Tops Day Nurseries: Pokesdown Nursery

Fresh herbs in play dough, flowers for experimenting and outings into the community give this Boscombe nursery a practical, hands-on character. In May 2024, children explored ingredients, collaborated in imaginative play and practised doing things for themselves. These were experiences with a purpose: conversation, cooperation and growing independence.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 2 May 2024 and judged safeguarding effective. Tops Day Nurseries: Pokesdown Nursery has capacity for 135 children, with a current age range of three months to five years.

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care, bringing play and everyday routines together as opportunities to learn. In May 2024, preschool children made pretend pizzas using herbs and play dough, while staff introduced questions about size and flavour. Familiar materials gave children something concrete to discuss.

Flowers and fruit became ingredients for another experiment that month: making perfume. Toddlers persisted with the challenge of grasping a wet, slippery ball. The experiences combined exploration with opportunities to keep trying when a task became difficult.

Outdoor learning extended beyond the premises. In May 2024, older children prepared themselves for park outings involving forest school activities, an approach centred on learning outdoors. Weekly visits to care-home residents also brought contact with people beyond the nursery. Together, those activities made the surrounding community part of the children's experience.

At the May 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that staff understood children's next steps and supported children needing additional help through achievable targets, visual cues and an attention bucket. That gives useful substance to the inclusion picture: support involved specific resources and individual planning.

Parents contributed information about what their children could already do when they started. In May 2024, staff combined this with their observations of children's interests to plan activities. The starting point was the individual child, rather than an identical sequence for everyone.

The youngest children experienced a calm atmosphere in May 2024. Practical independence also started early: babies used a low sink to wash their hands, younger children learnt to manage stairs safely, and older children prepared for outings. Health education included conversations about food, germs and handwashing; the menu was nutritious at that visit.

The address is 4c Wolverton Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, BH7 6HT. Opening hours are 6am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. That opening window is useful for households whose working day starts early or finishes late.

In May 2024, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated funding position, separate from the current opening arrangements.

• Extending learning. In May 2024, staff sometimes stopped short of developing activities as far as they could. During a visit, ask how practitioners now build on children's ideas and questions.
• Home languages. In May 2024, staff collected familiar words from parents but did not consistently use them or make full use of bilingual books. Families using another language at home should discuss how it will feature in their child's day.
• Baby-room arrangements. For a child joining from three months, ask about the usual group size and how settling and sleep are organised.

Pokesdown suits families seeking early-years care with a broad opening window and an emphasis on practical exploration. Its May 2024 daily life included imaginative play, outdoor experiences and community contact. The two teaching priorities deserve attention when choosing: extending learning and making better use of children's home languages.