Kids Planet Ashton

A Rainbow Room shared across ages, a dedicated sensory room and a large outdoor area give Kids Planet Ashton a clear physical character. This Queen Street nursery combines space for active play with somewhere quieter to pause. Those different environments matter for children who enjoy exploring but also need a gentler part of the day.

At its 30 July 2025 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and recognised early identification of additional needs, with parents involved in referrals and interim targets. There were also clear teaching improvements to make. The useful distinction for families is between the positive care findings and the work needed to make learning more carefully planned for each child.

Children are accepted from 3 to 60 months, with capacity for 110 children in total. Full-day, morning and afternoon bookings provide different ways to use the nursery, alongside before-school, after-school and holiday care for older children.

Rooms and Ages

The Rainbow Room is accessible across the age groups rather than belonging to one developmental stage. It gives the nursery a shared space that children can use beyond their usual room. The dedicated sensory room serves a different purpose: quiet exploration, time to relax and support in smaller groups.

That sensory space is more than another activity room. Its quieter setting allows a change of pace, which is useful when a child needs a break from busier play. Alongside it, the large outdoor area provides room for movement and exploration. The balance between those spaces is a practical reason to consider Ashton, rather than relying only on the overall grade.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. In parent language, learning and everyday care belong together: play, conversation and growing independence form part of the child's education rather than sitting apart from it.

In July 2025, children enjoyed books both independently and with adults, while songs were part of their day. Staff talked alongside children's play and used questions to extend conversations. These are concrete ways to give children words for what they are doing and opportunities to take part, rather than making learning depend only on a planned activity.

At the July 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that assessment did not consistently shape suitably challenging activities for individual children, learning needed a clearer sequence, and staff supervision needed to identify teaching improvements more precisely. These concerns belong together: knowing a child's next step is useful only when the activities and adult support help that child reach it.

Outdoor and Community Life

An annual Bunny Hop supports Willow Wood Hospice, and the nursery also supports Crackerjacks Children’s Trust. The Bunny Hop is a recurring charity event, giving families a recognisable part of the nursery year and connecting nursery life with organisations beyond the setting.

Sports activities are also part of the group-wide offering described for Ashton. They add organised physical activity alongside outdoor exploration. The large outdoor area is the stronger practical detail here: it provides a setting for active play as well as the quieter experiences available indoors.

Relationships and Communication

In July 2025, staff gave unsettled children reassurance and time before moving them into the day's routine. They did not hurry a child who still needed to keep a jacket on while settling. That small example is useful: it shows how an adult can respond to the child in front of them rather than expecting everyone to settle in the same way.

Daily handovers were detailed in July 2025, and staff shared children's assessments with parents. These conversations give families both an account of the day and a way to discuss development over time. For current communication, Ashton uses the Famly app, a group-wide parent app providing updates as the day unfolds.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The sensory room can be used for quieter play, targeted support or activities with a small group. The Rainbow Room is accessible to children across the age groups. For a family considering how their child manages stimulation and changes of pace, these are useful spaces to explore during a visit.

Children took part in mindfulness meditation in July 2025. Staff also intervened promptly over behaviour, reminding children about gentle interactions and redirecting them when appropriate. These examples describe adult responses and activities at that time; they should be read alongside the dated findings on additional support, rather than as a blanket promise about every child's experience.

Freshly prepared food and snacks accommodate dietary needs. The group-wide fee package described for Ashton includes formula, nappies, sun cream and wipes, reducing the everyday supplies families need to pack; funded attendance has a different charge structure, explained below.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Queen Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6NW. Opening hours are 7am to 6pm on weekdays, across 52 weeks, with bank holidays closed. The opening window starts earlier than the standard full-day booking, an important distinction for an early work start.

Full Day and Full Time bookings run from 7.30am to 6pm. Morning care runs from 7.45am to 12.45pm, while Afternoon care starts at 12.45pm and ends at 6pm. Early Bird care covers 7am to 7.30am, and an ad hoc hourly option is also offered. These are separate choices, so a morning booking should not be assumed to start at opening time.

Before School care runs from 7.30am to 9am. After School options run from 3pm to either 4pm or 6pm. Holiday Club bookings are 8am to 6pm for a full day, 8am to 12.30pm for a morning, or 12.30pm to 6pm for an afternoon. Before School and After School care are for children aged 4–11; Holiday Club is for children aged 5–11.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 0161 343 4500 or by email to ashton@kidsplanetdaynurseries.co.uk.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare and privately paid childcare are offered. For private attendance, meals and snacks sit within the inclusive fee package, alongside nappies, wipes, formula and sun cream. On days when early years funding is applied, meals, consumables and activities carry separate charges, with the charge category depending on the funded hours used that day.

That distinction matters more than the inclusive description alone. A funded booking and a private booking have different cost structures, even when a child uses the same everyday provision. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Individual learning. The July 2025 findings called for activities to connect more closely with each child's needs and for learning to build more clearly over time. During a tour, ask for a concrete example of how a child's assessment now changes their next activities.
• Quiet spaces and settling. The sensory room and shared Rainbow Room give Ashton different environments within the nursery. Explore how your child would use them and how the team would organise settling around their needs.
• Early starts and funded extras. Standard full-day care begins at 7.30am, with Early Bird care covering the earlier opening period; funded days also attract separate meals, consumables and activities charges. Request a written quotation for your intended pattern, including how those extras are handled.

Kids Planet Ashton suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions as well as full-day care, with additional options for school-age children. Its sensory room, shared Rainbow Room and outdoor space give parents concrete features to weigh, while the annual Bunny Hop adds a local charity connection.

The Good judgement is supported by positive care and communication findings, but the learning concerns deserve attention. For families comparing settings, the decisive question is how confidently the team can demonstrate that individual assessment now leads to better-planned learning.