Little Acorns Pre-School
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Huntingdon for children from birth to 5, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in December 2023. Open since 1995, with 24 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 Cambridgeshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cambridgeshire 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
PE29 6UHWhat 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, 6 December 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happy and settle quickly in the pre-school. Staff provide a welcoming and secure environment, where children feel safe and valued. They are kind and encouraging, helping children to develop high levels of self-confidence and positive attitudes to learning. Children enjoy a wide range of exploratory play opportunities. For example, they explore ice they find in the garden and use tools to scrape and break it up. Staff consider the learning environment to support children's access to resources. As a result, children confidently access tools and equipment independently to support their learning. Children are curious and staff support their investigations by allowing them to test out their ideas. For instance, children fill containers with water and other materials. They make predictions about what will happen to them when left overnight in the cold weather.
Children form close and affectionate bonds with staff. They actively seek them out to join in with their games and enjoy their playful interactions. This helps to support children to remain engaged in activities. Children behave well and follow the good example set by staff, who use gentle reminders to reinforce behavioural expectations. Staff are nurturing in their approach to children's emotional wellbeing. This helps to support a calm environment where children are friendly, polite and enjoy being helpful.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- build on the already good practice and seek further ways to help all staff develop first-rate teaching skills.
- 6 December 2023Good
- 6 March 2018Good
- 18 June 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Acorns Pre-School
- 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.