Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour)

Highland Close, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK3 7PD
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9.9 76 Reviews
  • Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour), Milton Keynes
Acorn at Cold Harbour, West Bletchley.

The nursery provides full day care and sessional places for babies, toddlers and children from four months to four years of age, and the nursery will accept funded two, three and four-year-olds, subject to eligibility.

Since taking over the Cold Harbour pre-school lease of the former children’s centre, staff have been working extremely hard transforming it. The nursery is also combined with an outdoor learning centre, building on a popular Forest School provision and reputation for Forest School training.

This includes an outdoor holiday playscheme which will operate in the school holidays.

Please contact if you would like to reserve a place or book a show-around.

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Care Provided by Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour)

  • 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
  • Sammy Bradbury (Nursery Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 19
  • Registered Charity Number
  • 1145108
  • Total Places for Children
  • 54
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 4 months
    • to 4 years 11 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:30-18:15
    Tuesday 07:30-18:15
    Wednesday 07:30-18:15
    Thursday 07:30-18:15
    Friday 07:30-18:15
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holiday, Staff Training Days & between Christmas & New Year

Funding & Fees Guide for Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour)

  • Full time place from £1,500
    Full day from £79.50
    Morning session from £44.50
    Afternoon session from £40.00

  • 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

  • There is a small designated area for parking for drop off and pick up directly outside the nursery, There is also on street parking outside the nursery.


Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) Reviews (76)

Total of 76, showing 1-20
9.9

Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.859) out of 10, based on 26 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) has 76 reviews.

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Review from Chelsie G (Mother of Child) published on 19 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter started here in the Acorn room in November last year when she had just turned one and she absolutely loves it! Her face lights up of a morning when she realises where we are. Her speech has come on greatly since starting here. You are kept up to date throughout the day via their app which
is great when you're at work missing your little one. The staff are all lovely & very accommodating. Cold Harbour is exactly what you would want from a nursery setting.

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Review from K C (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

After moving our son to Acorn just before Christmas, it's amazing how quickly he settled and adapted to another new setting. The staff at Cold Harbour are amazing, they always communicate any small detail and take the time to know all of the children in their care, their routines and what works for
them. The children always have plenty of activities in provision set out for them for the day and our son seems to gain so much from being there! We've noticed how much he has progressed already in such a short time. Thank you to all the lovely Cold Harbour Acorn team!

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Review from Nikki B (Mother of Child) published on 7 October 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Acorn at Cold Harbour has such lovely staff that are always accommodating and try their best to meet our child's needs. Our child enjoys the activities that are on offer at the nursery and loves the outdoor play.

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Review from L C (Mother of Child) published on 13 September 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

When my son moved up from the baby room to the next room he took a while to settle (as initially the the older children from the next room up were mixed with his new room which was a little overwhelming for him).
However, my child's key worker made an extra effort to send more updates to reassure me.
She was very friendly and built a very good relationship with my son.
The team takes the children out on shop visits, to the park and they go to the forest school which is brilliant.
The admin staff also do a great job and are very helpful.
My only criticism would be about the food. Their prospectus gives an example menu showing a varied snack & lunch offering (that they offer toast or crumpets as a snack) but most of the time it was a rice cracker with dairy-free spread and occasionally fruit. I think the food offering could be improved.
The building inside is looking a little tired.

Reply from Jordan Taylor, Admin at Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour)

Thank you for your feedback. Our menus are currently in the process of changing over to our Winter menu ready for October. This includes a much wider variety of snacks throughout the nursery. We will pass on your lovely comments to your child's Key Person, it's been a pleasure having them with us! We wish you all the best of luck for the future!


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Review from A G (Mother of Child) published on 29 August 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been attending Cold Harbour since April 2021. We have been happy with the care and support he has received. I think the outdoor opportunities are amazing and he loves forest school.

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Review from S M (Mother of Child) published on 27 August 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Staff were welcoming and they communicated effectively.
The nursery has plenty of activities for the children and outdoor space for outdoor activities.
The nursery provides cooked food for the children
The children have a key worker who reviews the child's progress and liaises with parents.

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Review from Stewart J (Father of Child) published on 8 August 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has been at the nursery for 3 years and we cannot speak highly enough of the care and support we have received as a family. Our son has autism and the nursery has been so supportive in ensuring he is included in activities and has ensured he has been able to thrive and develop during his time
at nursery. The staff are all fantastic, in particular our son's key worker who feels like part of our own family! The children are encouraged to explore the vast outside space, which is a fantastic space for the children to play, learn and develop. The staff create imaginative play settings for the children to enjoy and have a vast array of resources available to them. I'd recommend Acorns at Cold Harbour to anyone!

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Review from Shannon C (Mother of Child) published on 8 August 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Me and the father feel that nursery has really been a beacon for our daughter. From the day she started to finishing now... she's come on leaps and bounds and we couldn't be more thankful for all the staff members for everything they do. She's had the best time here and will definitely miss everyone.
Thank you all!

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Review from Victoria W (Mother of Child) published on 8 August 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The nursery has been so welcoming and attentive since day 1. They keep us updated throughout the day on his eating, sleeping and activities, which is lovely to see! All the staff at the nursery know him and us, which gives it such a personal feel - he really feels valued. We love watching him learn
and explore there and would recommend them to anyone.

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Review from D S (Father of Child) published on 31 July 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child is 2 years old and loves the nursery. Since joining Cold Harbour her confidence has grown so much thanks to the staff and the environment that they provide. My daughter is very sensitive and was difficult to settle at first but the staff persevered and provided her with lots of care and affection
which helped her to settle and now she waves goodbye as she happily runs in each morning.

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

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Excellent nursery setting with excellent outdoor play areas. Lovely staff within the Acorn team, who really enjoy being with all the children as well as being excellent at caring for all their needs away from home. The app is great for keeping in touch. Would highly recommend.

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Review from Ricky M (Father of Child) published on 26 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has attended this nursery for seven months now and has thrived, being premature it was always a worry that he was going to be behind on his development but with the help of the nursery, he has come such a long way! The staff are fantastic and very welcoming in the baby room and his key person
goes above and beyond to meet his needs, she is amazing with him. He loves everyone there and goes in so happy, it's lovely to see. The nursery has an app in which you can see everything they have done, from nappy changes to how much they have eaten and tells you when they are asleep, so it’s nice to be able to see how he's getting on. They upload photos regularly to show all the activities they have been doing during the day and any outings they have been on. The food provided is great, always giving them a hot, healthy meal at lunchtime. A great outdoor space available to them at any time. I would highly recommend Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour), it is lovely to see how much they really do care about our children.

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Review from Matt G (Father of Child) published on 19 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter loves nursery. Whenever we drop her off in the morning she always runs in because she is so excited to be there and I think it's down to the staff. They are all so friendly, helpful and welcoming and always find brilliant new ways for the kids to discover and interact with new things.

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Review from Rahana K (Mother of Child) published on 19 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending the nursery since April 2023 and has learnt so much. She used to be very timid and shy, but is now very confident and bubbly. The staff are all amazing. I'm so glad I chose this nursery. The nursery takes care of all her dietary requirements and she's actually learnt how
to use cutlery by herself now from nursery. She's become very independent since attending the nursery.

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Review from S G (Father of Child) published on 19 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Brilliant nursery, our baby is thriving there and you can see how happy he is when he comes home. They are very good with activities, feeding and work with us to develop a nap routine. For the 4 days a week he is there we can see how well he is developing. The app is a great way of being updated throughout
the day and everything is logged on there from naps, nappy changes and feeding. Our daughter went there for 3 years and now our son has been there for a month and will see out his nursery days there too.

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Review from Miriam B (Mother of Child) published on 19 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

So pleased with this nursery. I feel that a very clear sign is that my daughter thoroughly enjoys nursery goes in very happy and comes out at the end of the day tired and dirty from all the activities and fun that have been had. You can tell she has a very strong relationship with her key worker and
I feel very safe leaving her in her care. Having worked in a number of nurseries personally over the years, I can tell that this nursery provides exceptional care to children.

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Review from Stacey L (Mother of Child) published on 19 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We were anxious as any parent is about our boy starting nursery, however were even more anxious as he requires the use of hearing aids, someone to ensure the care and maintenance of these, that they are worn at all times and were worried about the noise levels and how he would cope with this.
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staff however were fantastic, sending us photos within 20 minutes of us dropping him off happy as Larry! Drop-off was a struggle for a good 3 months as he only attended one day a week at that time but again staff were so patient with him, handover was always so comprehensive and they always put our minds at ease. Having use of the app enabled us to check in on our son throughout the day which was really comforting when we could see how well he was eating, a sure sign he was happy!
5 months on and our son is now attending 2 days a week, loves all the activities on offer which are so imaginative and his speech is really coming on. We couldn’t be happier having chosen Acorns!

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Review from Demi G (Mother of Child) published on 19 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I must say, this nursery is outstanding. It's so wonderful that I have decided to bring my son here after my daughter attended four years ago. My daughter gained a lot of confidence, built great friendships, and loved her key worker and the chef. I'm happy to see that the same high standard is being
maintained, and I would definitely recommend this nursery. In fact, I would even travel to bring my children here if I moved away.

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Review from L B (Mother of Child) published on 12 March 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The team at Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) made the transition to the nursery easy, they treated our son as an individual and were happy to accommodate his own routine and needs. The team is extremely caring and has even checked in with us on days he is not in. Even when drop-off is tricky, we feel
reassured knowing our son is in a safe and caring environment. The app is used regularly, with frequent communications and photos. The nursery is set up every day with fun, relevant and appropriate activities. The staff are always happy and smiling.

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Review from Amy O (Mother of Child) published on 11 March 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The nursery has been amazing. I'm very fussy with who I leave my son with, however, I've always felt reassured he is in good care at the nursery. His confidence, speech, eating and sleep have improved so much since going there. I can tell everyone (especially his key worker) is really invested in how
my son grows and he's built good relationships with everyone. Thanks for everything you do!

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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.859)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.859) out of 10 for Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) 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 26 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 26 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 4.859 for Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) is calculated as follows: ( (274 Excellents x 5) + (30 Goods x 4) + (7 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 311 Ratings = 4.859

  • 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 (Cold Harbour) is based on 26 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 54 number of registered child places is 10.8, which has been reached with 26 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 (3)

Sammy

Sammy Bradbury

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2012

Sammy joined Acorn in 2012, starting at our nursery at Jubilee Wood and has gone from Deputy Manager to Nursery Manager at Cold Harbour. She has a wealth of experience working within the childcare sector and holds a Level 4 qualification.


She is very passionate and proud of providing the highest standard of care and learning opportunities to all children within the setting and believes in giving the children a home-from-home experience during their time at nursery.


Sammy is also Cold Harbour'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 01908 983393 and ask to speak to Sammy directly - alternatively, the setting can provide a direct email address for her.


Jordan

Jordan Taylor

Job Title: Nursery Administrator

Joined: 2023

Jordan Taylor


Lauren

Lauren

Job Title: Senior Practitioner

Joined: 2020

Lauren - Senior Practitioner


Frequently Asked Questions about Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour)

What is the Age Range of Children that Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) accepts?

Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) accepts Children aged from 0 years 4 months to 4 years 11 months.

What Days & Hours is Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) Open?

Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) is open: Monday 07:30-18:15, Tuesday 07:30-18:15, Wednesday 07:30-18:15, Thursday 07:30-18:15, Friday 07:30-18:15.

How many Children does Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) have capacity for?

Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) has capacity for a total of 54 Children.

How far is Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) to the centre of Milton Keynes?

1.7 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 Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) has a Platinum Service – more info.