Tops Day Nursery — Ofsted Nursery Tracker

Grades by area

Achievement

Expected standard

Children, including those who are disadvantaged or known to children's services make progress from their starting points. Children become confident in communicating their needs. Babies express their needs by putting their arms out and older ones speak politely, such as when asking for a knife at lunchtime. Children's independence develops rapidly. Babies try to put on their own bibs and children serve their own lunch. This independence ensures that children are well prepared for their move into the next room, or on to school. Children communicate well and learn to maintain attention and develop fascination. For example, they listen attentively as staff talk to them about dental hygiene. They enjoy their learning and work well together, such as when drawing in a group and praising each other's pictures.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines

Expected standard

Leaders have recently developed commonly understood expectations for behaviour, across the setting, which is having a positive impact. Typically, staff identify any incidents of poor behaviour or conflict quickly. They support children well as they learn to manage these situations. For example, when children struggle to share resources, staff suggest the use of a timer for turn-taking. Children manage this with maturity and enthusiasm. Staff take children's age and stage of development into account and support them to meet expectations in a suitable and inclusive manner. For instance, they encourage children to observe activities, building confidence before joining in. Leaders and staff have created a genuine culture of kindness. Children readily collaborate and work together, such as when moving sand and mud from one pit to another. They help each other when there are challenges. For instance, when toddlers gets a tricycle wheel stuck, their friends quickly help him to move it. Children learn from the warm support that they receive from staff, who are positive role models. For example, staff adapt their teaching to provide physical comfort and supported play to help children, who are new to the setting, to settle. Leaders carefully monitor attendance and encourage families to come regularly and to be on time for their sessions. Children are settled because they attend consistently.

Children's welfare and wellbeing

Expected standard

Children are happy, engaged and well settled. Staff build secure relationships with children, which underpin practice across the setting. Children are supported to develop an understanding of risk, and to manage their safety. For example, staff reassure them when they consider jumping from a climbing frame and help them to try, when they feel ready. Children are taught to understand their emotions. They use visual cards to identify and name their feelings. Their emotions are supported through careful interactions with staff, who accommodate their needs. For instance, staff help children to look on the camera for parents and carers arriving. Staff meet children's care needs well and adapt practice to reflect children's age and stage. For example, older children look in the mirror and learn to blow their own nose. Children learn to maintain healthy routines, such as with daily tooth brushing. Sleep routines are safe, caring and children are well supervised to eat safely. Mealtimes are social occasions where staff sit with children. Staff generally talk enthusiastically about healthy foods and encourage children to try new things. Occasionally, staff deployment is not fully effective. For example, as staff serve lunch, babies and children wait to eat, become bored and start to leave their seats. Leaders do not always help staff to prioritise tasks to best meet children's needs.

Curriculum and teaching

Expected standard

Leaders have appropriate oversight and a thoughtful approach to the curriculum, which staff understand well. All children are included and their interests are reflected in the setting. Staff plan teaching that is matched to their knowledge of the children. For example, staff build on children's recent holiday experiences, through imaginative play travelling on an pretend aeroplane. This builds children's knowledge of the world around them. Staff prioritise physical development across the setting. Babies climb and pull themselves up on suitable furniture. Older children climb and jump with confidence. Staff support and encourage adventurous movement both indoors and outside. Staff weave mathematics into learning throughout the day. For instance, pre-school children measure block towers with a ruler and babies search for shapes in paper strips. Toddlers use mathematical language, such as 'under', and 'over', when playing with a giant parachute. Children show a real love of books. They often choose to share these with staff and each other, reciting key phrases from their favourites. While staff use communication as a tool to support children's progress, at times, children are not engaged in conversation or spoken to with purpose. This means that their developing language skills are not consistently encouraged.

Inclusion

Expected standard

Children's needs are appropriately identified and assessed. Staff complete careful assessments when children start at the setting and use these to inform their planning for each child. They work closely with parents and carers to identify children's needs. Leaders take action to reduce potential barriers to learning. For example, they work with parents to support behaviour management at home, so that their approach is consistent. Leaders monitor progress and are starting to review this so that children's developing needs are, generally, well met. However, at times, targets for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not reviewed regularly enough. This means they are not consistently adapted to ensure support can be tailored to meet children's changing needs. Leaders work with wider agencies and specialists to increase support where this is needed. They liaise regularly with social workers to ensure that children known to social care are well supported. Staff generally receive suitable training to help them support children, such as in effective behaviour management. They typically plan their teaching to match children's needs. For example, they spend time reading familiar books with small groups of children each day and see the impact this has on their communication skills. Leaders and staff ensure that additional funding is spent well and monitor the impact this has.

Leadership and governance

Expected standard

Recent changes to leadership have had a positive impact. Leaders have quickly identified weaknesses in supervision and have made changes to the layout of the setting. These changes have ensured that children are now consistently well supervised. Leaders recognise that there are times when staff deployment and interaction needs further work. They recently identified a need for training in behaviour management. Staff now apply a more consistent approach, which supports children's development. Leaders prioritise ongoing training and professional development. Staff benefit from training opportunities and support to take their studies further. For example, many staff complete apprenticeships and go on to work towards further qualifications. Leaders place children at the heart of their decisions. For instance, they have developed links with a local theatre to build children's wider knowledge of the world around them. They prioritise links within the community, which benefits the families they work with. For example, links with local gardeners help families and children plant seeds and learn how to grow things. These initiatives particularly benefit children who are disadvantaged, or who may face barriers to their learning. Staff are very well supported and appreciate the attention that leaders pay to their wellbeing and workload. Staff particularly value the programme to support staff who are visiting from abroad. They enjoy the cultural diversity this brings. Parents value the sense of community and the regular communication that they receive. They feel well known by leaders and staff, and feel welcomed into the community.

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children arrive enthusiastically at the setting. They enjoy positive relationships with staff and each other. They build friendships and collaborate to complete tasks. For example, they work together to tidy away blocks. They praise each other when they do well, such as clapping when their friends finish brushing their teeth. This develops a clear sense of community. Families are well supported and involved. They describe the setting as having a 'family feel'. Leaders offer events to support their involvement and children's attendance, such as stay-and-play sessions. Children explore their environment with confidence and curiosity. For example, babies splash water and squeeze wet sand as they explore a holiday-themed tray. Older children become absorbed in their activities, such as when playing with water and working out what is blocking a funnel in the garden. This enables them to develop their ability to solve problems and think deeply. Beyond the setting, children benefit from trips and visits. For instance, they visit a local theatre to watch regular shows and display their art work. These community links help children to learn about their local area. This increases their sense of belonging. Children's independence develops well across the setting. Babies learn to put on their own bibs and pour their own water. Toddlers serve their own pasta and pre-school children make their own play dough. They grow in confidence as they learn to meet their own needs and take responsibility for themselves. These skills prepare children well for their next steps in learning, including the transition on to school. Leaders and staff carefully adapt their approaches to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are able to achieve.

Next steps

Leaders should help staff prioritise tasks appropriately to engage children well throughout the day and ensure they receive the individual support that they need. Leaders should support staff to use all opportunities to engage children in conversation and develop their communication skills through consistently high-quality interactions. Leaders should regularly review and adapt children's individual targets to meet their changing needs consistently and to identify where progress is made.

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents, carers and children during the inspection. We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

About this setting

URN: EY290331
Address: 14 Denmark Lane Poole Dorset BH15 2DG
Type: Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care
Registration date: 06/09/2004
Registered person: Tops Day Nursery Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 06:00 - 20:00
Local authority: Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

Facts and figures

Age range at inspection: 0 to 6
Total places: 132

Data from 29 April 2026

Tops Day Nursery Unique reference number (URN): EY290331 Address: 14 Denmark Lane, Poole, Dorset, BH15 2DG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 06/09/2004 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Tops Day Nursery Limited Inspection report: 29 April 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Safeguarding standards met The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe. How we evaluate safeguarding When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes: Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Expected standard Achievement Expected standard Children, including those who are disadvantaged or known to children's services make progress from their starting points. Children become confident in communicating their needs. Babies express their needs by putting their arms out and older ones speak politely, such as when asking for a knife at lunchtime. Children's independence develops rapidly. Babies try to put on their own bibs and children serve their own lunch. This independence ensures that children are well prepared for their move into the next room, or on to school. Children communicate well and learn to maintain attention and develop fascination. For example, they listen attentively as staff talk to them about dental hygiene. They enjoy their learning and work well together, such as when drawing in a group and praising each other's pictures. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders have recently developed commonly understood expectations for behaviour, across the setting, which is having a positive impact. Typically, staff identify any incidents of poor behaviour or conflict quickly. They support children well as they learn to manage these situations. For example, when children struggle to share resources, staff suggest the use of a timer for turn-taking. Children manage this with maturity and enthusiasm. Staff take children's age and stage of development into account and support them to meet expectations in a suitable and inclusive manner. For instance, they encourage children to observe activities, building confidence before joining in. Leaders and staff have created a genuine culture of kindness. Children readily collaborate and work together, such as when moving sand and mud from one pit to another. They help each other when there are challenges. For instance, when toddlers gets a tricycle wheel stuck, their friends quickly help him to move it. Children learn from the warm support that they receive from staff, who are positive role models. For example, staff adapt their teaching to provide physical comfort and supported play to help children, who are new to the setting, to settle. Leaders carefully monitor attendance and encourage families to come regularly and to be on time for their sessions. Children are settled because they attend consistently. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Children are happy, engaged and well settled. Staff build secure relationships with children, which underpin practice across the setting. Children are supported to develop an understanding of risk, and to manage their safety. For example, staff reassure them when they consider jumping from a climbing frame and help them to try, when they feel ready. Children are taught to understand their emotions. They use visual cards to identify and name their feelings. Their emotions are supported through careful interactions with staff, who accommodate their needs. For instance, staff help children to look on the camera for parents and carers arriving. Staff meet children's care needs well and adapt practice to reflect children's age and stage. For example, older children look in the mirror and learn to blow their own nose. Children learn to maintain healthy routines, such as with daily tooth brushing. Sleep routines are safe, caring and children are well supervised to eat safely. Mealtimes are social occasions where staff sit with children. Staff generally talk enthusiastically about healthy foods and encourage children to try new things. Occasionally, staff deployment is not fully effective. For example, as staff serve lunch, babies and children wait to eat, become bored and start to leave their seats. Leaders do not always help staff to prioritise tasks to best meet children's needs. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have appropriate oversight and a thoughtful approach to the curriculum, which staff understand well. All children are included and their interests are reflected in the setting. Staff plan teaching that is matched to their knowledge of the children. For example, staff build on children's recent holiday experiences, through imaginative play travelling on an pretend aeroplane. This builds children's knowledge of the world around them. Staff prioritise physical development across the setting. Babies climb and pull themselves up on suitable furniture. Older children climb and jump with confidence. Staff support and encourage adventurous movement both indoors and outside. Staff weave mathematics into learning throughout the day. For instance, pre-school children measure block towers with a ruler and babies search for shapes in paper strips. Toddlers use mathematical language, such as 'under', and 'over', when playing with a giant parachute. Children show a real love of books. They often choose to share these with staff and each other, reciting key phrases from their favourites. While staff use communication as a tool to support children's progress, at times, children are not engaged in conversation or spoken to with purpose. This means that their developing language skills are not consistently encouraged. Inclusion Expected standard Children's needs are appropriately identified and assessed. Staff complete careful assessments when children start at the setting and use these to inform their planning for each child. They work closely with parents and carers to identify children's needs. Leaders take action to reduce potential barriers to learning. For example, they work with parents to support behaviour management at home, so that their approach is consistent. Leaders monitor progress and are starting to review this so that children's developing needs are, generally, well met. However, at times, targets for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not reviewed regularly enough. This means they are not consistently adapted to ensure support can be tailored to meet children's changing needs. Leaders work with wider agencies and specialists to increase support where this is needed. They liaise regularly with social workers to ensure that children known to social care are well supported. Staff generally receive suitable training to help them support children, such as in effective behaviour management. They typically plan their teaching to match children's needs. For example, they spend time reading familiar books with small groups of children each day and see the impact this has on their communication skills. Leaders and staff ensure that additional funding is spent well and monitor the impact this has. Leadership and governance Expected standard Recent changes to leadership have had a positive impact. Leaders have quickly identified weaknesses in supervision and have made changes to the layout of the setting. These changes have ensured that children are now consistently well supervised. Leaders recognise that there are times when staff deployment and interaction needs further work. They recently identified a need for training in behaviour management. Staff now apply a more consistent approach, which supports children's development. Leaders prioritise ongoing training and professional development. Staff benefit from training opportunities and support to take their studies further. For example, many staff complete apprenticeships and go on to work towards further qualifications. Leaders place children at the heart of their decisions. For instance, they have developed links with a local theatre to build children's wider knowledge of the world around them. They prioritise links within the community, which benefits the families they work with. For example, links with local gardeners help families and children plant seeds and learn how to grow things. These initiatives particularly benefit children who are disadvantaged, or who may face barriers to their learning. Staff are very well supported and appreciate the attention that leaders pay to their wellbeing and workload. Staff particularly value the programme to support staff who are visiting from abroad. They enjoy the cultural diversity this brings. Parents value the sense of community and the regular communication that they receive. They feel well known by leaders and staff, and feel welcomed into the community. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met Voluntary Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Children arrive enthusiastically at the setting. They enjoy positive relationships with staff and each other. They build friendships and collaborate to complete tasks. For example, they work together to tidy away blocks. They praise each other when they do well, such as clapping when their friends finish brushing their teeth. This develops a clear sense of community. Families are well supported and involved. They describe the setting as having a 'family feel'. Leaders offer events to support their involvement and children's attendance, such as stay-and-play sessions. Children explore their environment with confidence and curiosity. For example, babies splash water and squeeze wet sand as they explore a holiday-themed tray. Older children become absorbed in their activities, such as when playing with water and working out what is blocking a funnel in the garden. This enables them to develop their ability to solve problems and think deeply. Beyond the setting, children benefit from trips and visits. For instance, they visit a local theatre to watch regular shows and display their art work. These community links help children to learn about their local area. This increases their sense of belonging. Children's independence develops well across the setting. Babies learn to put on their own bibs and pour their own water. Toddlers serve their own pasta and pre-school children make their own play dough. They grow in confidence as they learn to meet their own needs and take responsibility for themselves. These skills prepare children well for their next steps in learning, including the transition on to school. Leaders and staff carefully adapt their approaches to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are able to achieve. Inspector: Alanda Phillips About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY290331 Address: 14 Denmark Lane Poole Dorset BH15 2DG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 06/09/2004 Registered person: Tops Day Nursery Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 06:00 - 20:00 Local authority: Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Next steps Leaders should help staff prioritise tasks appropriately to engage children well throughout the day and ensure they receive the individual support that they need. Leaders should support staff to use all opportunities to engage children in conversation and develop their communication skills through consistently high-quality interactions. Leaders should regularly review and adapt children's individual targets to meet their changing needs consistently and to identify where progress is made. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents, carers and children during the inspection. We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage. Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 29 April 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 6 Total number of places 132 Our grades explained Exceptional Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it. Strong standard The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them. Expected standard The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them. Needs attention The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements. Urgent improvement The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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