Nursery group tops national ranking for quality

A nursery group providing educational care to 1,700 children across the North West has claimed the number one spot in a compilation of Ofsted ratings for the 20 largest nursery groups in Britain.

Family run Kids Planet has nurseries in Beamont, Crewe, Greenbank Park, Hale, Salford, Lymm, Prestwich, Sale, Salford, Warrington and Widnes, as well as Jeffry’s Corner in Dukinfield and Springhead, and Yarrow House in Stockport.

Kids Planet is number one in this year’s Nursery World Ofsted table with 14 of its inspected nurseries graded Outstanding, three with Good grades and one awaiting inspection. Nursery World ranks the 20 biggest nursery groups in the UK by compiling the grades from the latest published Ofsted reports and analysing the findings using a points-based rating system. Kids Planet has been number two in the rankings for the past two years.

Clare Roberts, who started Kids Planet in 2008 with her father John Hoban said: “We are thrilled with this accolade and this is a real reflection of the hard work dedication and commitment from all of our nursery teams over the last eight years.

“We believe in working together and continuously reflecting on what we do. This is recognition of our commitment to make sure that we give the best possible start to the children in our care.”

Kids Planet plans to open five news nurseries in the next two years creating 150 new jobs and providing nursery care and education to an additional 550 children. Earlier this year, the group secured a £10m investment from BGF to support its growth plans.