URN 2838589 · Inspected 2026-08-19 · Published 2026-09-21 · Inspector: Ruth Williamson
Kids Planet Marton Unique reference number (URN): 2838589 Address: 1 The Grove, Marton-in-Cleveland, Middlesbrough, TS7 8AB Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 01/05/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited Inspection report: 19 August 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 Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Leaders have embedded a highly responsive approach to care, and knowing children within the context of their families is a particular strength of the setting. Key persons establish trusting relationships with parents and carers and use their detailed knowledge to provide highly responsive care. For babies, gradual induction arrangements allow home routines, developmental information and family aspirations to shape their earliest experiences at nursery. This responsiveness is especially evident when children face significant changes in their lives. Staff recognise when circumstances, such as bereavement or changes in care arrangements, affect children's emotional wellbeing and adapt support accordingly. Additional key-person time, carefully considered experiences and communication with families and other professionals provide continuity and reassurance. Parents and carers speak very positively about this support and the difference it makes during difficult periods. Children's physical wellbeing and independence are equally well considered. They progressively learn to feed and dress themselves and manage personal routines. Work to promote oral health extends into the home through practical resources and advice for families. These consistently attentive approaches mean that children are known as individuals and receive care that helps them feel secure, valued and understood. Achievement Expected standard Children make appropriate progress from their different starting points. Babies develop physical skills, early communication and independence. As children move through the nursery, they become increasingly confident in managing routines, communicating with others, cooperating and persisting when something is difficult. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress towards their individual targets. Appropriate adaptations and specialist advice help children develop important communication, physical and personal skills. Older children gain useful knowledge and skills in preparation for school. They demonstrate growing independence and develop early mathematical and literacy knowledge. Children confidently use what they know, for example, when counting, sorting or managing self-care tasks. However, where the intended learning is less precisely understood by practitioners, opportunities to build further on children's existing knowledge are not always fully realised. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders have established clear expectations for behaviour and familiar routines that staff implement consistently and children understand. Warm relationships help children feel secure and develop confidence in managing their behaviour. Staff know children well and adapt their approaches when individual children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, need additional support. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to their experiences. They become absorbed in their play, persevere when they encounter difficulty and are confident to have a go. Younger children persist with challenging self-care tasks rather than immediately relying on adults. Older children cooperate, take turns and increasingly manage everyday routines independently. Children show kindness towards their friends and readily help one another when tasks become difficult. Routines are calm and predictable. Children understand what is expected of them and move confidently through the nursery day. Staff provide sensitive support when changes in children's circumstances affect their emotions or behaviour while maintaining appropriate expectations. Leaders promote regular attendance so that children benefit fully from their nursery experiences and follow up unexplained or repeated absence. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills they want children to develop as they move from babies through to pre-school. Communication, physical development and independence are appropriately prioritised alongside preparation for children's next stage. Room leaders understand these aspirations and can explain how learning develops over time. Staff use children's interests and experiences to motivate them. Books are selected purposefully to develop children's ideas, while routines provide opportunities to practise communication, mathematics and independence. Positive interactions with adults encourage children to explore, talk and confidently attempt new things. Staff adapt experiences so that children who need additional help can take part and learn alongside their peers. However, not all practitioners are equally clear about exactly what they want children to learn through activities and play. For example, play involving the care of dolls is thoughtfully introduced to reflect changes in children's family lives, but different adults supporting the play have different ideas about what children should learn from it. Similarly, during an early- writing activity, children are enthusiastic and keen to have a go, but the teaching did not always help them practise the intended skills accurately. Leaders recognise this and are rightly focusing on developing a more consistent understanding across the staff team. Inclusion Expected standard Children who need additional help are identified promptly. Leaders use progress checks at age 2, communication screening and ongoing assessment alongside information from families to recognise emerging needs and barriers. Staff know children well and raise concerns when development is not as expected. This helps leaders put support in place at an early stage. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive support that reflects their individual needs. Staff work with families and external professionals to agree appropriate targets and use specialist advice to shape their practice. Visual aids, objects of reference and 'now and next' approaches help children understand routines, communicate their needs and participate in nursery life. Staff adapt experiences so that children who need additional help can take part and learn alongside their peers. Leaders review children's progress to check that adaptations and additional support are making the intended difference. Children experiencing disadvantage or other barriers receive individualised support. Leaders consider what will make the greatest difference to each child and their family, rather than applying the same approach to everyone. Close partnerships with families and other professionals help staff recognise and respond to changes in children's circumstances. Children with different starting points and needs receive appropriate support that helps them participate in nursery life and make progress. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders understand the setting's strengths and what needs to improve. They have strengthened supervision, professional development and the role of room leaders. This work is having a positive impact. Room leaders speak confidently about children, curriculum aspirations and priorities within their rooms. The registered provider maintains oversight through regular visits, audits and performance reviews and holds setting leaders to account for improvement. Leaders use supervision, observations and opportunities for staff to work together to check the quality of practice and help staff improve. Their previous focus on interactions with children has strengthened practice. Leaders are now focusing on making sure that all staff are clear about exactly what children should learn through activities and play. This understanding is not yet consistent across the staff team. Leaders have also identified outdoor learning as an area to develop and have planned further training. Leaders maintain appropriate oversight of children requiring additional support and work with external professionals where needed. Leaders monitor attendance and follow up unexplained absences appropriately. Staff wellbeing is considered through supervision and individual support. Leaders use parents' views and work with local professionals and community partners to shape support for children and families. Leaders are reflective about the provision, but some improvements are not yet fully established or consistently reflected in practice across the nursery. 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 Nursery life gives children many opportunities to become capable and considerate young learners. Even the youngest children are encouraged to do things for themselves. As they get older, children readily serve food, manage cutlery, dress themselves and help their friends. They approach experiences confidently, persevere when something is difficult and develop the communication, physical and personal skills that prepare them for what comes next. Inspector: Ruth Williamson About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2838589 Children's lives beyond nursery are reflected thoughtfully in what they experience. A family's new baby prompted toddlers to explore bathing, dressing and caring for dolls. In pre-school, 'bear yoga', inspired by a child's experience at home, capture children's imaginations. They remember movements, suggest what should happen next and work together excitedly to rescue a friend from the imaginary bear. Experiences such as these encourage children to be curious and involved. However, staff are not always equally clear about exactly what they want children to learn through activities and play. This means that some opportunities to build on what children already know are not fully realised. Children feel safe, secure, valued and confident in the care of staff who understand them and their families well. This is especially important when life becomes difficult. Children experiencing bereavement, changes in care or additional needs receive sensitive support that responds to their individual circumstances. This helps them remain involved, make progress from their different starting points and thrive. Parents speak highly of key persons and the difference their support makes to their children and families. Leaders promote regular attendance so that children benefit fully from their nursery experiences. Next steps Leaders should strengthen practitioners' shared understanding of what they want children to learn through activities and play, so that they consistently build on what children already know and can do. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, special educational needs coordinator, assistants and apprentices 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. Address: 1 The Grove, Marton-in-Cleveland Middlesbrough TS7 8AB Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 01/05/2025 Registered person: Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Middlesbrough Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 19 August 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 65 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. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. 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