KIDS Planet Chester is delighted to have received Outstanding in all areas in its latest Ofsted inspection.

Kids Planet Chester, formerly Bunnies Day Nursery, was acquired by Kids Planet in 2018. Since then, the nursery has been relocating to a brand new purpose-built nursery situated within four acres of private land owned by Chester Rugby Club.

Catering for babies through to preschool, the nursery now benefits from large brightly coloured rooms with secure outdoor areas providing the children with fresh air and outdoor fun, as well as a state of the art sensory room to enhance learning and play.

Inspectors carried out the inspection in late April and reported: "Children are happy, content and eager to learn. They show exceptional levels of independence and thrive on the high expectations of the well-qualified staff team.

"Children form close attachments with staff and peers that give them a strong sense of belonging. Children behaviour is exemplary. They receive lots of meaningful praise for their achievements, which helps to build high levels of self-esteem and confidence.

"These achievements are purposefully shared with other children and staff. Staff tell children how proud they are of them, and their work is displayed for all to admire.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, staff went above and beyond to stay in touch with all families. They provided a wealth of resources to support the continuation of learning at home.

"Children's personal, social and emotional development was given high priority. For example, after children returned to the setting, those who were new were given additional support to settle and school leavers attended a virtual graduation ceremony.

"Staff are extremely warm and caring. They nurture babies and are always on hand to provide comfort and reassurance when needed. Children are encouraged to settle at their own pace and spend time meeting new friends when moving to other rooms.

"Children gain an excellent understanding of their immediate community. They enjoy visits from groups, such as the local wheelchair basketball team, and are eager to collect additional resources for play from the local wood.

"Children have many opportunities to learn about other cultures and are eager to learn about their celebrations. Children sing familiar songs in multiple languages and explore new traditions.

"For example, children recall a time when they put wellington boots by their fireplaces to receive presents during the Dutch celebration of Sinterklaas."

Inspectors added: "Parents are extremely complimentary and state that they cannot praise the setting enough. They are highly involved in the setting and actively participate in children's learning."

Jess Holland, acting nursery manager and SENDCo at Kids Planet Chester, said: “We are so incredibly proud of our dedicated team who work together so well to provide stimulating high quality provision for our children. It is lovely to read excellent feedback celebrating the children’s behaviour, attitude to learning and their contribution to the wider community.

"It means a great deal to our nursery family to receive such high praise after an incredible journey since our acquisition in 2018. Our new purpose-built nursery has provided an environment full of invitations to learning and a wealth of learning opportunities including sensory areas for babies and Forest school for older children.

"We are extremely proud of the environments we have created, predominantly based around the natural world and outdoors, enabling us to nurture children’s interests in order for them to thrive.

"Since our acquisition many of the team have also benefitted from opportunities to further their qualifications to Level 5 and BA Hons through our training academy, which enables our team to constantly build upon their knowledge of how children learn and develop.”