Kids Planet Southport

Inspection of Kids Planet Southport Yarrow House, 80a Manchester Road, SOUTHPORT, Merseyside PR9 9BJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Staff create a calm, welcoming atmosphere where children's well-being is prioritised. They spend time getting to know children's individual needs right from the start. Staff are friendly and nurturing and this helps children to settle easily and become confident to explore and learn. Children eagerly access the exciting environments that capture their imagination and curiosity. They seek out their friends and invite them into their play. For example, children invite their friends to their 'tea party'. They use their imaginations as they blow the food, as it 'might be hot'. Leaders plan an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum. They focus on ensuring the prime areas of learning are prioritised, and overall, this is implemented well. Leaders have embedded clear systems to identify if children would benefit from any additional help in their learning. Staff have established close relationships with families and other agencies, and they use their expertise to

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The provision is good

ensure all children get the support that they need. All children make good progress in their learning.

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The provision is good

Staff regularly talk to children about emotions and feelings. They use a gentle approach to supporting children's behaviour. They are consistent in their approach, and children know and follow their expectations. For example, children are kind as they gently rock and cover up baby dolls and share out resources with their friends. Staff support children's self-esteem as they encourage children to talk about their skills. As children attempt to throw balls into the basketball hoop, they discuss how this used to be tricky but that they can do it now. These experiences contribute positively to children's personal, social and emotional development.

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need to do better?

n Staff have seamlessly embedded routines throughout the setting that children know and follow. Children's independence flourishes throughout these times. For example, staff teach children the importance of maintaining good hygiene as they encourage them to wash their own hands and talk to them about germs. Even the youngest children have a go at feeding themselves. Older children serve their own food and pour their own drinks. As spillages occur, they independently wipe these up. n Leaders continually evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of the provision, staff practice and children's progress. They have implemented robust procedures for staff supervision and training that value staff's individual learning styles. Staff benefit from the focused training opportunities they receive that are targeted to build on their skills and focus on the needs of the children. Leaders' commitment to continuous improvement is highly evident.

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need to do better?

n Staff know their key children's interests and levels of development. However, when planning adult-led activities, they focus on themes for the nursery, and the

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need to do better?

21 March 2025 learning intention is not always clear. Children are eager to take part in these experiences, but these activities do not consistently build on what children already know and what they need to learn next. As a result, activities do not always have the maximum impact on supporting children's individual learning. n Staff place a strong focus on supporting children's communication and language development. Staff are skilled at engaging children in natural and meaningful interactions. They model language and narrate children's play, which helps children to hear lots of new vocabulary. As children show an interest in minibeasts in books, staff introduce new words such as 'grasshopper'. Staff suggest making 'telescopes' so they can look for minibeasts together in the garden. Children become confident communicators. n The well-resourced environment provides many opportunities for children to improve their hand-eye coordination. Children delight as they squeeze fruit into

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need to do better?

water and talk about what they can smell. Children show great control as they accurately scoop sand into containers using different-sized utensils. Older children develop good pencil grip as they draw and proudly talk about their pictures. Children are supported to develop the dexterity and hand-eye coordination that help with their later writing skills. n Staff skilfully include mathematics during everyday activities. Babies explore interestingly shaped objects as they fill and empty them from different-sized containers. Staff introduce language such as 'more' and 'less'. As older children search for bugs outside, staff encourage them to count how many legs the bugs have. Older children quickly recognise numbers up to 10 as they see them in the environment. Children make good progress with their early mathematical skills. n Staff provide cosy spaces and thoughtfully place books around the setting for

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need to do better?

children to access freely. They read aloud to children with enthusiasm. Children eagerly vote for their favourite stories. They show anticipation and join in with the words that they have remembered from the book. Staff teach children about the roles of the author and illustrator. Children make links to other books they have enjoyed by the same author. These opportunities help to foster children's love and respect for books.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n refine the planning of activities so there is a sharper focus on the intentions for children's individual next steps in learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY499371 Local authority Sefton Inspection number 10393565 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 168 Number of children on roll 260 Name of registered person Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01704 534 855 Date of previous inspection 24 May 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Kids Planet Southport registered in 2016 and is situated in Southport, Merseyside. The nursery employs 53 members of childcare staff. Of these, 40 hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 7. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, all year round. The setting offers government funded places for children aged from nine months to four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspectors observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager and the inspectors completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspectors. n The inspectors talked to staff and the children at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors held discussions with leaders to assess the effectiveness of leadership and management. n Leaders provided the inspectors with a sample of key documentation on request, including documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff. n The manager and one of the inspectors carried out a joint observation during a planned activity. n The inspectors viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises.

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Inspection activities

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.

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Inspection activities

21 March 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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