Little Acorns Playgroup
OutstandingTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Dorchester for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. £50.00 a day for under 2, and they take the funded hours. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in June 2024. Open since 2004, with 26 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Price list dated September 2025.
| Age | Full day | Session | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 2birth to 2y | £50.00All day | £8.00Lunch £18.00Afternoon, 2.2 hrs £24.00Morning, 3 hrs | £8.00per hour | |
| All ages | £43.75All day | £7.00Lunch £15.75Afternoon, 2.2 hrs £21.00Morning, 3 hrs | £7.00per hour |
What a funded hour still costs
Funded hours cover the childcare. These are charged alongside them.
- £1.02 an hour charitable contributionopt in
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
Funded hours
15 hour funding for 2 year olds is available for eligible families. From September 2025 30 hour funding may be available to eligible families. All children are eligible for 15 hours of free childcare from the term after their third birthday. Some families are eligible for 30 hours of funded childcare.
Worth knowing. Due to our capacity and current waiting list, we may not be able to offer spaces to cover all your child’s funding. Little Acorns does not charge for consumables. We do have the option to opt into a charitable contribution of £1.02 an hour on funded hours.
What childcare usually costs in Dorset
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Dorset 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
DT2 0JYWhat 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, 20 June 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Leaders and staff embed a well-sequenced and focused curriculum that is tailored to suit children's individual needs and interests. Younger children receive excellent support to build on their physical skills as they independently climb up and over the climbing frame. Older children show strong core strength when pulling themselves up and swing confidently from the rope swing. Staff use highly skilled interactions to extend children's learning. For example, during group times, they slowly break down various words such as 'sh-ee-p', and children recognise these sounds and develop words as they shout 'sheep'. Children are ready for their next stage of learning. Younger children develop their awareness of sounds by banging pots and pans together. Staff nurture these interests and begin to dance and clap. Children smile and continue to bang various objects. Children are confident, motivated and curious learners.
Staff are highly motivated and excellent role models. Children develop resilience and learn to manage conflict themselves. For example, children navigate taking turns, and staff ask, 'How are we going to solve this?' Children develop a strong sense of belonging and take tremendous pride in what makes them unique. For example, staff invite children to talk about their family, traditions and cultures.
Children explore various languages and share key words with each other. Children show a 'can-do' attitude and persist when things become challenging.
- 20 June 2024Outstanding
- 19 September 2018Good
- 18 September 2017Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Acorns Playgroup
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- Is £50.00 a day still the rate? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? 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.