Top Tots Day Nursery Hedgerow House

A local aquarium trip grew directly from children's fascination with sea life at Top Tots Day Nursery Hedgerow House. Ofsted rated the nursery Good in January 2023, with Good judgements across education, behaviour, personal development and leadership. The current provider record covers children from three months to five years and lists 41 registered places. It is an Early Years Register setting offering full day care.

The practice examples below come from that January 2023 visit, rather than the current offer. Babies explored sensory objects with varied materials and textures, while older children hunted for toy bugs in sand and natural garden areas. Physical development was similarly practical: babies had opportunities to pull themselves up, and toddlers and older children joined dancing and action rhymes.

The inspection was conducted under the Early Years Foundation Stage. In everyday terms, this connects care, play and guided learning across communication, physical development, personal and social growth, literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts. Staff linked outings to children's interests, including the aquarium visit, so an emerging topic could become a broader learning experience.

Independence had a visible place. Older children cut fruit and poured drinks at snack time, while routines included handwashing, nose wiping and toothbrushing. Staff also encouraged sharing and turn-taking, including when children used a ramp they had built in the garden. Back-and-forth talk accompanied play with real fruit and vegetables in the home corner. The report found, however, that adults sometimes interrupted children with their own questions instead of allowing ideas and language to develop. This distinction matters: frequent adult talk is useful only when children also have room to think and respond.

The key-person system supported close relationships and thorough handovers as children moved between rooms. Staff comforted children who were unsure at separation, and regular praise helped build confidence. Parents told the inspector that daily conversations and parents' evenings kept them informed, with activity sessions and fundraising events offering further involvement.

Support for children with SEND was a strength. The SENCo and manager worked with other professionals, and additional funding was used for individual resources. Staff used pictures and simple sentences to help children learning English as an additional language. That combination of visual cues and concise speech gave children another route into shared activities. The close work with outside professionals also suggests that support was coordinated rather than confined to what nursery staff could provide alone.

Safeguarding was judged effective. Staff understood reporting procedures, recruitment and vetting arrangements were clear, and headcounts were used during transitions between rooms and indoor and outdoor spaces.

The nursery is at 41 Goldsmith Avenue, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO4 8DU. The current provider record describes it as full day care for children from three months to five years, with 41 registered places.

Current entitlement delivery, meals, consumables and paid extras need to be established through a provider-specific quotation and written terms. The same written information should distinguish what applies during funded hours from what applies to private hours.

• Questioning practice. Leaders were asked to help staff use questions more effectively so conversations extend children's language and thinking. The follow-up coaching and monitoring are useful points to establish.
• Information from other settings. The nursery was also asked to strengthen information-sharing where a child attends more than one setting. This matters most to families using split care.
• Later regulatory record. The frozen Ofsted archive records a concern entry dated May 2026 but supplies no document body or outcome. The current position is an important decision point.
• Booking and costs. Published branch evidence does not establish bookable session patterns or what meals and non-food consumables cost or include. Current sessions and the full charge structure need confirming in writing.

Top Tots Hedgerow House had a convincing practical streak in January 2023: aquarium learning from children's interests, hands-on independence at snack time and careful key-person handovers. The Good outcome and effective safeguarding provide a positive dated benchmark, while the improvement points on questioning and cross-setting information are specific rather than cosmetic.

This setting may suit families who value community outings, practical independence and structured support for SEND. Families needing full days, mornings or afternoons need to establish what can actually be booked.