Kids Planet Fernhurst Court

Tree climbing, den building and campfire snacks give Kids Planet Fernhurst Court a clear woodland character. This Blackburn nursery pairs active outdoor play with creative indoor spaces and the Nurture Nook, a quieter area for children who need time to regroup. The contrast matters: movement and adventure have a place here, but so does stepping away from the bustle.

At its 3 July 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall, with improvements needed in giving children time to answer questions and teaching social skills more consistently. Those are practical points to weigh alongside the outdoor setting, rather than letting the grade do all the work.

There are 96 places in total, for children aged 3 to 60 months. Full-day, morning and afternoon sessions serve different family routines, while funded childcare and privately paid care are both offered.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and everyday experiences become opportunities to practise new skills. Here, the woodland surroundings provide a concrete setting for that learning. Children build dens, climb trees and toast snacks over a campfire, bringing physical challenge and hands-on exploration into their day.

Indoors, role play, messy play and creative workshops give children other ways to investigate and express ideas. Cosy corners provide a change of pace. These are useful alternatives for a child whose interests shift between imaginative play, making things and outdoor movement.

In July 2024, babies heard adults describe what was happening during activities, while older children encountered new vocabulary through conversation. Songs involved puppets and actions; dinosaur stories brought counting into reading. That gives a parent a more useful picture of early learning than a curriculum label alone: language and number work were woven into familiar play.

The same visit identified a weakness in the pace of adult questioning. Younger toddlers were sometimes asked another question before they could answer the first. Giving a child space to speak matters as much as introducing new words, especially when they are still finding ways to express an idea.

Outdoor and Community Life

The natural terrain is part of the experience, rather than simply a backdrop. In July 2024, children negotiated slopes and tree roots, and used magnifying glasses to investigate insects. They also discussed where an insect could live. Physical exploration and care for living things sat alongside one another.

Outings extended that learning beyond the nursery during July 2024. Babies went for local walks; older children travelled by bus into town, visited the library and bought fruit at the market. Zoo visits added another setting for discovery. These examples show children encountering books, food and animals in real places, with experiences to talk about afterwards.

Sports activities are included in the paid offer. In July 2024, sports coaching also helped children practise movement skills as part of preparation for school. Families who value an active nursery day have several concrete reasons to consider this setting, from the woodland terrain to organised physical activity.

Relationships and Communication

The Nurture Nook provides a quieter space for individual support, small-group work or a pause from busy play. Its purpose includes emotional wellbeing and sensory regulation. For a child who sometimes needs less stimulation, having an identifiable place to withdraw is a useful part of the environment.

In July 2024, staff comforted babies with close physical reassurance as they settled. Younger toddlers made choices about snacks, exploring textures and colours along the way. Those small decisions gave children a role in their own day, rather than leaving every choice to an adult.

Home learning also had a practical form in July 2024: children borrowed bags containing resources to use with their families. Parents could continue an activity beyond nursery hours. Today, Famly, the parent app, supplies updates about children's day; it is part of Kids Planet's group-wide package offered at this branch.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the July 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities making good progress, supported by a coordinator working with parents, staff and the local authority. This is a dated assessment of practice, with specific mechanisms behind it.

During July 2024, staff also worked with outside professionals to support children with complex medical needs. Additional funding bought resources tailored to individual children, including books for early literacy support. Staff training in communication screening informed progress tracking and targeted help.

Social learning needed more consistent attention that July. Toddlers were not always helped to understand sharing and taking turns, which could leave them less prepared to sustain positive relationships. This is relevant to families looking for support with friendships and managing group play.

Freshly prepared meals and snacks are provided, with provision for dietary needs. In July 2024, preschool children also had dentist visits and brushed their teeth each day, connecting health routines with practical learning.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery is on Jack Walker Way, Blackburn, BB2 4JJ. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across 52 weeks of the year.

The booking choices are clear: a Full Day runs from 7.30am to 6pm, Morning from 7.30am to 12.30pm, and Afternoon from 1pm to 6pm. A Full Time pattern is also offered with the full-day hours. Morning and afternoon sessions give families a shorter attendance option, while the full-day pattern spans the working day.

Telephone and email enquiries go directly to the Blackburn nursery, and an application route is provided. The different session lengths make it possible to compare attendance patterns against a family's routine before considering the total charge.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered alongside private care. For privately paid attendance, meals and snacks are included, as are sun cream, formula, wipes and nappies. These inclusions form part of the group-wide package offered here, reducing the everyday supplies families need to pack.

Days on which early years funding is applied have a different charge structure: meals, consumables and activities are charged separately. The applicable charge band depends on the funded hours used that day. Families should therefore compare the funded arrangement with the private package, rather than assuming that the same inclusions apply to both.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. For a funded booking, the useful comparison is the complete attendance pattern, including any privately paid time and the separate charges attached to funded days.

• Time to talk and learn social skills. The July 2024 improvement points concerned rushed questioning and inconsistent teaching of sharing and turn-taking. During a tour, ask how staff now give toddlers time to answer and guide disagreements during play.
• Woodland play and quieter space. Tree climbing and campfire activities sit alongside the Nurture Nook. A booked tour is an opportunity to discuss how outdoor challenge and quieter support fit your child's temperament.
• Funded-day charges. Meals, activities and consumables attract separate charges on funded days. Request a written quotation for your intended morning, afternoon or full-day pattern so the whole cost is clear.

Kids Planet Fernhurst Court suits families who want woodland exploration and physical activity to be substantial parts of nursery life, with the Nurture Nook providing quieter emotional and sensory support. Morning and afternoon sessions make it relevant to families seeking shorter attendance, as well as those choosing full days.

The July 2024 judgement provides a positive overall assessment, but the two improvement points deserve attention: children need time to express themselves and consistent help with social skills. The strongest reasons to consider this nursery are concrete, from its natural terrain to the Nurture Nook. The funded-day charge structure is the practical detail to weigh carefully.