Frequently asked questions

Start by booking a tour of your chosen nursery. You’ll meet the team, explore the rooms and have time to ask questions. When you’re ready to apply, complete our application form and the team will guide you through securing your child’s place.

Yes. Settling-in visits give your child time to explore their new surroundings and get to know the people who will care for them. We’ll plan these visits with you, taking your child’s needs and routine into account.

Yes. Our nurseries are part of the Kids Planet group, with shared support, training and an approach to care and learning. Each nursery has its own personality and relationships with the families and community around it.

Nursery events give families opportunities to spend time together and get to know one another. Ask your nursery team what’s coming up, as events vary between settings.

We value what families have to say. You can share feedback with your child’s key person or nursery manager, and join the events your nursery offers. Your experiences help us reflect on what we do and how we can improve.

Please speak with your nursery manager if something has concerned you. They’ll listen and explain how your concern will be handled. You can ask for a copy of our complaints policy, which sets out how to make a formal complaint and the next steps if it remains unresolved.

We ask for your consent before sharing photographs of your child on social media. Photographs shared through Famly are managed separately, with access restricted to authorised users. Speak with your nursery team about your preferences or any changes to your consent.

Your nursery team can help you find its latest inspection report. Nurseries in England are inspected by Ofsted; settings in Scotland and Wales are inspected by their respective regulators. Reports explain the inspection findings and any areas for improvement.

We’ll let you know as soon as possible if an unexpected closure affects your nursery. The team will explain what this means for your child’s sessions and any fees, in line with your childcare agreement.

Settling-in visits give you time to explore nursery with your child before they start. Some nurseries also offer stay and play events for families. Your team can explain what’s available and how visits are arranged.

Starting nursery can bring new feelings for both children and parents. We’ll take time to get to know your child, offer comfort and help them build trust with familiar practitioners. We’ll keep in touch with you as they settle, and you’re welcome to contact the team for an update.

Young children are still learning to understand their feelings and how their actions affect others. Our practitioners offer calm guidance, help children find words for their emotions and show them ways to manage difficult moments. We work with families so children receive consistent support.

We’ll comfort the child who has been hurt and help the other child understand what happened. We look at what may have led to the behaviour and work with families to support each child, while respecting their privacy.

No. Children develop at their own pace, and we’ll work with you when your child is ready to begin toilet training. Keeping a similar approach at home and nursery helps, along with plenty of spare clothes.

Speak with your nursery team about setting up Famly access for each parent or carer. We’ll agree how updates are shared, taking account of parental responsibility, any relevant arrangements and your child’s privacy. Access to billing information can be discussed separately.

We work with the people involved in a child’s care to understand their needs and provide consistent support. Information is handled sensitively and shared only where appropriate, including when needed to safeguard the child. Speak with the nursery manager about your child’s circumstances before they start.

We’ll get to know the words, languages and routines that are familiar to your child. Pictures, gestures and everyday conversations can help them feel understood as they settle. Please tell us if you need support with nursery information or meetings so we can discuss how to help.

Contact the nursery as soon as you can. We’ll discuss who can collect your child and follow our collection procedures. Please keep your emergency contact details up to date so we can reach the right people if needed.

Fees vary between nurseries and depend on the sessions you choose. Your local team can explain the costs, what’s included and how any funded hours apply, so you know what to expect before booking.

This depends on your nursery and childcare arrangement. Fees may be spread across the year or calculated from the sessions booked. Your team can explain how your invoice is worked out, including funded hours and any additional charges.

Payment options include Direct Debit, bank transfer, card and Tax-Free Childcare. Your nursery team can confirm which methods are available and explain how to make sure payments reach your child’s account.

Yes. Funding options depend on where you live, your child’s age and your family’s circumstances. Your nursery team can explain the funded sessions available and help you understand how they could fit around your childcare needs.

Tax-Free Childcare is a government scheme for eligible families. For every £8 you pay into your online childcare account, the government adds £2, up to £2,000 per child each year, or £4,000 for an eligible disabled child. You can check eligibility and apply through GOV.UK.

All three- and four-year-olds can receive 15 funded hours a week, and eligible working families can receive up to 30 hours from the term after their child turns nine months. Some two-year-olds also qualify for 15 hours under a separate scheme. These entitlements are based on 38 weeks a year. Where your nursery offers stretched funding, the same yearly total is spread over more weeks, giving fewer funded hours each week.

Scotland offers up to 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare a year for all three- and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds. Your local council can explain when your child’s entitlement starts, and your nursery team can confirm whether it offers funded places and how the hours can be used.

Eligible families with three- and four-year-olds can receive up to 30 hours of early education and childcare a week for up to 48 weeks a year. Eligibility includes qualifying working parents and some parents in education or training. Your nursery team can explain which sessions it offers through the scheme, and GOV.WALES has the full eligibility details.

Funded hours cover childcare and early education. In England, any charges for meals, consumables or optional activities alongside those hours must be voluntary. Your nursery will explain these charges and the alternatives available if you choose not to pay them. Any additional childcare hours you book are charged separately.

Sibling discounts are available. Speak with your nursery team about the terms, including which sessions qualify and how the discount applies to your family’s fees.

Fees are usually payable when your child misses a booked session because of illness or a family holiday. Charges for bank holidays and nursery closures are set out in your childcare agreement. Your team can explain how these apply to your booking.

We ask for at least four weeks’ notice. Please check your childcare agreement and speak with your nursery manager before confirming your child’s final day.

A non-refundable administration fee of £100 applies, except for fully funded places. Your nursery team will confirm any charges that apply to your booking before you accept a place.

Please keep your child at home if they’re unwell and contact the nursery to let us know. After vomiting or diarrhoea, they should stay away for at least 48 hours after the last episode. For other illnesses, the team can explain the nursery’s return requirements. If you’re concerned about your child’s health, seek medical advice.

Yes, where this can be done in line with our medication policy. Please speak with the nursery team and provide the medicine in its original packaging with the prescription label. We’ll explain the consent and information needed before it can be given.

Cleaning is part of the nursery’s daily routine. Toys, equipment and frequently touched surfaces are cleaned regularly, with additional cleaning when needed. Each nursery follows a cleaning schedule suited to its rooms and resources.

We’ll help your child get clean and changed with kindness and care for their privacy. Accidents are a normal part of learning, and we’ll offer reassurance. Please send spare clothes so your child can get comfortable and return to their day.

We plan outdoor time with the weather in mind, using shade, suitable clothing and sun protection. Please provide a named sun hat and speak with your nursery about its sun cream arrangements. We’ll adapt activities when it’s particularly hot or sunny.

We welcome children with special educational needs and disabilities and work with families to understand the support they need. Before your child starts, we can discuss their care with the nursery’s special educational needs coordinator and our wider SEND team, including any adjustments, resources or specialist support required.

Facilities vary between nurseries. Please contact your chosen setting to discuss step-free access, doorways, toilets and any other needs before you visit. The team can also explain whether there is space to leave a pushchair.

We want every child and family to feel they belong. Stories, play materials and conversations help children discover different cultures, traditions and family experiences. We also learn from the families in our nurseries and welcome what you’d like to share.

We welcome families of all faiths and none, and respect the beliefs and traditions that matter to them. Please speak with your nursery team about any religious or cultural needs you’d like us to understand or support.

Our values are Community, A Safe Place, Being Reflective and Excellence. They guide how we care for children, build relationships with families and support our people. Our purpose is to give every child the very best start, with the security and encouragement to explore and learn.

Everyday experiences help children notice and care for the world around them. Depending on the nursery, this might include growing plants, reusing materials or learning about local wildlife. Your team can share what children are exploring at your setting.

Most Kids Planet nurseries open Monday to Friday for the majority of the year. Hours and closure dates vary, so please check your local nursery page or speak with the team for the details that apply to your setting.

Please call the nursery as soon as you know you’ll be late so the team can plan and reassure your child. Any late collection charges are set out in your childcare agreement; your nursery can explain how they apply.

Speak with your nursery team about what you need. Extra sessions may be available if there is space and appropriate staffing. Changes to regular days or requests to swap sessions depend on availability and your booking terms.

Bring spare clothes, clothing for the weather and a familiar comfort item if your child needs one. Please label belongings with your child’s name. Your nursery will give you a more detailed list, including any feeding supplies, nappies or prescribed medication you need to provide.

We’ll adapt the nursery day to keep children safe and comfortable. If severe weather means the nursery needs to close, we’ll contact families as soon as possible with the arrangements. Please keep your contact details up to date.

Some nurseries may arrange visits from a hairdresser. Please ask your team whether this is available, how often visits take place and whether there is an additional charge.

Please tell your nursery team if your address, contact details, collection arrangements or other important circumstances change. Some details can be updated through Famly; the team can explain which changes they need to record directly.

Speak with your nursery team about your child’s nappy routine before they start. They can explain how reusable nappies are managed and what you’ll need to provide, including clean nappies and a suitable bag for used ones.

Meals and snacks are part of the nursery’s daily routine, with timings suited to each room and the children’s needs. Your team can talk you through a typical day and how your child’s feeding routine will fit in.

Yes. Our meals are freshly prepared on site each day, using balanced, nutritious ingredients. Menus are reviewed regularly and change with the seasons, helping children discover a variety of flavours and textures.

Children eat together in spaces suited to their age and stage of development. Practitioners eat alongside them, helping create calm, family-style mealtimes where children can practise making choices and becoming more independent.

We work with families to understand religious and cultural dietary needs. Arrangements vary between nurseries, so please discuss your child’s requirements with your chosen setting before they start. The team can explain the meals it can provide.

Yes. We’ll talk with you about your baby’s feeding routine and work together as they’re ready to try foods. Please share what they’re having at home, any dietary needs and how you’d like us to support this stage.

Yes. Before your baby starts, we’ll discuss their feeding routine and explain how milk is stored, prepared and given safely. Your nursery team will let you know what to bring, how to label it and which feeding equipment is needed.

We prepare and serve food in ways suited to children’s ages and stages of development, and supervise them while they eat. Practitioners help children sit comfortably and eat at their own pace. Please share any feeding or swallowing difficulties with the team before your child starts.

Our menus use balanced, nutritious ingredients and change with the seasons. They’re reviewed regularly to support children’s growth and introduce a variety of foods. Your nursery can share its current menu and answer questions about ingredients or suppliers.

We’ll get to know the foods your child enjoys and gently encourage them to explore new flavours and textures. Practitioners eat alongside children and keep mealtimes calm, without pressure to eat. We’ll share what we’re noticing and work with you as their confidence grows.

Your child’s key person gets to know their interests, strengths and next steps in learning. They’ll share observations and updates through Famly and conversations with you. What you notice at home also helps us understand and support your child’s development.

We hold parents’ evenings twice a year, giving you time to talk about your child’s development and experiences at nursery. Your nursery can confirm the dates, and you can ask to arrange a conversation with the team between these events.

Outdoor learning is part of nursery life, with opportunities to explore, move and discover. How this is arranged depends on your nursery’s spaces, the weather and the children’s needs. Your team can explain how outdoor play fits into a typical day.

Where the layout and supervision allow, children can choose to move between indoor and outdoor play. This gives them opportunities to follow their interests and explore different spaces, with practitioners nearby to support their learning.

Some nurseries offer local walks and outings that build on children’s interests, such as visits to a park or library. Your team can explain what’s planned, how children are kept safe and what consent is needed.

Some nurseries offer activities such as dance, languages, drama or sport. These vary by setting, so ask your team what’s available for your child’s age group and whether any additional charges apply.

Our rooms give children space to explore, play and make choices, with resources suited to their age and development. Books, creative materials, building resources and spaces for quieter moments help practitioners respond to different interests and needs. A tour is the best way to see your chosen nursery.

Loose parts are materials children can move, combine and use in different ways, such as large cardboard tubes, fabric or boxes. A box might become a house one day and a boat the next. Practitioners choose resources suited to the children using them and support their ideas.

Stories, songs, conversations and play help children build language and a love of books. Drawing, mark-making and activities that develop hand strength support early writing. Practitioners build on each child’s interests and development, helping lay the foundations for learning at school.

Our approach centres on play, books, conversation, movement and exploring the world first-hand. Practitioners use nursery devices to record observations and share updates with families. Your nursery manager can explain the setting’s approach to any digital resources children may use.

The Early Years Foundation Stage, or EYFS, sets standards for the care, learning and development of children from birth to five in England. It covers seven areas of learning, including communication and language, physical development, and personal, social and emotional development. Our Kids Planet Pedagogy guides how we bring learning to life through everyday experiences.

Curriculum for Excellence is Scotland’s curriculum for children and young people. In the early years, its Early Level supports learning through play, exploration and everyday experiences, helping children build confidence and skills for the next stage of their education.

Curriculum for Wales brings learning together across six areas, with children’s wellbeing and development at its centre. In the early years, play and exploration help children make connections and discover the world around them. Your nursery can explain the framework it follows, including how Welsh language and culture are part of learning.

Nurseries have controlled entry procedures so the team knows who is coming into the setting. The systems used vary by nursery. During your visit, the team can show you how entry, drop-off and collection work.

Your child can only leave with someone authorised to collect them, in line with our collection procedures. Please tell the nursery in advance if someone different will be coming. The team will explain the identification or password checks needed.

CCTV arrangements vary between nurseries. If you have a question about cameras or footage, speak with the nursery manager. Any request to view footage is considered under the relevant privacy procedures, including the need to protect other children and adults.

Staff follow our mobile phone policy, which restricts personal phone use in areas where children are cared for. Nursery devices are used for authorised tasks such as recording learning and sharing parent updates. The manager can explain the policy in more detail.

Practitioners help children with kindness, respecting their privacy and explaining what they’re doing. Care routines are an opportunity to build trust and support growing independence. We’ll discuss your child’s needs with you and share relevant updates about their day.

Each nursery has a designated safeguarding lead responsible for helping staff and families raise concerns about a child’s safety or welfare. Ask the team who this is and how to contact them. Please raise any concern promptly so the right support can be arranged.

Staff receive safeguarding training and follow clear procedures for reporting concerns. Our whistleblowing policy provides a route for raising concerns about practice, including when the usual reporting route is not appropriate. The nursery manager can provide further information about the policy.

Where the Prevent duty applies, it forms part of our safeguarding responsibilities. Staff are supported to recognise and report concerns through the appropriate procedures. Everyday learning helps children practise respect, kindness and an understanding of others in ways suited to their age.

Please let the team know about any injury your child has before arriving at nursery. We’ll ask what happened and record the details, so practitioners understand any care your child needs and have an accurate record.

Babies and children have suitable spaces to rest, with sleep arrangements appropriate to their age and needs. We’ll talk with you about your child’s routine and explain the nursery’s sleep arrangements and supervision before they start.

We’ll learn what helps your child feel calm and ready to rest. Practitioners offer reassurance and use approaches agreed with you, within our safe sleep procedures. Please tell us about familiar routines or comfort items that help at home.

We’ll discuss this with you when it’s appropriate for your child’s development and the nursery’s room arrangements. The team will explain the proposed change and how they’ll help your child feel comfortable with a different place to rest.

Children have individual bedding, which is cleaned regularly and whenever needed. Your nursery team can explain what is provided and whether you need to bring anything from home.

We’ll talk with you about feeding, sleep and the familiar routines that help your child feel settled. We’ll follow these as closely as we can, within safe care arrangements, and discuss any changes as your child grows and joins in with nursery life.

Yes. A familiar teddy, blanket or other comfort item can help your child feel secure, particularly when settling in or resting. Please label it and speak with the team about when your child usually needs it.

Staff undergo the background and suitability checks required for their role before working with children. The checking system differs across England, Scotland and Wales. Safeguarding training and ongoing supervision also support the safe care of children.

Our teams include qualified early years practitioners and colleagues developing their skills through training and apprenticeships. The Kids Planet Training Academy and ongoing professional development help them build their knowledge throughout their careers. Your nursery manager can tell you more about the team at your setting.

Staffing follows the requirements that apply in the country where your nursery is based. Ratios depend on children’s ages and, in some cases, staff qualifications. Your nursery manager can explain the ratios used in your child’s room and how the team is organised.

Each room has a regular team, helping children build relationships with familiar people. Your child’s key person gets to know them particularly well. Other colleagues may support the room when needed, and we’ll help your child feel comfortable with the people caring for them.

We provide paediatric first aid training and organise staffing to meet the requirements that apply to each nursery. Your nursery manager can explain who holds current training and how first aid cover is maintained throughout the day.

Familiar relationships matter to children. We support our colleagues through training and experienced nursery leaders, and plan handovers when team members change. Your nursery manager can explain any changes affecting your child’s room and how they’ll be supported.

Nursery leaders support and coach their teams, with regular opportunities to discuss their work and development. We invest in training and professional support so colleagues can build their confidence and provide thoughtful care for children.

We look for people who are warm, compassionate and committed to children, alongside the knowledge and skills their role requires. Colleagues should share our values and understand the trust families place in them. Recruitment includes the relevant suitability checks.

We draw on our own teams across Kids Planet nurseries when additional support is needed. Your nursery manager can explain how staffing cover is arranged at your setting and how continuity is maintained for children.

We’ll talk with you when your child is ready for their next room. Visits help them explore the space and get to know the practitioners and children there. The teams share information about your child’s interests, needs and routines, and plan the move at a pace that supports them.

Preparing for school starts with everyday experiences: sharing stories, making friends, talking about feelings and trying things independently. Our curriculum also builds early literacy, mathematics and problem-solving skills. We support each child’s development so they can approach new experiences with confidence and curiosity.

Our nurseries build relationships with local schools and other early years settings to support children’s next steps. As your child prepares for school, the team can explain how information is shared and what opportunities there may be to get to know their new setting.