secure when I leave him at nursery every day that he will be safe. The chefs go above and beyond to ensure his food is both safe and nutritious. Generally, the menus are really good and well balanced with a diverse healthy mix of foods.
The ethos of the nursery is fantastic with lots of outdoor time and exploring and learning in all weathers. A distinct lack of plastic junk toys is refreshing as well as pro-active measures to protect the environment from minimal use of animal protein to re-usable nappy sacks.
Importantly they respond to feedback and initiate change where required.

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Review from H R (Mother of Child) published on 19 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The most wonderful team at Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) became part of our family for over three years. Our children have enjoyed the professional, as well as a very personal and caring team in all three rooms. Whenever our kids need it there is always a helping hand, a cuddle and a smile as well
as a listening ear available. Our children and their friends have a fantastic variety of activities throughout the year and as much as possible in their great outdoor play areas. Activities include a fruit and vegetable garden and forest school grounds. The dedication from all the individuals at Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook), as well as the focus on being outside and their delicious, on-site prepared food throughout the day, make this nursery outstanding for us!  


We cannot recommend this nursery highly enough! 5* from us


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Review from Rachel M (Mother of Child) published on 19 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has attended the nursery for the last two years. He loves his time at nursery and highlights include Forest School, cooking, doing yoga and dancing with his friends. The care is superb. The staff care deeply about each child and my son has thrived because of their dedication, enthusiasm and commitment.
He has grown in confidence because of the nurturing environment. He comes home chatting about the adventures of each day or singing the songs he has learnt. The staff are brilliant about following the interests of the children and celebrating their successes. We love getting detailed updates about our son's day through the app as well as being able to chat with his key worker at drop off and pick up.

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Review from Kay H (Mother of Child) published on 19 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My children have been attending Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) for the previous 3-years, my eldest has been in all three rooms and my youngest currently attends the acorn baby room. The nursery has been wonderful to us and our children are happy to go. They love all the activities laid out for them,
these vary each and every day. My eldest loves forestry school, baking and crafts and my youngest is confident in exploring, climbing and showing a keen interest in books. The nursery is a loving and supportive environment. They completed home visits to meet my little ones before they started and set up numerous settling in sessions that I could attend. The nursery app is also updated with daily photos but is also a place I can contact the staff in each room if and when I have wanted to. Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) and its staff are honestly amazing! We couldn't be happier with the nursery and would highly recommend it to all.

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Review from E H (Mother of Child) published on 19 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic setting and environment for our child. Our son started at only 9-months old and we couldn't fault it. During the lockdown period, it was so comforting how they treated our son and us both as new parents. The staff clearly care about the health and progress of our son. They have new activities
daily, woodland adventures, regular updates throughout the day and longer observations about progress. Just fantastic!

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Current Review Score: 10.0 (9.966)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 10 (9.966) out of 10 for Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 22 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 22 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 4.966 for Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) is calculated as follows: ( (255 Excellents x 5) + (9 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 264 Ratings = 4.966

  • 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 Acorn Day Nursery (Sharnbrook) is based on 22 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 62 number of registered child places is 12.4, which has been reached with 22 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.

Child Vacancies

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Awards / Recognitions (11)

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Meet the Team (2)

Aimee

Aimee

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2007

Aimee is a dedicated and experienced professional who takes great joy from overseeing the development of all the children within the nursery and most importantly seeing the smiles on their faces each day. She, along with Deputy Manager Julie Dix, take great pride in the nursery and the team who make it all happen.


Aimee is also Sharnbrook's Designated Safeguarding Lead, so if you ever have any concerns or would like to chat about anything safeguarding related, please visit or call the nursery on 01234 608899 and ask to speak to Aimee directly - alternatively, the setting can provide a direct email address for her.


Julie

Julie

Job Title: Deputy Manager

Joined: 2001

Julie - Deputy Manager


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