Tops Day Nurseries: Lymington Nursery

Bug hotels, wildflowers and a garden shared by different ages give this Lymington nursery a recognisable character in its October 2023 account of daily life. Environmental learning involved practical work: children reused materials, recycled items and made space for wildlife. Caring for the natural world became something to do.

Tops Day Nurseries: Lymington Nursery has capacity for 100 children, with accepted ages from 3 to 59 months. At its October 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good overall. The main improvement concerned how staff were deployed when some babies stayed indoors while other children played outside.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care, bringing play and everyday routines into their education. In October 2023, practitioners shaped activities around children's interests and recurring patterns in their play.

Babies manipulated dough and moved sand into containers; older children made marks using water and brushes, and experimented with crate constructions outdoors. These examples connected hand movements, creativity and problem-solving with materials children could explore themselves. Gardening club and cooking school were additional activities at that time.

October 2023 garden play also brought different ages together. Older children included younger ones, while staff helped children negotiate sharing. The outdoor space therefore served both exploration and social learning, with opportunities to practise taking turns alongside building and planting.

At the October 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and SEND support very strong, with targeted plans developed through collaboration between staff, parents and other professionals. Those plans connected learning support with children's individual care needs.

In October 2023, families received daily updates about learning and development, and children had relationships with their key person. Independence was practised through ordinary routines: babies helped locate their nappies, toddlers worked at feeding themselves, and preschool children put on footwear.

There was an important qualification for baby care that October. Although staffing ratios were met, unsettled babies indoors could sometimes wait for an experienced practitioner to respond while outdoor activities continued. Improving staff deployment was the specific action required. Sleeping babies, meanwhile, were monitored by staff who stayed in the room.

The address is All Saints Church, All Saints Road, Lymington, SO41 8FD. Opening hours are 6am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures at Christmas and on Boxing Day and New Years Day. That opening window is useful for parents whose working day starts early or finishes late.

In October 2023, the nursery offered funded early education for children aged two to four. Families paying for childcare should obtain current prices in a written quotation.

• Babies staying indoors. The October 2023 improvement concerned prompt responses to babies while outdoor activities continued. On a visit, ask how experienced practitioners are now deployed between these spaces.
• Early starts and late finishes. The 6am to 8pm opening window could accommodate unusual working hours. Discuss the booking pattern that would fit your family's week.

This nursery suits families seeking care within an extended opening window and those drawn to practical environmental learning. Its October 2023 picture combined hands-on exploration, mixed-age outdoor play and everyday independence. For parents of babies, the staff-deployment improvement deserves a specific conversation before choosing a place.