Kids Planet Knaresborough

A sensory room with gentle lighting and mirrors gives Kids Planet Knaresborough a quieter counterpoint to its outdoor space on Manse Lane. These are two different ways for children to explore: active play outside, and a calmer setting for sensory experiences indoors. The balance is worth attention.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 16 January 2024 inspection, recognising children's learning and development while identifying improvements needed in outdoor teaching for younger children and safe group sizes in the sensory room. Those qualifications matter alongside the grade.

The nursery has capacity for 92 children, with a current age range from 3 to 59 months. Full days, mornings, afternoons and short days give families several attendance patterns rather than a single length of nursery day.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and everyday experiences help children build skills for their next stage. Here, the January 2024 account gives concrete examples of that work, including stories in a cosy area and dough exploration accompanied by adults introducing words and animal names. These activities brought language learning into children's play.

In January 2024, staff planned activities around children's interests and knew what their key children needed to learn next. Older children received encouragement to keep trying when learning something new. For parents, the useful distinction is between simply occupying children and using their interests to extend what they can do.

Independence also featured in the January 2024 day. Babies helped themselves to a drink, while children practised putting on outdoor clothing and discussed risks such as a slippery slide. These small tasks gave children opportunities to participate in their own care. Taking turns and sharing were part of the preschool experience too.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor space is a substantial part of the current setting. Nature-based experiences promoted here include vegetable growing, wildlife discovery and active play; these descriptions are part of the group's approach repeated for this branch. They add practical substance to the outdoor emphasis, although they should be read alongside the dated teaching concern.

In January 2024, children went outside daily and staff regularly took them into the surrounding community. Older children explored snow and used pieces of an old Christmas tree to make imaginary antlers. However, younger children's outdoor time lacked sufficiently purposeful adult engagement. Space and fresh air were present; the improvement needed was in how adults used that time to extend learning.

The sensory room contains soft textures, mirrors and gentle lighting, with quiet time, individual support and small-group use among its purposes. This gives families a concrete indoor feature to weigh alongside the outdoor offer. In January 2024, groups using it were sometimes too large for safe exploration, so how that space is managed deserves as much attention as its equipment.

Relationships and Communication

In January 2024, practitioners caring for babies knew their individual needs, including those of recent starters, and used singing and reassurance to help them settle. This is useful detail for families considering a baby's first nursery experience: familiarity with the child mattered in the daily care described.

In January 2024, parents received detailed end-of-day communication, and staff regularly gathered their feedback. The current group-wide Famly app provision at this branch provides real-time updates, giving parents a connection with their child's nursery day.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the January 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effective, with individual learning targets developed through work with parents and other professionals. The special educational needs coordinator also helped families prepare for starting school.

That January 2024 transition work centred on understanding individual needs and ensuring support was ready before children moved on. It is a care mechanism, rather than an admissions advantage. For families needing additional support, the important detail is the connection between nursery staff, parents and outside professionals.

Freshly prepared food and snacks cater for dietary needs. Meals and snacks are included in private fees, while days using early years funding carry separate meal charges.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Unit 4a, Mercury Court, Manse Lane, Knaresborough, HG5 8LF. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across 52 weeks of the year.

The Full Day runs from 7.30am to 6pm. Morning attendance runs from 7.30am to 1pm, with Afternoon from 1pm to 6pm; the Short Day is 9am to 3pm. Full Time is also listed with the 7.30am to 6pm window, and an ad hoc hourly option adds another booking pattern. These choices let parents distinguish a shorter daytime arrangement from a morning, afternoon or full-day booking.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare and additional private hours are offered. The charge structure makes a material distinction between the two: private fees include meals and snacks, plus nappies, formula milk, wipes and sun cream, while meals, consumables and activities are charged separately on days when early years funding is applied. The funded-day charges follow different bands according to the hours attended.

Sports activities and the nursery parent app are also part of the group-wide inclusions presented for this branch. Families should compare the whole booking cost, rather than assuming that a funded day and a privately paid day include the same items. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Outdoor teaching for younger children. In January 2024, adult-led learning outdoors needed development. During a tour, ask how staff now turn younger children's outdoor play into purposeful learning.
• Sensory room group sizes. Groups were sometimes too large for safe exploration in January 2024. Ask how numbers and supervision are organised when children use this room today.
• Funded-day extras. Meals, activities and consumables carry separate charges on days using funding. Request a written quotation for your intended attendance pattern that separates these categories from private hours.

Kids Planet Knaresborough suits families comparing morning or afternoon sessions with short-day and full-day care, and those who value both outdoor space and a calmer sensory room. The January 2024 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, with specific reservations that parents can investigate directly. The strongest decision rests on how the outdoor teaching and sensory-room arrangements work now, together with a clear understanding of funded-day extras.