Mel's Totstop Day Nursery

Fruit-cutting, puppet songs and cars rolling down outdoor guttering give a concrete picture of learning at Mel's Totstop Day Nursery in Bottesford, Scunthorpe. These were everyday experiences in July 2023, with practical tasks woven into children's play.

At its 10 July 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, received good support. The current age range is 5 to 60 months, with 41 places in total.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning and care: play, communication and practical experiences help children develop skills for their next stage.

In July 2023, younger children chose puppets and props to accompany nursery songs, giving them a reason to participate and practise speaking. Preschool children worked on counting, seasons and the days of the week. Outdoors, guttering became a track for toy cars, with conversation about speed extending the activity beyond simply letting them roll.

Creative play also involved scissors, shared glue sticks and an aeroplane built from milk crates. There was a clear limitation: adults sometimes supplied answers too quickly when children encountered difficulties, reducing their chance to experiment independently.

Daily routines in July 2023 gave children signals they could recognise. A triangle told them to pause and listen, while advance warnings prepared them to put resources away. Older children joined in a countdown before tidying. The practical value was predictability: children had time to finish an activity and understand what would happen next, rather than facing an abrupt change.

Behavioural expectations that July were explained through their purpose. Children practised waiting while others spoke and understood why they needed to tell an adult where they were going. That connected everyday manners with consideration for others and an understanding of safety. Planned circle times also gave children practice in listening together.

Planning in July 2023 drew on what children already knew and what interested them. A conversation about holidays led to making beach pictures, linking their own experiences with creative work. This gave the activity a starting point children could contribute to themselves.

In July 2023, each child had a key person who planned their next learning experiences. Parents received updates about care and development, alongside advice about behaviour and potty training; support with room changes helped children adjust to different routines.

Mealtimes also gave children practical responsibilities that July. They selected fruit, took turns cutting it with safety knives and moved from lidded cups to open cups as their coordination developed. These small steps gave independence a concrete place in the day.

Routine care needed better organisation. In July 2023, some younger children lost engagement while staff applied sun cream, leaving a brief interruption in purposeful play.

Safeguarding practice in July 2023 included staff knowing how to make child-protection referrals and exchanging information with outside agencies when needed. Checks of the spaces children used formed part of risk assessment. At meals, adults taught younger children to stay seated while eating to reduce choking risks. These examples put the dated safeguarding judgement into practical context, from responding to concerns to managing ordinary parts of the day.

Staff development also had a concrete method in July 2023: the manager used recordings of adult interactions with children so practitioners could examine their own work. The recordings helped them recognise strengths and identify changes to make. For families, the relevant point is the attention given to how adults respond during play, alongside which activities they organise.

The address is Rosecliffe, Rossall Close, Bottesford, Scunthorpe, DN16 3QT. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with bank holidays and one week at Christmas closed.

In July 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. This is a dated account of its funding provision.

• Play during care routines. In July 2023, applying sun cream interrupted some younger children's engagement. Keeping play purposeful through these transitions matters alongside the planned activities.
• Independent problem-solving. Adults sometimes stepped in with solutions too quickly in July 2023. Children need time to try ideas themselves, especially in construction and imaginative play.
• Attendance arrangements. The opening window spans 7.30am to 6pm. Which booking pattern would fit your child's routine and your working day?

Mel's Totstop suits families seeking weekday childcare. For parents who value practical independence, conversation and imaginative play, its July 2023 inspection offers concrete examples of those experiences. Its July 2023 picture is strongest in the small details: choosing fruit, singing with props and experimenting with outdoor guttering. The two development points concern how consistently adults sustain that learning during routine care and leave room for children to solve problems themselves.