Tops Day Nurseries: Portsmouth Nursery

A hospital-site nursery with early opening hours, Tops Day Nurseries: Portsmouth Nursery needs careful consideration on care quality as well as convenience. Based at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, it has capacity for 115 children, accepting ages from three months to 59 months.

At its May 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged achievement, behaviour and routines, and curriculum and teaching as Needs attention, while welfare and wellbeing, inclusion, and leadership and governance required Urgent improvement; safeguarding standards were met, but both Childcare Register requirements were unmet. These separate judgements matter. The safeguarding outcome should not obscure the serious weaknesses in everyday supervision and support.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care: their day should connect play and learning with support for their individual needs. In May 2026, books, familiar songs, counting and conversations about shapes formed part of children's experiences. Adults sometimes introduced vocabulary and allowed children time to answer questions.

Outdoor play in May 2026 included sand, large construction blocks and bicycles. Babies used equipment to practise standing, while children explored steps. These were concrete opportunities for movement and exploration, rather than evidence that teaching consistently met each child's needs.

The distinction between an activity and purposeful teaching is central here. In May 2026, some key people could not explain children's next learning steps, and teaching was insufficiently adjusted to different developmental stages. Older children sometimes drifted between activities instead of becoming involved. For parents, the important issue is how practitioners turn resources and play into learning for their particular child.

At the May 2026 inspection, Ofsted identified inadequate supervision during climbing and eating, hazards left within children's reach, unhygienic handwashing and toothbrushing, an ineffective key-person system, inconsistent SEND strategies between rooms, weak support for children learning English as an additional language, and insufficient leadership oversight. These concerns reached beyond education into children's daily care. In May 2026, older children received inconsistent help to follow routines, including toothbrushing and transitions to meals, and to manage their emotions.

In May 2026, babies had more consistent routines, including calmer mealtimes, and staff offered children warmth and reassurance. Leaders communicated regularly with families about activities. Those positive interactions mattered, but did not establish that individual care and learning needs were being met throughout the setting.

The address is Queen Alexandra Hospital, Southwick Hill Road, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 3LY. The hospital location is a practical consideration for families whose routines centre on that site.

Opening hours are 6am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing for Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year. That early start may be useful for working families, while the evening closing time remains an important boundary when planning care.

• Supervision during active play and meals. The May 2026 findings included missed risks during climbing and eating. During a visit, ask staff to explain how they supervise these activities and respond when a hazard develops.
• Individual support across rooms. In May 2026, agreed SEND strategies did not consistently follow children between rooms. Families needing additional support should discuss how a child's communication needs and support strategies are shared with every practitioner caring for them.
• Booking around an early start. Opening begins at 6am on weekdays. Ask which attendance arrangements can accommodate your working pattern before making plans around that opening window.

The hospital address and early weekday opening may suit families organising childcare around work at Queen Alexandra Hospital. Convenience is only part of the decision. The May 2026 findings make supervision, consistent individual support and the quality of teaching essential subjects for a visit. This calls for a careful, child-specific assessment rather than a recommendation based on opening hours alone.