Ruardean Acorns
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Ruardean for children from birth to 8+, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 March 2022. Open since 2001, 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 Gloucestershire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Gloucestershire 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
GL17 9XQWhat 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, 3 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and settled. The manager and staff plan an exciting curriculum to engage and teach children well. Children take part in varied activities that help them to learn and develop, including for when they move onto school. Children get the chance to play games and be physical in the school hall, join in playtimes in the school playground, and learn about nature and wildlife when exploring the forest area.
Children investigate and experiment as they play. They have real food in the play farm. They tell staff that the lentils are 'hard and spiky'. They melt ice cubes in their hands to create a pond for the pretend ducks. They tell staff it is because their hands are hot that the ice turns back into water. They talk about the cows and that they get milk from them.
Children are creative and use their imaginations. Some children work together to make a 'tea party'. They share pasta out onto different plates, make 'cups of tea'
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- improve the way staff use opportunities during activities to extend children's learning and development n make sure staff take note of and support quieter children to help them to join in and engage in activities.
- 3 March 2022Good
- 23 June 2015Outstanding
- 15 May 2009Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Ruardean Acorns
- 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.