URN 2860765 · Inspected 2026-07-09 · Published 2026-08-17 · Inspector: Kelly Little
Kids Planet Old Stables Unique reference number (URN): 2860765 Address: The Old Stables, Redhills Lane, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0DT Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 04/09/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited Inspection report: 9 July 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Safeguarding standards met The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe. How we evaluate safeguarding When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes: Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Strong standard Expected standard Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Staff establish high expectations for children's behaviour and establish consistent routines that help children understand what is expected of them from an early age. Leaders ensure that these expectations and routines are embedded across the setting. For example, toddlers confidently prepare for sleep by independently finding their own beds and settling quickly with very few reminders from staff. Children quickly learn what is expected of them and confidently manage well-established routines throughout the day. Behaviour is a strength of the setting. Staff use calm, consistent approaches that reflect children's age, stage of development and individual needs. They work closely with parents when changes in children's behaviour are identified, agreeing consistent strategies that are reviewed regularly to help children understand expectations and manage their emotions. This helps children regulate their behaviour, develop confidence and participate successfully alongside their peers. Children show positive attitudes to learning. They become absorbed in activities, listen carefully and eagerly join in. Older children willingly help prepare the sports session by carrying cones and equipment before confidently taking turns and following instructions. Staff encourage children to persevere and recognise their achievements. Consequently, children develop confidence, responsibility and resilience in their learning. Leaders monitor attendance through the setting's online platform, review patterns and work closely with parents where needed to promote regular attendance and continuity in learning. Achievement Expected standard Children generally develop the knowledge and skills expected for their age and stage across all areas of the early years foundation stage. They communicate confidently, become increasingly independent and apply what they have learned during play and everyday experiences. Children strengthen their physical skills through a wide range of activities and become more confident in exploring, solving problems, and trying new things. This helps children typically build securely on their learning as they continue making progress. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and children facing barriers to learning achieve well from their starting points. Staff provide the support they need to access the curriculum alongside their peers. Children build the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for the next stage in their learning. They develop secure foundations in communication, independence and self-care. This prepares them well for moving between rooms and, where appropriate, starting school. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Children generally develop an understanding of how to keep themselves healthy and safe. During periods of warm weather, they confidently seek shade, drink water regularly and know why they need to wear sun cream. Children readily ask adults whether they have applied sun cream before going outdoors, demonstrating their growing understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe. Staff adapt daily routines and experiences, so children continue to enjoy their learning safely. Staff promote healthy lifestyles throughout the day. Staff work closely with parents to support babies as they begin weaning, following individual routines and introducing new foods at a pace suited to each child's needs. Older babies are supported to feed themselves, with staff providing hand-over-hand support where appropriate to develop their confidence and independence. Older children independently scrape their bowls after mealtimes in preparation for school. Staff promote children's self-care skills through everyday routines. For example, children confidently wash their hands before meals and explain why this helps keep them healthy. Leaders prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing and have appropriate systems in place to support this. Staff know children well and respond sensitively to their individual needs. They adapt their support to reflect children's age, stage of development and personal circumstances. For example, staff provide additional reassurance and adapt transition arrangements to help children settle confidently into new rooms and routines. As a result, children typically feel emotionally secure and develop the confidence and independence to manage their own wellbeing. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Staff deliver a broad curriculum that builds progressively on what children know and can do across all areas of the early years foundation stage. They use their knowledge of children's interests, developmental stage and next steps to plan learning that builds on children's curiosity and promotes continued progress. Assessment informs teaching effectively. Staff use their knowledge of children's starting points and next steps to adapt learning, providing the right level of support and challenge as children make progress. For example, staff build learning around children's chosen story, 'The Snail and the Whale'. They use sensory experiences and mathematical language, such as 'fast', 'slow', 'heavy' and 'light', to extend children's vocabulary and understanding. This enables children to develop a secure foundation for future learning across the curriculum. Staff use purposeful interactions to extend children's communication, language and thinking. They encourage children to solve problems, introduce new vocabulary and build on children's ideas through play and everyday learning. Teaching builds progressively as children move through the setting. For example, babies strengthen their physical skills as they explore playdough using their hands. Older children develop greater control as they paint using a range of tools. Staff adapt activities and the learning environment so that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those facing barriers to learning, can access the curriculum alongside their peers. However, staff do not consistently engage quieter or less engaged children in discussions that extend their thinking. Needs attention Consequently, some children do not benefit from consistently high-quality teaching that extends their learning. Inclusion Expected standard Leaders have created an inclusive culture where children and families receive the support they need to help every child thrive. Staff know children well and identify emerging needs early. They work closely with parents to assess children's development, agree appropriate support and regularly review the impact of strategies as children's needs change. This helps staff reduce barriers to children's learning, development and wellbeing. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive tailored support that reflects their individual strengths and needs. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to identify children's starting points, implement agreed strategies and review the impact of support as children's needs develop. For example, staff adapt transition arrangements to meet children's individual needs, introducing visits gradually and adjusting the pace as children become more confident. They adapt activities, routines and the learning environment to help children access learning alongside their peers. Consequently, children typically build confidence, overcome barriers to learning and make progress from their starting points. Leaders use additional funding appropriately to provide resources and experiences that reflect children's individual needs and interests. Staff ensure children who are disadvantaged, those known to children's social care and other children facing barriers to learning or wellbeing receive the support they need to access the curriculum successfully. As a result, children feel included, valued and ready to learn. Leadership and governance Needs attention Leaders have not ensured that staffing arrangements consistently meet the statutory qualification requirements. They have not maintained effective oversight to ensure qualification requirements are consistently met throughout the day. This weakness limits leaders' ability to demonstrate that staffing arrangements are consistently robust. However, this did not have an impact on children's safety, wellbeing or development during the inspection. Leaders understand the setting's strengths and areas for development. They have identified appropriate priorities and are taking action to improve children's experiences. For example, leaders have enhanced the learning environment and strengthened security arrangements in response to the needs of children and families. Leaders promote staff wellbeing through regular supervision, ongoing support and consideration of individual circumstances. They provide tailored support for staff who require additional help. Furthermore, mandatory training, induction and coaching continue to develop staff's knowledge and confidence. Leaders have strengthened partnerships with parents, sharing information regularly about children's learning, development and wellbeing. Leaders work with teachers from local schools to support children's transitions and help ensure continuity in learning and development. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met Voluntary Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Leaders have not ensured that staffing arrangements consistently meet the statutory qualification requirements. Although staff continue to provide children with positive experiences and know them well, leaders have not maintained effective oversight of staff deployment. However, children quickly form secure relationships with staff and confidently explore the broad range of experiences on offer. Children develop a sense of belonging. They confidently seek reassurance and support from familiar adults, happily play alongside their friends and readily share their ideas, experiences and family life. Staff know children well and provide experiences that reflect their interests, stages of development and individual needs. They work closely with parents and other professionals to tailor support, helping children prepare for changes, including transitions, develop new skills and overcome barriers to learning. Children develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need through play and everyday opportunities. They become increasingly independent as they confidently make choices throughout the day and take responsibility for age-appropriate tasks. Staff naturally extend children's communication, language and thinking as they play, helping them build on what they already know and can do. Children develop a good understanding of healthy lifestyles and learn how to keep themselves safe through everyday experiences. Children's behaviour is a strength of the setting. They understand routines and expectations, cooperate well with one another and show positive attitudes to learning. Staff use calm, supportive interactions and consistent praise to help children regulate their emotions and develop confidence. As a result, children move smoothly between activities, show increasing independence and are well prepared for the next stage in their learning. Next steps To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following action by the assigned date: Action Completion Date Leaders must ensure staff are deployed effectively so qualification and ratio requirements are consistently met across the setting. 13/08/2026 About this inspection The inspector spoke with senior leaders, leaders, practitioners, special educational needs coordinator, parents and children during the inspection. We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage. Inspector: Kelly Little About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2860765 Address: The Old Stables Redhills Lane Penrith Cumbria CA11 0DT Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 04/09/2025 Registered person: Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:45 Local authority: Westmorland and Furness Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 9 July 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this. Total number of places 82 Our grades explained Exceptional Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it. Strong standard The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them. Expected standard The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them. Needs attention The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements. Urgent improvement The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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