URN 2809658 · Inspected 2026-08-07 · Published 2026-10-09 · Inspector: Nicky Martin
Kids Planet Woodlands Unique reference number (URN): 2809658 Address: Regent Street, Heywood, Lancashire, OL10 3BX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 10/09/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited Inspection report: 7 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 Achievement Strong standard Children consistently enjoy a wide range of exciting and meaningful learning opportunities that support their development. All children, including those who face barriers to learning, make excellent progress from their starting points and achieve their potential. Children master important life skills, which helps them to develop their independence. Babies choose their own books to read with caring staff. Young children use their imagination to build their own dinosaur volcano outside. They wash the dolls' clothes, select their own pegs and hang them up to dry. Older children serve their own food and learn how to use a knife and fork independently. Children consistently demonstrate excellent social skills. They interact with others and form warm, positive relationships with their peers. Children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Transitions between rooms are robust and carefully planned with information-sharing on each child's individual needs to ensure children's learning continues seamlessly during times of change. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive tailored support throughout transitions. Leaders and staff work closely with room leaders and the on-site school to ensure these children experience consistency, security and continuity in their learning. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Leaders consistently prioritise children's welfare. They have established effective systems and policies that promote children's safety, mental health and emotional wellbeing. Children demonstrate high levels of self-regulation and show consistently high standards of behaviour. They play alongside one another extremely well. For example, when creating birthday cakes with play dough, children share sprinkles and candles and engage in rich conversations. They require minimal adult intervention and consistently show respect, patience and turn taking. Routines are well embedded, and children's behaviour is exemplary because they have secure, positive relationships with staff. Leaders have introduced yoga sessions to support children's wellbeing, teaching breathing strategies and techniques that help children manage their emotions. Quiet areas and cosy dens in each room, equipped with books that help children explore feelings and behaviour in an age-appropriate way, further support children's emotional development. Staff create an environment that consistently promotes positive behaviours and attitudes. They are clear about their expectations and reinforce these effectively. Leaders place high importance on children's attendance and monitor this closely. Their approach ensures that any barriers to attendance are identified quickly and addressed. As a result, children develop consistently positive attitudes to their learning and to one another. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Leaders and staff consistently place children's welfare and wellbeing at the centre of their practice. They tailor support to meet the individual needs of all children, with particular attention given to those who face barriers to learning or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders work closely with key persons and parents to share information, provide appropriate challenge and monitor children's progress effectively. They put children's needs first and make sure these are acted on superbly well, which has a significantly positive impact on children's overall wellbeing. Children's welfare and wellbeing are given high priority across the nursery. Leaders plan highly supportive and personalised transitions for each child. They offer additional settling-in sessions so that children can develop confidence in their new surroundings at their own pace. Staff build nurturing relationships with all children, especially their key children, and work closely with parents to ensure continuity of care. They know the children extremely well and use this knowledge to support them as they move through the nursery. For example, staff share detailed information with colleagues and with the on-site school to ensure children experience a seamless transition. Children develop a strong sense of belonging in the setting because of the loving and attentive care they receive. Relationships between staff and children are warm, kind and nurturing. Staff know all children, their needs and their families very well. This approach ensures children feel secure, valued and ready to engage positively in their learning. Curriculum and teaching Strong standard Leaders have designed an ambitious and creative curriculum that is highly responsive to children's needs. Their clear vision ensures that teaching is purposeful and rooted in children's interests and prior knowledge. Staff are inspired by leaders' direction and invest considerable thought and energy in planning meaningful activities. For example, leaders ensure that themed experiences, such as a tea party activity, build on familiar stories, making learning joyful, memorable and purposeful. Leaders place communication and language at the centre of the curriculum. Staff model ambitious vocabulary and create language-rich interactions throughout the day. This is evident when staff encourage children to explore different tea flavours, prompting them to smell, describe and compare scents such as camomile, lemon, strawberry and mint. Leaders' emphasis on high-quality dialogue ensures children have frequent opportunities to practise and embed new vocabulary. Through effective and consistent leadership, staff are equipped to engage children in meaningful conversations that build confidence and communication skills. Leaders' commitment to high-quality practice results in children who are sociable, emotionally secure and confident communicators. Staff respond sensitively and skilfully to children's curiosity. They understand how to adapt interactions so that every moment becomes a learning opportunity. This is particularly evident in the provision for the youngest babies. Staff working with babies offer nurturing, developmentally appropriate experiences that promote early communication, emotional security and social development. Children smile and enjoy back-and-forth communication as they explore water play, settle comfortably on staff's laps for stories and sing their favourite nursery rhymes. Inclusion Strong standard Leaders promote a strong and purposeful culture of inclusion that ensures every child is supported. The identification of children's needs is swift and begins from the moment they start at the setting. Staff gather detailed information from parents and carers to build an accurate picture of each child's development. They use a range of strategies, informed by training, to monitor children's progress. These are then used to create children's individual next steps. Leaders use this information to support accurate assessments to build a clear understanding of children's language skills in both their home language and English. Staff work exceptionally well with parents to ensure strategies are consistent between home and the setting. Consequently, all children, including those who face barriers to learning, make excellent progress from their individual starting points. Children are closely assessed, and prompt support is put in place when needed. This helps them to reach their full potential and age-appropriate expectations. Staff are confident in seeking additional guidance from a range of professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders are highly committed to their work with children. They ensure that all children, particularly those who face barriers to learning, receive the best possible start to their education. Children who are known to, or previously known to, children's social care are well supported. Leaders welcome other agencies into the setting and work in partnership with families to promote children's welfare and development. These children form extremely close bonds with their key person, helping them feel safe, secure and ready to engage in learning. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders demonstrate unwavering passion and commitment to their work. They have a thorough understanding of the setting, enabling them to evaluate its strengths and areas for development with accuracy. Staff wellbeing is a significant strength. Leaders check in with staff regularly and use supervision effectively to provide guidance, reassurance and professional challenge. Staff report that they can approach leaders at any time and feel listened to. As a result, morale is high, staff are happy in their roles and the stability across the team benefits children every day. The enthusiastic and proactive leadership team, supported by an inspiring staff group, provides carefully tailored care and well-planned learning opportunities for all children, including those who face barriers to learning. Leaders and staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals to secure the best support and care for children. Partnerships with families and external agencies are excellent. This coordinated approach reduces barriers, promotes inclusion and ensures children receive the support they need. Information is shared effectively, and parents feel valued and well supported throughout their child's learning journey. Leaders successfully promote initiatives that encourage children to develop environmental awareness, sustainability and recycling. For example, children place their food waste into recycling after lunch. The setting also offers a free clothes swap shop, enabling families to take items they need or donate those they no longer require. Parents receive valuable suggestions on activities to reinforce children's learning at home. The setting provides take- home bags containing oral-health resources, toothpaste and toothbrushes, materials to support learning at home, and laminated cards offering strategies and advice on online safety. 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 Children's laughter fills the air in this calm and welcoming setting. From the moment they arrive, children are comforted and extremely well supported. Their emotional wellbeing is given the highest priority. As a result, children are happy, settled and secure. They move confidently through their day, knowing that adults are attentive to their needs and respond quickly when they require reassurance or guidance. This culture of care enables children to thrive emotionally and socially. Children benefit from a well-planned and ambitious curriculum. Staff provide a wide range of meaningful learning experiences that help children develop new skills. For example, after listening to a story, children design their own rainbow fish. They use scissors to cut a variety of materials and attach them to a template, developing their small-muscle control. Children achieve consistently well across the carefully sequenced curriculum, supported by effective teaching. Communication and language are prioritised from the earliest stages. Children confidently use ambitious vocabulary throughout the day. For instance, when discussing handwashing, children explain, 'We need to clean our hands to wash away the germs.' This demonstrates their secure understanding of healthy routines and their ability to use language in meaningful contexts. Positive relationships underpin the nurturing and joyful atmosphere children experience here. Children behave superbly well. Staff are exemplary role models who have extremely high expectations and teach children about respect and tolerance. This is evident at lunchtime, when children sit together and wait patiently for their friends before going to play. Staff work hard to create a relaxed environment where children feel valued and able to be themselves. As a result, all children flourish and make excellent progress. Next steps Leaders should ensure continued improvement in the setting's successful work to remove barriers for children who need extra help to realise a transformational impact on all children's communication and language. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners and parents 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: Nicky Martin About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2809658 Address: Regent Street Heywood Lancashire OL10 3BX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 10/09/2024 Registered person: Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:30 Local authority: Rochdale Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 7 August 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 10 Total number of places 44 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. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn. 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