Kids Planet Bluebell Lodge

Two detached, single-storey buildings and a substantial outdoor area give Kids Planet Bluebell Lodge a recognisable setting in residential Blackpool. In June 2024, outdoor learning and movement featured prominently alongside communication and preparation for school. At its June 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding overall.

Bluebell Lodge has 53 places in total and accepts children aged 0 to 60 months. That is whole-nursery capacity, rather than the number of children sharing a room or attending together. Full-day, morning and afternoon bookings give families different ways to use the nursery.

The strongest character comes from practical learning: science experiments, sport planned around children's needs and opportunities to explore nature. The June 2024 account provides concrete examples of these experiences, while the current setting retains its extensive outdoor space.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. In parent language, this means education and everyday care belong together: developing communication, learning through activities and building independence are parts of the same day.

In June 2024, children explored science by creating colourful volcanoes. Staff introduced words connected to the experiment, giving children something tangible to discuss rather than teaching vocabulary in isolation. Group activities also involved listening, following instructions and working alongside other children. There was a clear connection between what children were doing and what they were learning to express.

Communication had several routes. In June 2024, staff used Makaton signs to help children communicate at an early stage, while preschool children took part in regular language sessions ahead of school. Music and dance added further experiences. These activities gave children different ways to participate, through words, signs and movement.

Sport was purposeful rather than simply a chance to expend energy. In June 2024, sports coaches ran regular sessions planned with children's familiar staff, linking physical activities to individual development targets. For a parent, the useful detail is that coaching and everyday nursery care were connected: the session planning drew on what staff knew about each child.

Outdoor and Community Life

The extensive outdoor area provides room for active play beyond the indoor rooms. Bluebell Lodge's buildings sit within secure grounds, so the outdoor space is part of the nursery's own setting.

In June 2024, outdoor activities and outings extended children's existing learning and introduced them to communities beyond their immediate surroundings. Recycling and reusing materials were practical examples of learning about sustainability. Children also rehearsed outing routines, including staying in designated areas while staff completed safety preparations. Exploration came with clear expectations.

Kids Planet's group-wide Udeskole approach, explained here as nature-based outdoor education, encourages children to investigate plants and wildlife through direct experience. It adds an outdoor learning idea alongside the early years foundation stage. Families interested in this approach should distinguish the group's philosophy from the activities their child will actually experience at Bluebell Lodge.

In June 2024, children became comfortable with nursery life quickly and were willing to talk about their day. Familiar routines supported participation, including the preparations for outings. Staff also helped children put feelings into words and recognise other people's needs, such as noticing when someone was upset or hungry. Emotional development was part of the learning programme.

At the June 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and praised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including careful assessment, collaboration with parents and professionals, and targeted use of additional funding. The practical mechanisms matter: identifying a developmental gap led to planned support rather than observation alone.

Communication with families had a strong place in June 2024 nursery practice. Staff discussed children's care and learning with parents, who could approach them for advice. Today, the group-wide Famly app provides real-time updates, giving families another way to stay connected with their child's nursery day.

Moving on to school involved more than practising language. In June 2024, preschool children met children from linked nurseries who would attend the same schools, and made regular visits to their future schools. This gave them opportunities to build friendships and become familiar with the next setting before leaving nursery. Parents were included in the preparation programme too.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 361 St. Annes Road, Blackpool, FY4 2QR. Bluebell Lodge opens Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, across 52 weeks of the year, with bank holidays closed.

A Full Day runs from 8am to 6pm. Morning bookings run from 8am to 1pm, and Afternoon bookings from 1pm to 6pm. Full Time is also a booking option with an 8am to 6pm day. These are separate attendance choices, so families can consider a morning or afternoon pattern alongside whole-day care.

Ad hoc hourly care has a different charge structure from regular bookings. Late collection and late payment also attract separate charges. A written quotation from the nursery gives families current prices and allows the chosen attendance pattern to be considered alongside funded hours and extras.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered alongside privately paid care. The distinction between the two matters when comparing the total cost of attendance.

For private care, fees include meals and snacks; nappies, formula, wipes and sun cream are included too. Food is freshly prepared, with provision for dietary needs.

On days when early years funding is applied, meals, consumables and activities are charged separately. The charge category depends on the funded day's length, with half-day, short-day and full-day categories. Families using funding should therefore consider these additions separately from any privately paid hours, rather than treating funded attendance and the inclusive private fee as identical arrangements.

• Funding and the daily bill. Meals, consumables and activities carry separate charges on days using early years funding. Request a written quotation for your intended morning, afternoon or full-day pattern so the different elements can be considered together.
• Outdoor learning in practice. Bluebell Lodge has extensive outdoor space, while Udeskole is a group-wide approach to nature-based learning. During a tour, ask how outdoor experiences are organised for your child's age and how they connect with indoor activities.
• Care across two buildings. The nursery occupies two detached, single-storey buildings. Use a tour to discuss your child's room, familiar adults and the arrangements for moving between stages, especially if your child is starting as a baby.

Bluebell Lodge suits families seeking either whole-day attendance or a shorter morning or afternoon pattern, with substantial outdoor space forming part of the setting. In June 2024, children practised communication through signs and language sessions, took part in sport planned around individual targets and visited their future schools.

The financial distinction deserves equal attention. Inclusive private fees and separately charged extras on funded days create different cost structures. For families whose attendance pattern fits, the combination of outdoor space and varied learning experiences gives this Blackpool nursery a clear character.