URN 2800599 · Inspected 2026-06-16 · Published 2026-08-05 · Inspector: Sandra Hamilton
Tower Tots Unique reference number (URN): 2800599 Address: Tower College, Mill Lane, Rainhill, PRESCOT, L35 6NE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 29/08/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Tower Tots Limited Inspection report: 16 June 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. Strong standard Achievement Strong standard Children's communication and language develop extremely well. They use an increasingly rich vocabulary, engage in meaningful conversations and respond confidently to prompts and questions. This supports their wider achievement across the curriculum, including early literacy and mathematics. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well alongside their peers from their individual starting points. This is because staff quickly identify and support their needs through tailored interventions, adapted routines and personalised teaching. Babies and children engage and focus well on stories and songs, helping to develop their language and communication. Younger children repeat familiar phrases, and babies say key words. These strategies reduce barriers to children's learning and/or wellbeing and ensure that every child can participate fully. Nurturing and trusting relationships help children to grow in confidence, independence and resilience. They concentrate for sustained periods, show curiosity and approach new challenges with enthusiasm. Children establish secure foundations for future success and are very well prepared for their next stage of learning, including the transition to school. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Leaders and staff create a nurturing and inclusive environment with firmly embedded and consistent boundaries. Staff skilfully adapt and develop key rules based on the needs of the children and their stage of development. This ensures that all children gain a secure understanding of what is expected of them. For example, staff share these rules daily and effectively use a range of visual resources, which children and staff can refer to when needed. Relationships between staff and children are warm and responsive. Staff have a deep understanding of each child's needs and stage of development. Staff model emotional language, enabling children to recognise their feelings and self-regulate their behaviour. Children consistently demonstrate increasing social awareness, follow instructions, develop friendships and begin to show care for others. For example, babies gently share hand-held sensory toys with each other and older children take part in peer massage sessions. Staff reinforce positive behaviour and provide targeted support where needed. This ensures that all children feel included and ready to learn. Consequently, children behave extremely well. Leaders promote punctuality and regular attendance, working closely with families to identify any barriers to this and provide timely support. Communication with parents and carers is positive and proactive, ensuring continuity between home and the setting. Children show highly positive attitudes. They are eager to take on responsibility and grow in independence as they pour drinks, manage hygiene routines and care for their environment. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Staff promote children's welfare and wellbeing consistently through thoughtful, sensitive and tailored care routines. Key people support secure and trusting attachments from the start, providing comfort and reassurance and responding to children's needs attentively. Staff ensure that babies and children have privacy when nappy changing and toileting, promoting respect. Babies and children cuddle staff and enjoy them joining in with their play. Staff adapt routines to suit the individual needs and feelings of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. For example, if children become overwhelmed, staff recognise they are tired and initiate quieter activities or lead a bespoke therapy break devised by external specialists. Older children explore their emotions and have rich conversations, labelling how they feel. This supports children in developing emotional awareness and is helping them to feel valued and thrive. Staff gather detailed information from the start. They value parents and carers as partners and build a holistic understanding of children's routines, identities and backgrounds. Babies and young children separate with ease because they know adults will respond calmly and sensitively. Staff prioritise children's physical development, health and personal safety. Daily routines offer purposeful opportunities for children's independence and self-care. For example, staff encourage children to serve themselves and use cutlery at mealtimes. These experiences help children to build their confidence, strengthen fine motor skills and build resilience. Sleeping and feeding routines are well established and sensitively managed, with staff responding to children's preferences to further promote children's wellbeing. Curriculum and teaching Strong standard Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching across the provision. Assessment is continuous and sharply focused. Staff carefully consider and prioritise the skills they want children to learn, based on their needs and abilities. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, access a well-developed, sequenced and tailored approach to their learning. Children gain fundamental skills in preparation for their future learning. These include confidence, resilience and being able to form and maintain relationships. Staff skilfully model language and extend children's vocabulary throughout routines and play. They weave mathematical ideas, such as counting, comparison and problem-solving, naturally into interactions. Older children benefit from enrichment opportunities such as regular Spanish sessions and access to a new wellbeing caravan, designed to provide sensory activities in the provision's expansive grounds. Teaching is purposeful, consistent, exciting and impactful. Staff prioritise children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. They nurture children's emotional literacy, independence and resilience through warm and responsive interactions and thoughtfully designed environments. Consequently, all children make sustained progress across all areas of learning. Staff place a strong emphasis on outdoor learning. Children exude enthusiasm as they get ready for a bug hunt or trip to the zoo. Staff know children extremely well and implement strategies that ensure that every child participates fully and meaningfully. As a result, children experience engaging learning that supports strong progress and prepares them well for their next stage of education. Inclusion Strong standard Leaders embed a deeply inclusive culture across the setting, recognising each child's uniqueness, needs and abilities from the start. Staff fully support those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning. They offer personalised approaches and collaborative working partnerships with parents and external agencies. They use their experience and targeted training to implement consistent and systematic assessment approaches. This ensures that children make the progress they are capable of from their starting points. Staff use their detailed knowledge of each child and rigorous monitoring to ensure interventions are effective and have a measurable impact. They use adaptations consistently, such as sensory breaks, visual prompts and targeted interventions. This helps all children to access and succeed in all areas of the curriculum. Staff work closely with families and, where appropriate, external professionals, to ensure that support is timely and tailored to each child. There is a specific parents' room where carers speak directly to experienced staff, who listen and support them. Parents comment on the positive impact this has on their family life and their children's progress. Staff are highly skilled and confident in meeting a wide range of complex needs, which leads to meaningful and sustained progress in learning, development and wellbeing. Leaders' use of early years pupil premium funding is purposeful and targeted. This enables disadvantaged children to access enrichment, improve their communication and build their confidence. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leadership is child-centred, driven by the values in the setting and highly effective. Leaders have a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. They continually reflect on their practice and use evidence to drive improvement. Leaders recognise the importance of developing staff and prioritising internal progression. This ensures that any changes in staffing or leadership are carefully managed, maintaining stability and preventing disruption for children. Staff describe a positive culture of teamwork, openness and professional support, with clear expectations and consistent routines. This helps them to work and fulfil their roles and responsibilities confidently. Induction is supportive, and ongoing professional development strengthens reflective practice and the sharing of effective strategies. For example, leaders have recently attended training that has deepened their knowledge of how to monitor children's health and emotional wellbeing across the provision. Leaders and staff use new knowledge gained from training to inform practice across the provision. This helps to maintain and embed the delivery of a high-quality curriculum for all children. Leaders thoughtfully consider staff's wellbeing and workloads. They set clear and manageable expectations. This contributes to a stable, confident and highly committed team. Parents and carers feel valued, supported and informed about funding. Leadership and governance are strategic and have a clear attendance policy. They ensure children receive consistently high-quality experiences and outcomes in an inviting, inclusive environment. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children experience a warm, calm and purposeful day in this bright and caring provision. Nurturing staff know children and families well and understand individual needs. The thoughtfully planned settling-in process helps babies and children form secure attachments. This helps even the youngest children to quickly develop the confidence to separate happily from their parents and carers and feel a clear sense of belonging. Staff create a language- rich environment, offering children a wealth of experiences, such as stories, singing and music and movement sessions. Babies show awe and wonder and concentrate well with their mouths open as they watch staff throw different coloured scarves into the air and glide down again. All children enjoy their learning, planned around their own interests and what they need to learn next. Babies clap along to familiar songs, play with puppets and babble with excitement. Children are excited to explore the learning opportunities available and effectively develop communication skills. Leaders are proactive and engage external professionals promptly to ensure that children access any additional support they need, reducing any barriers to learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the timely support they need to make steady progress in their learning. This helps them to thrive and succeed with the skills for the next stage in their learning. Children demonstrate a sense of belonging through their confidence, behaviour and high levels of self-esteem. Staff work well with parents to explain the importance and benefits of their children attending. Throughout the day, staff model positive language and emotional understanding. They guide children to label emotions and learn simple strategies to manage these independently. This supports children to develop secure social skills and to treat each other with kindness. Children play well together, taking turns and showing genuine care and respect for their friends. As a result, all children are valued, flourish and achieve well. Inspector: Sandra Hamilton About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2800599 Address: Tower College, Mill Lane Rainhill PRESCOT L35 6NE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 29/08/2024 Registered person: Tower Tots Limited Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00 Local authority: St Helens Next steps Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known or previously known to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents 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 16 June 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 115 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. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. 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