Kids Planet Waverton House

A purpose-built tipi, a forest environment and daily sport give Kids Planet Waverton House a clear outdoor character. This Church Road nursery in Wavertree puts nature into the ordinary day, with outdoor access extending from babies to preschool children. For families who value movement and practical exploration, the setting has more to offer than a garden used for occasional breaks.

At its April 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), made good progress towards starting school. That gives the outdoor offer a useful educational context, although teaching consistency remains a point to examine.

Children are accepted from 3 to 60 months, with 130 places in total. Full-day, morning and afternoon bookings serve different attendance needs, rather than requiring every family to choose the same length of day.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: play and everyday experiences support communication, physical skills and growing independence. Alongside that foundation, Kids Planet's Udeskole curriculum brings learning outdoors. At Waverton House, outdoor lead practitioners use nature-based activities, real tools and fire pits to give exploration a practical dimension.

The physical setting matters here. A garden, forest environment and purpose-built tipi with its own garden provide different spaces for outdoor activity, with free-flow access encouraged across the age groups. Outdoor learning continues in different weather, so this approach is relevant to babies as well as children approaching school age. It gives families a clear sense of the nursery's priorities.

Daily sports sessions are led by coaches and practitioners. Movement has a regular place in the timetable, rather than depending solely on children choosing active play. In April 2024, the on-site coach worked on throwing, catching and controlling a ball with the feet. Those activities gave children concrete skills to practise, with the satisfaction of trying them out in games.

Sensory exploration also featured in April 2024: babies experimented with the sounds made by metal cookware, while older children investigated orange-scented dough. These are simple materials with a clear purpose. Children could discover differences through hearing, touch and smell, rather than receiving an explanation alone.

Physical activities changed with children's development at that time. Babies practised sitting, crawling and feeding themselves; toddlers explored painting with different brushes; older children used cutting and drawing tools. The progression connected large movements and hand control with the practical skills children would later need for writing.

Teaching had limits alongside those strengths. At the April 2024 inspection, Ofsted identified occasions when quieter children lost involvement in group activities, conversations did not stretch children's questions and ideas enough, and leaders needed to give sharper feedback and observe staff practice more closely. For parents, the issue is how reliably each child receives attention and challenge, including children who contribute less readily.

Settling and room changes received careful attention in April 2024. Introductory sessions were adapted to individual children, giving staff time to establish relationships with families before nursery became familiar. Tailored settling sessions gave new children time and individual attention as they became familiar with nursery.

Continuity extended to moves within the nursery. In April 2024, staff tried to move alongside their key children where possible; otherwise, they exchanged care and learning information with parents and colleagues. The practical value is continuity of knowledge. A change of room need not mean starting again with a child's preferences, routines and learning needs.

Parents' meetings and stay-and-play sessions were used in April 2024 to involve families in children's learning. Staff also helped children recognise emotions in themselves and others, and modelled considerate behaviour. These details connect relationships with daily practice: communication with parents supported the learning, while conversations about feelings supported life alongside other children.

For current communication, Famly is the group parent app used here for updates in real time. It gives parents a route to information during the nursery day, complementing the face-to-face relationships described above. The app is a communication feature, rather than evidence of the quality of care itself.

Freshly prepared snacks and meals cater for dietary needs. They are included within private fees; on days using early years funding, food is charged separately, so the attendance arrangement changes how families pay for the same category of provision.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 41 Church Road, Wavertree, Liverpool, L15 9ED. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across 52 weeks of the year, with bank holidays closed. The opening window and the booked day have different starting times, which matters when planning work and collection arrangements.

A Full Day runs from 8am to 6pm. Morning bookings cover 8am to 1pm, while Afternoon bookings run from 1pm to 6pm; Full Time bookings use the 8am to 6pm window too. Early Bird care covers 7.30am to 8am, and ad hoc hourly care provides another charging pattern. The early opening therefore sits alongside the main sessions rather than being part of the standard Full Day.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 0151 733 0199 or by email to wavertonhouse@kidsplanetdaynurseries.co.uk. A private car park supports collection and drop-off by car.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered alongside private paid care. The important distinction is between the childcare hours and the additional items charged on funding days. Meals, activities and consumables are separate charges when early years funding is applied, with the charge category depending on the funded hours used that day.

Private fees include wipes, nappies, sun cream and formula, as well as food, sports activities and the parent app. On funded days, consumables are charged separately. For a baby needing changing supplies or formula, that distinction is relevant to the total cost and to understanding what a booking includes.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. A family comparing morning, afternoon and full-day attendance should consider the session itself alongside the food, consumables and activity charges that apply to its funding arrangement.

• Attention during group learning. In April 2024, quieter children sometimes missed opportunities to remain involved, and conversations did not consistently develop children's own questions. During a tour, ask how practitioners now involve children who are less likely to speak up and how leaders review that practice.
• The earlier start is separate. The nursery opens at 7.30am, while the Full Day starts at 8am. Families needing the earlier window should include Early Bird care when discussing their booking and written quotation.
• Funding changes the extras. Private fees include food and changing supplies, while funding days carry separate meals, consumables and activity charges. Ask for a quotation showing how these categories apply to your chosen sessions.
• Outdoor care across ages. Babies through to preschool children use the outdoor areas, including the forest environment and tipi garden. A useful visit question is how outdoor activity, rest and your child's own routines fit together, especially for the youngest children.

Kids Planet Waverton House suits families seeking an outdoor-led nursery with either full-day attendance or shorter morning and afternoon sessions. Its forest environment, tipi garden and daily sport give that preference concrete substance. The April 2024 judgement provides a positive inspection position, balanced by specific concerns about quieter children's participation and the consistency of teaching.

The decision rests on both character and practical fit. Nature-based activity is a clear strength of the offer; the separate early-start window and charges on funded days deserve equal attention when choosing an attendance pattern.