Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour)

Highland Close, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK3 7PD
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9.9 77 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 (77)

Total of 77, showing 41-60
9.9

Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.864) out of 10, based on 27 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) has 77 reviews.

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  • 73
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Review from K L (Mother of Child) published on 22 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

We love the nursery and they really helped ease my anxiety in regards to going back to work. My daughter gets so excited when driving towards the nursery and can't wait to get in, she's so confident and is learning so much.

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Review from C P (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic nursery, staff are so friendly and keep us updated via the daily app and from staff handovers. My son is so happy here and I love how much time he gets to play outside exploring nature. I highly recommended this nursery.

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Review from Emma P (Mother of Child) published on 1 March 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter is very attached to me and finds it difficult when separated from me, but the staff at Acorns have been amazing and she absolutely loves going into nursery now. She speaks about the girls when she is at home and has an amazing relationship with them all. They are very supportive and lovely
ladies, I couldn’t hope for better people to be looking after my daughter while I work. They also help me with patching her eye which has a squint and it has gone from a stressful task to something she thoroughly enjoys doing. I am always updated with photos and stories of what she has been up to. Absolutely recommend this nursery, they are amazing!

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Review from R J (Father of Child) published on 1 March 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Over the time period that our daughter has attended the Acorn Cold Harbour nursery (2 years and counting), she has received terrific support in her development, her personality, and her overall experience. The staff have a clear focus on the wellbeing of the child and give a detailed view through their
app regarding their meals, sleep, and overall activity. The mix of indoor and outdoor area, with large grass and play areas are what drew us to this nursery. Staff actively engage to make the children comfortable with a wide range of environments, both within the nursery grounds and the surrounding area (parks/shops/etc). Over the COVID lockdown the staff has done everything in their power to keep the children engaged and as such the development of our daughter has seen minimal impact, truly astonishing! Overall I'd wholeheartedly recommend this nursery due to the quality of staff, the freshly cooked meals and the overall joy and pleasure we see in our daughter when she comes and goes!

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Review from Rosie (Mother of Child) published on 11 November 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child has been attending Acorn (Cold Harbour) since she was 9 months old. Over the last 6 months, we’ve had nothing but great experiences. They give us lots of updates and pictures - her diary/log for the day has everything I would want to know on it. My child adores all of the staff and it makes
it so much easier to leave my child with people I trust so much. She has learnt so much from them so far. Would recommend this nursery to anyone! They have a lot of space outside and are constantly coming up with new activities for the children to do.

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Review from Stephanie M (Mother of Child) published on 6 July 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I don’t think I can accurately get across how much I love this nursery! My daughter started at 2 1/2 years old having never been in a childcare setting before and understandably took some settling in. The staff were brilliant and supportive and kept me updated at all times, as well as adapting the settling-in
sessions according to what worked for us. She is so happy and settled there now and looks forward to going! Their child-led approach is so wonderful - the practitioners have activities and equipment set out for the children but if the children show a particular interest in something they aren’t afraid to run with it, meaning the children are captivated and have lots of fun. The way the staff at the nursery communicate with parents via the app is excellent and I feel very much in the loop at all times and I love receiving pictures and updates about my daughter’s day. The staff were also incredible at giving our children some normality in 2020 and for that, I will always be so grateful.

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Review from Kat M (Mother of Child) published on 30 June 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic nursery! We kept our daughter at this site even though it’s not our most convenient, because the quality is so high. The staff are genuinely caring and engaging, and really helped her through a rocky start when she was uncertain about being away from home for the first time. The manager is
very diligent and responsive, and our daughter genuinely loves all the staff who interact with her daily. They have also been brilliantly inclusive about the fact that she has two mums. The quality of the food is also very high; she is far better about eating everything presented to her than she is at home!

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Review from Eulalia L (Mother of Child) published on 29 June 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son started last September and he loves going to nursery to play and have fun with other children. The carers are amazing and he has developed a good understanding of the world and friendship thanks to the guidance of the carers in this nursery

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Review from Kyrene P (Mother of Child) published on 23 June 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have been so so happy with the care that my son receives at Acorn Cold Harbour. The team are such lovely practitioners who care about the children. My son's key worker has been wonderful, always has a smile and my little boy has grown so much in confidence in the time he has been there! I was worried
about how he would transition back to nursery after the lockdown however they settled him back in so well, at a pace that worked for all of us and he was absolutely fine. Management are lovely and responsive and the outdoor space is just amazing. I would 100% recommend this nursery to others. I leave my son there feeling confident that he is in safe hands and that is so important to me as a working mum.

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Review from Gemma B (Mother of Child) published on 22 June 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been attending since September 2020 and they have been brilliant. We chose initially for their outside space and we haven't been disappointed. My son has the freedom to choose what area of the nursery he plays in, he has grown in confidence and at pick up time he always tells me about how
much fun he's had. The staff always keep me updated with the app and are always posting pictures for me as well. Their always so friendly there and my son loves going in every day.
Would 100% recommend this nursery.

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Review from Heather L (Mother of Child) published on 21 June 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The manager and her team are just amazing. My son started here in August 2020 (toddler room) and settled so quickly and happily - the settling-in process is was so well organised that it made it so smooth. The team take such care in getting to know the children and really do know them as individuals.
The child-led, play-based approach is just perfect for my son to thrive and care in terms of toileting, meals, etc also excellent. The outdoor environment is also amazing and I love that my son comes home happy, muddy, and content. Cannot recommend this nursery highly enough!

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Review from Sarah I (Mother of Child) published on 21 June 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been at Acorns Cold Harbour for 7 months and we are very happy with the care he has received. We were initially drawn to the nursery because of its large spacious rooms and good-sized outdoor areas especially in comparison to some others we visited. As our son is so energetic this was a must
for us. The nursery staff are all extremely friendly and welcoming and my son is always so happy to go to nursery, he literally runs in. One staff member, in particular, has been brilliant at helping my son with some of the areas he struggles in and is always available to talk through any of our concerns, provide feedback and update us on how his day was. We would highly recommend Acorn at Cold Harbour.

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Review from Carmen T (Mother of Child) published on 21 June 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter loves going to this nursery and she settled really quickly. Very good communication with all their staff, nice menus created especially for them and loads of outdoor space with a huge garden and forest area. My little one changed so much since she started nursery. Thank you to all the lovely
ladies working there and to the manager as they are all doing a great job.

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Review from Chelsea J (Mother of Child) published on 21 June 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter absolutely loves going here! The manager and team are so friendly and welcoming. Since going here my daughter has grown so much in confidence and has learned so much already. Highly recommend this nursery.

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Review from Megan L (Mother of Child) published on 21 June 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Acorn at Cold Harbour is a lovely nursery. I’m so happy I chose to send my daughter there. I was a little worried about how she’d settle there as she had been at home alone with me throughout the pandemic and was nervous around unfamiliar people. The nursery was so understanding and supportive, she
had a really gentle settling-in process and has bonded well with her key person, who is wonderful. She now looks forward to nursery all week and always comes home happy and covered in whatever sensory activity they have done that day! The nursery has a great focus on the outdoors and this really suits my daughter. She is thriving there. Thank you!

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Review from Frankie M (Mother of Child) published on 21 June 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I was very reluctant to put my little boy into a nursery, purely because of Covid. However, after a recommendation, we decided to enroll him at Acorn in February and it was the best decision we made. He has progressed so much since being there. The staff are amazing and the regular updates are great!

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Review from Chantelle F (Mother of Child) published on 21 June 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is a fun, friendly and safe nursery. My daughter absolutely loves coming here! Her key workers are lovely, and really take good care of her, as well as encouraging her throughout various aspects of her day. She always has a smile on her face, and often tells us about her wonderful day at nursery.
She particularly loves being outside, and especially Forest School. I also love the app, and communication between the nursery and parents. I love that I can look at any time of the day and know what my daughter has been up to. We love when she has a review, and can see all of her lovely pictures and the progress which she’s made.

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Review from Lynnette P (Mother of Child) published on 12 February 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter loves her nursery, this is her second nursery and I was nervous about changing her but from her first day, she has loved nursery. When I drop her off she is greeted by her lovely nursery teachers who welcome her in with warm hugs... picking her up she is full of smiles, my daughter loves
the outdoors and she loves been outside so finding a nursery that is open door was great for her. She has learnt so much since been at the nursery.

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Review from Naomi K (Mother of Child) published on 23 December 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Since our youngest joined at the opening of the nursery, he has received excellent care. The staff are able to pay attention to each child's unique place in their physical and emotional development and tailor their interventions to support this.
Practically, we have borrowed from their culturally expansive
book lending scheme, our boy has grown in his love and curiosity for nature from the nurseries forest school philosophy, and they have put so much effort in the process of getting our boy settled into nursery before and after lockdown.

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Review from Lynn T (Grandmother of Child) published on 10 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

A simply wonderful nursery for my granddaughter. She is a very outdoorsy type of toddler who loves the amazing garden area where lots of activities are based. She enjoys reading in the outdoor hut in the rain. The nursery equally has wonderful indoor activities. She is a very fussy eater but eats really
well at nursery. I love the fact that I can keep up to date on her progress via the app the nursery uses (Famly). I can see pictures of what she has been up to that day. She reacts really well with the caring staff who have really helped her grow and progress.

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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.864)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.864) 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 27 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 27 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 4.864 for Acorn Day Nursery (Cold Harbour) is calculated as follows: ( (286 Excellents x 5) + (30 Goods x 4) + (7 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 323 Ratings = 4.864

  • 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 27 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 27 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


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.