Acorns Early Years Centre
Good★ 4.5 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Dartford 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 October 2021. Open since 2003, with 80 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 Kent
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Kent 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
DA2 7UZWhat 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, 27 October 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children, including those who are new to the nursery, settle well on arrival. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, key staff now greet all children and their families warmly at the nursery's main entrance. On arrival, children confidently leave their parents and eagerly seek out enjoyable activities in their base rooms. Older babies'
individual care needs are met well. Staff show respect and consideration when asking them whether they are ready for a nappy change. This has a positive impact on children's confidence and emotional well-being. Children develop good levels of independence. For instance, during group activities, toddlers recognise themselves in photos and proudly place them on a self-registration board. Pre-school children understand their opinions are important to staff and confidently share their ideas.
They engage in meaningful conversations about their drawings and eagerly share their thoughts on items in a curiosity box. Staff are positive role models and have high expectations for children's behaviour. As a result, children show kindness and consideration for each other as they happily share and take turns, such as when using sand play equipment. Older children demonstrate good listening skills and follow nursery routines with minimal disruption. They receive clear guidance from staff during daily routines so that they know when to bring their chosen play to an end.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop teaching of communication and language to extend and increase young children's vocabulary n review the organisation of some daily routines so that children do not spend time waiting for others before going outside to play.
- 27 October 2021Good
- 6 September 2018Good
- 18 January 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Acorns Early Years Centre
- 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.