The Acorn Nursery School
OutstandingTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Cranleigh for from 1 year up to school age, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in May 2025. Open since 1994, with 109 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
Eligible working parents may receive up to 30 hours of government-funded childcare each week, for 38 weeks of the year, from the term after their child turns nine months until they start school. The Acorn welcomes children from 12 months, and eligible families can use their funded hours with us from this age. We also accept funding for eligible two-year-olds receiving additional support and the un.
Worth knowing. All funded places are subject to eligibility, availability and our funding terms.
What childcare usually costs in Surrey
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Surrey 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
GU6 8ARWhat 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.
- 3 February 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 22 May 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The highly skilled staff prioritise the happiness and well-being of all the children in their care. They nurture children in a way that makes them feel loved and cared for. As a result, children arrive excited to start their day. Staff expertly interweave different areas of the curriculum into their practice and place a strong importance on using 'books as hooks' to support children's learning. For example, the story
'Jasper's Beanstalk' prompted the staff and children to plant vegetables, such as potatoes, beans and peas. The story 'Handa's Surprise' prompted discussions about healthy eating, and staff then set up a display to show parents how much sugar is in different foods.
Across the nursery, the children have delighted in watching how caterpillars turn into butterflies. Toddlers watch in awe as they release their butterflies and say
- 22 May 2025Outstanding Safeguarding: Yes
- 1 July 2019Outstanding
- 29 June 2015Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Acorn Nursery School
- What it costs
- 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
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.
- What does it cost, all in? 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.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.