Kids Planet Chester

A dedicated forest area, daily coached sport and a sensory room give Kids Planet Chester a clear character: children have space both to be active and to slow down. The purpose-built nursery sits within four acres of private land belonging to Chester Rugby Club, on Hare Lane in Littleton. Outdoor learning has a substantial physical setting here.

Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding on 27 April 2022. That judgement predates the current manager's appointment in August 2024, so it is best read alongside the present facilities and activities rather than as a description of today's staff.

With 137 places in total, Chester caters for children aged 3–60 months. Morning, afternoon, full-day and short-day bookings serve different family routines, with term-time and year-round attendance options.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play supports communication, early mathematical understanding and growing independence. Chester adds daily outdoor experiences through the group's Udeskole approach, which brings learning into natural surroundings. Its accreditation is supported by a dedicated forest area, with activities including climbing, gathering leaves and telling stories beneath trees. Nature is part of the learning day, rather than simply a break from indoor activity.

Daily sessions led by an in-house sports coach add another opportunity for movement. Alongside the forest, they give children different ways to use their bodies: exploring natural spaces and taking part in organised sport. Sports activities are included in private fees, making this a practical part of the attendance offer as well as an activity choice.

In April 2022, preschool children helped shape their learning through a children's committee, discussing interests, possible outings and people they wanted to visit. That gave their choices a route into staff planning. Mathematical play was equally concrete: younger children explored counting and shapes, while older children used tape measures and judged which wooden planks would work in an imaginary lava-crossing game.

Language received deliberate attention in April 2022 too. Staff extended children's vocabulary, asked questions that invited explanation and allowed time for answers. Singing supported younger children's participation; older children expressed ideas in increasingly elaborate sentences. The useful detail is the interaction, with adults making room for children to think and speak rather than filling every pause.

Outdoor and Community Life

Bright rooms contain natural resources and furniture suited to children's stages of development. A separate sensory room adds an indoor counterpoint to the active outdoor offer, with light, texture, sound and movement available for exploration. Children can have quieter experiences as well as energetic ones.

In April 2022, community experiences included visits from a local wheelchair basketball team and collecting play materials from nearby woodland. Children also explored Sinterklaas, the Dutch celebration, recalling the custom of placing wellington boots by fireplaces for presents. These were specific ways to encounter other people's experiences and traditions.

Home learning extends beyond nursery attendance through adventure backpacks and a parent-child lending library. These give families resources to use together, connecting the nursery's emphasis on exploration with time at home. Regular stay and play sessions provide a further opportunity for parents to take part in nursery life.

Relationships and Communication

Settling was paced around individual children in April 2022, with comfort available for babies and time to get to know other children before moving between rooms. The emphasis was on familiar relationships during change. For a young child, a room move can be another substantial adjustment even after starting nursery has become routine.

Famly provides real-time updates for parents as part of the group's offer included in Chester's fees. Stay and play sessions and the lending library add face-to-face and shared-learning opportunities alongside digital communication. Families therefore have several ways to stay connected with what their child is doing.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At its April 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and judged that early identification of developmental needs, together with timely professional support, helped children with special educational needs and disabilities make exceptional progress. Those are dated findings, rather than a guarantee of any individual child's experience today.

The current sensory room provides a concrete resource for children who benefit from quieter experiences: gentle lighting, textures and opportunities to explore sound and movement. Secure door entry is another current arrangement. The distinction matters for families considering additional needs: the physical resource can be considered alongside the support their child will need to use it.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, across 52 weeks of the year, with bank holidays excluded. Bookings include full days and shorter sessions. A Full Day runs from 7.30am to 6.30pm; Morning runs from 7.30am to 1pm, and Afternoon from 1pm to 6.30pm.

Short Day provides a 9am to 3pm option, while Full Time uses the 7.30am to 6.30pm window. Early Bird covers 7am to 7.30am and Late Bird covers 6.30pm to 7pm, giving separately priced extensions around the usual opening day. Adhoc hourly care is another booking option. The main sessions can be used with term-time or stretched year-round funding, according to the contract.

Getting There

The address is Hare Lane, Littleton, Chester, CH3 7DB, and visitor parking is provided. Enquiries can be made directly by telephone on 01244 335395 or by email to chester@kidsplanetdaynurseries.co.uk.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered, with 15/30-hour term-time arrangements and 11/22-hour stretched arrangements across the year, depending on the contract. Private hours are also offered. The distinction between funded care and extras matters when comparing the total cost of different attendance patterns.

Private fees include meals and snacks, together with formula, wipes, nappies and sun cream; food is freshly prepared and dietary requirements are catered for. On days when early years funding is applied, meals, consumables and activities are charged separately, with the charge structure depending on the session used. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Outdoor learning in practice. Udeskole includes daily nature-based experiences in the forest area. During a tour, ask how your child's age group uses that space and what clothing they need for seasonal activities.
• Choosing the attendance pattern. Morning, Afternoon and Short Day provide alternatives to Full Day, with Early Bird and Late Bird extensions. Discuss which combination fits your routine before agreeing the contract.
• Funded-day extras. Meals, consumables and activities attract separate charges on days using funding. Request a written quotation showing these alongside any private hours for your chosen pattern.
• Sensory support. The sensory room offers quieter exploration alongside active outdoor play. If your child has additional needs, ask how staff would incorporate it into their individual support and settling arrangements.

Chester suits families looking for outdoor learning with substantial space behind it, supported by daily coached sport and a quieter sensory room. Adventure backpacks, the lending library and stay and play sessions also give parents practical ways to participate.

Its attendance choices suit families seeking morning or afternoon sessions as well as those needing full days, with a short-day option adding another useful pattern. The main decision is how that mix works for your child and budget, especially when funded attendance brings separate charges for extras.