Kids Planet Linden House

Kids Planet Linden House
Unique reference number (URN): 2851080
Address: 34 Crow Lane West, Newton-Le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 9YG
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 30/06/2025
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited
Inspection report: 16 January 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.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children make good progress through the curriculum. Babies babble, copy new words and
eagerly imitate the clear language that staff model. Older children engage in meaningful
conversations with adults and peers, showing increasing confidence and vocabulary. They
chat confidently, ask questions and share personal experiences, such as describing their trip
to forest school.
Children are proud of their achievements. They build towers and use their shape knowledge
to describe the items. Children recognise numbers they see and link them to numbers of
significance, such as their age, as they proudly exclaim '3, I am 3.' Parents have seen
particular progress in their children's physical development and communication skills since
they started attending the nursery. Overall, children achieve well and show curiosity,
confidence and increasing independence, ensuring they are ready for future learning,
including school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders work closely with families and take steps to address barriers to attendance,
including helping to secure additional funding where needed. Leaders have established a
positive and respectful environment, where expectations for behaviour are generally well
understood. Children form strong, trusting relationships with staff and each other. Staff act
as positive role models, treating children with warmth and valuing their opinions. Children
also demonstrate kind behaviours, such as helping their friends as they play collaboratively
to make 'sand pies'. They ask their friends' opinions as they ask each other if they think they
'have enough'. Children pass out food to each other at mealtimes and take turns in ring
games. Children enthusiastically join in songs together and show genuine enjoyment in
shared activities.
Staff support children's emotional development effectively, offering gentle reminders and
consistent expectations to help them manage their feelings. They use mirrors and describe
how they may be feeling. As a result, children typically follow the expectations of staff and
demonstrate secure social skills that prepare them well for future learning. However, at
busier times of day, staff do not always consistently reinforce expectations, and the
organisation of some routines does not fully support children in maintaining the high
standards typically seen.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Children are settled and confident at this nursery and clearly enjoy the time they spend with
staff and each other. Care practices are effective in meeting children's individual needs, and
children's independence is promoted well. Children are encouraged to wipe their own noses,
put on their shoes and self-serve food. During mealtimes, older children fill their own cups,
pass food to others and show determination when tasks are tricky. Children are well
supported to develop their physical development and health.

Secure and responsive relationships are a strength. Staff show respect for children's
welfare, seeking consent before wiping noses or changing nappies. Babies receive
consistently calm and nurturing care. Older children also benefit from warm, meaningful
interactions with staff, which helps their confidence and emotional security.
Children recognise when they need to rest and independently access cosy spaces or their
beds. These routines are well organised and tailored to individual needs. Typically,
mealtimes are unhurried and sociable, offering opportunities for communication and
independence. Staff talk about nutritious foods, naming vegetables and explaining how they
help the body to grow. Older children recognise the shapes and colours of foods and show
increasing physical control when using tools and equipment to cut them, using knives safely.
Hygiene procedures are generally strong, with staff modelling handwashing and children
independently accessing tissues. However, at some routine times of the day, staff do not
consistently uphold these high standards. This leads to minor inconsistencies in hygiene
procedures.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have clear action plans to strengthen the consistency of the curriculum. They have
implemented an ambitious approach that supports all children to make progress in their
development. The curriculum is typically taught well. Staff help children to feel safe and
welcome, and adapt teaching accordingly. For example, by using key words from children's
home languages. Babies benefit from warm, nurturing interactions, such as snuggling in to
share books or playing peekaboo. Children's personal, social, and emotional development is
prioritised.
Staff place strong emphasis on developing children's mathematical understanding. They use
everyday moments to introduce numbers, such as counting stacking cups, or the children in
the line. Books are used effectively to extend learning, for instance children compare
dinosaur toys with illustrations to find matching features.
Staff know what they want children to learn and plan activities that spark curiosity and
exploration. Engaging environments promote rich experiences, such as when children
excitedly search for animals hidden in shredded paper and talk about what they discover.
Staff generally model clear language and ask questions that extend children's thinking. As a
result, children become confident communicators, who are well prepared for their next stage
of learning. However, some staff would benefit from further coaching to ensure they
consistently use interactions to extend children's language development.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders provide staff with training on the how to assess and review children's progress,
enabling them to identify children's needs and plan appropriate support. Procedures for
early identification and assessment are embedded and generally used well to reduce
barriers to learning. However, while staff recognise when children require additional help,
support is not always targeted sequentially, which leads to some inconsistency in how it is
delivered.

Leaders maintain strategic oversight of support for children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities, including during staffing changes. They are committed to ensuring all
children, including those who are disadvantaged, can access the curriculum fully. Strong
partnerships with families and external agencies promote a consistent understanding of
children's needs. Staff implement agreed strategies effectively, such as simple sign
language and objects of reference, to support children's understanding.
Early years pupil premium funding is used purposefully to target interventions that address
identified gaps. Leaders monitor its impact on children's progress and wellbeing.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders maintain strong relationships with parents, who appreciate regular updates on their
child's development, next steps and ideas to support learning at home. This partnership
contributes to children receiving consistent support across home and the setting. Parents
speak positively about the provision and value the responsive transition arrangements that
help their children settle into the nursery and new rooms with ease. There have been some
staffing changes in the setting; however, leaders have ensured continuity for children by
maintaining a stable core team.
Leaders have an accurate understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for
improvement. They model expectations, such as reminding staff to reinforce manners and
hygiene. Leaders make decisions in the best interests of children, including those who are
disadvantaged.
Staff wellbeing is prioritised. Staff state that managers are available and supportive.
Professional development is valued, and staff receive regular training that improves their
understanding of their roles. This has a positive impact throughout the nursery. However,
while leaders offer extensive training and support, it is not always targeted precisely enough
to match the individual needs of practitioners. As a result, minor inconsistencies remain in
the implementation of the curriculum and some policies. For example, at times, staff do not
consistently reinforce behaviour expectations during routines.
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 arrive eagerly at nursery, benefitting from a well-organised environment that
reflects and responds to their interests. They show impressive concentration as they explore
fresh herbs, using all their senses to describe what they can smell. Children use their
curiosity as they explore the sounds they can make on the piano. As they play a tune, they
burst into songs that they know as staff join in with the words to 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'.
Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, which helps them achieve well and
make progress from their starting points.
Staff provide a clear curriculum that prepares all children effectively for their next stage,
including school. This is typically implemented well. Leaders promote good attendance
throughout the nursery. They embrace children's cultures and traditions, ensuring these are
represented within the curriculum so that every child feels they belong. Children confidently
talk about their own experiences, including the different homes they live in. They eagerly
explain that they do not have stairs as they live in a bungalow. The provider is also
committed to helping children learn about the local environment. Staff plan a rich range of
outings in the community. Children carry out random acts of kindness and travel by minibus
to a local forest school. These experiences complement children's development and deepen
their understanding of the diverse world around them.
Children form strong, nurturing bonds with staff. The welcoming team greets them each
morning, helping them to separate from their parents and to settle quickly. Children enjoy
spending time with staff, inviting them into their play. Lots of giggles can be heard as towers
are built and topple over. Staff nurture children's confidence, encouraging them to have a

Inspector:
Rebecca Weston
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2851080
Address:
34 Crow Lane West
Newton-Le-Willows
Merseyside
WA12 9YG
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 30/06/2025
Registered person: Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
go. Babies persevere as they thread rings, clapping proudly when they succeed. Older
children make predictions with the staff about how much sand will fill different containers.
Such experiences help children to develop self-esteem, resilience and belief in their own
abilities. This consistent support and strong relationships help all children to flourish.
Next steps
Leaders should target training and support for staff more precisely to address minor
inconsistencies within staff practice and the implementation of the curriculum.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with parents, children, leaders, staff and a special educational needs
coordinator 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.

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: St Helens
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 16 January 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
81
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.
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