Acorn at the Rowans
GoodBirth to 8+Open a few years
A day nursery in Milton Keynes for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2023. Open since 2022, with 46 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Milton Keynes
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Milton Keynes from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
MK11 2BDWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
- 6 March 2024 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
- 1 December 2022 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 24 November 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff create a happy atmosphere in which children and their families feel welcome.
This helps children to feel safe and secure. They are quick to separate from their parents and join their friends at play. Children show confidence as they interact with staff and visitors. They are eager to share their thoughts and feelings about what they like to do at the nursery.
Staff plan activities and experiences to build on what the children already know and can do. This builds children's confidence in their abilities. For example, children explore cause and effect as they pick up leaves and throw them into the air. They watch with delight as the wind carries them as they fall again. Children talk about the seasons and the changes they see in the garden.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to recognise when to allow children more time to process and respond to questions n help children to understand daily routines so that they know what to expect and when.
- 24 November 2023Good
- 1 December 2022Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 1 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Acorn at the Rowans
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.