What Ofsted grade does Little Acorns have?

Little Acorns was rated Outstanding at its inspection on 26 September 2025, under the grading Ofsted used before report cards.

How many children can Little Acorns take?

Ofsted registers Little Acorns for 36 places at any one time. The average day nursery in Darlington has 58.

How much does Little Acorns cost?

Little Acorns sets its own fees, so ask it for a price list. As a guide, the average nursery in North East charges £166 a week for 25 hours for a child under 2, before any free hours.

Does Little Acorns offer 30 hours free childcare?

Any nursery on the Ofsted Early Years Register can offer the funded hours, but each one chooses how many funded places it has and what it charges for meals and extras. Ask Little Acorns how it offers them.

When was Little Acorns last inspected?

Ofsted last inspected Little Acorns on 26 September 2025. The full report is on the Ofsted website.

Which nurseries are near Little Acorns?

Nearby in DL2: Kids Planet High Bank, Serendipity Nursery And Outdoor Learning, Kids 1st - Darlington.

Little Acorns

Day nursery in Darlington, DL2.

Hurworth Primary School, Westfield Drive, Hurworth, Darlington, DL2 2ET

36 places

2011 registered with Ofsted

1 of 24 in our Darlington ranking

£117 a week, 50 hours for a 3 year old, North East average

What Ofsted found

Outstanding Inspected 26 September 2025

Ofsted grades for Little Acorns, inspection of 26 September 2025
Judgement	Grade
Overall effectiveness	Outstanding
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding

The highest of the four grades Ofsted gave before report cards. Ofsted now gives report cards instead, so this grade stays until the next inspection.

Read the full Ofsted report Open in maps

What a place could cost

Little Acorns sets its own prices. These are the averages for day nurseries in North East, for 50 hours a week in term time once the 30 funded hours are taken off.

Child's age	You pay a week	About a month
From 9 months to 2	£140	£444
2 years old	£126	£398
3 to 4 years old	£117	£369

A month here is 38 term-time weeks spread over 12 months. Work out your own hours or check your free hours.

Little Acorns against Darlington

	Little Acorns	Darlington average
Places	36	58
Ofsted outcome	Outstanding	92% rated Good or better

Other nurseries close by

Questions parents ask about Little Acorns

What Ofsted grade does Little Acorns have?: Little Acorns was rated Outstanding at its inspection on 26 September 2025, under the grading Ofsted used before report cards.
How many children can Little Acorns take?: Ofsted registers Little Acorns for 36 places at any one time. The average day nursery in Darlington has 58.
How much does Little Acorns cost?: Little Acorns sets its own fees, so ask it for a price list. As a guide, the average nursery in North East charges £166 a week for 25 hours for a child under 2, before any free hours.
Does Little Acorns offer 30 hours free childcare?: Any nursery on the Ofsted Early Years Register can offer the funded hours, but each one chooses how many funded places it has and what it charges for meals and extras. Ask Little Acorns how it offers them.
When was Little Acorns last inspected?: Ofsted last inspected Little Acorns on 26 September 2025. The full report is on the Ofsted website.
Which nurseries are near Little Acorns?: Nearby in DL2: Kids Planet High Bank, Serendipity Nursery And Outdoor Learning, Kids 1st - Darlington.

Nursery list and inspection outcomes from Ofsted's register of childcare providers, as at 30 June 2026.

Fees shown are regional averages from the Coram Family and Childcare Survey 2026, not any one nursery’s price. Confirm with the nursery before enrolling.

Eligibility rules are the government’s (childcarechoices.gov.uk). Whether a nursery offers the funded hours, and what it charges for meals and consumables, is the nursery’s decision; ask for its funded-hours terms in writing.