Acorn at Westcroft
Outstanding★ 3.1 on GoogleBirth to 8+Long established
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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 Outstanding by Ofsted in January 2025. Open since 2012, with 92 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
MK4 4DEWhat 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.
Ofsted inspector, 16 January 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The provider develops a flexible and highly ambitious curriculum to encourage children's healthy development. Outdoor learning plays an integral part of the curriculum, which is very well-sequenced to ensure that all children enjoy the benefits from learning in a natural environment. This includes very young babies, who develop a strong desire to explore the world around them.
All staff believe that children are capable from birth. Staff give children the confidence they need to explore, take manageable risks and be tenacious when trying new experiences. Many children demonstrate development that by far exceeds expectations for their age. For example, very young children can use the toilet, wash their hands and drink from an open cup. Toddlers are developing into confident talkers who can count up to large numbers, and older children read complicated words by sounding out the letters.
The nursery is a hive of busy, meaningful learning. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), thrive in the supportive, nurturing care of the highly skilled staff team. Children show that they are settled, feel secure and are eager to engage with adults to share their learning. Children always behave well and show compassion and care for each other, creating a happy and calm atmosphere.
- 16 January 2025Outstanding Safeguarding: Yes
- 14 February 2019Good
- 10 March 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Acorn at Westcroft
- 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.