Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery

133 Babbacombe Road, Babbacombe, Torquay TQ1 3SR
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8.0 34 Reviews
  • Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery, Torquay
Tops Babbacombe respect children and believe that they deserve the best possible start into their journey of life, which is why they strive to ensure the nursery provides happy, loving care and education.

Located for easy access whether travelling into or out of Torquay, Tops Babbacombe benefits from being a crab walk away from an unbroken shoreline, complete with a winding, wooded walk down Oddicombe Beach Hill, and the scenic Coast Path.

This nursery is part of a group that provides the most eco-sustainable childcare and education in the UK, being respectful of the environment and acting to reduce, re-use and recycle resources is an important part of the culture and routine for the children and staff.

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Care Provided by Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Ciara Lightburn (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 21
  • Total Places for Children
  • 46
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:00-18:00
    Tuesday 07:00-18:00
    Wednesday 07:00-18:00
    Thursday 07:00-18:00
    Friday 07:00-18:00
  • When Closed
  • Christmas Day, Boxing Day & New Years Day

Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery Reviews (34)

Total of 34, showing 1-20
8.0

Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery has a Review Score of 8.0 (8.042) out of 10, based on 6 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery has 34 reviews.

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  • 3
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Date Published

34
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Review from P L (Father of Child) published on 3 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Staff friendly, this has helped my daughter settle well within the setting with transitioning through the rooms. Love the pictures sent from her sessions through the app and her confidence with others and her speech has come on.
Communication through email is good and kept up to date with changes throughout.

Reply from Funke Olotu, Marketing at Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! We're so pleased to hear that our friendly team has helped your daughter settle in smoothly, especially during room transitions. Watching her confidence and speech grow is wonderful, and we're glad you enjoy the photo updates on the app! It's also great to know that you find our communication helpful - we always strive to keep parents informed and reassured. Thanks again for your kind words!


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Review from H F (Mother of Child) published on 3 August 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

My child has attended Tops for a year. It’s been a mixed year. The turnover of staff seems high. There have been three managers in that time and this says a lot. My child seems happy to go to nursery and always has beaming smiles for his key worker, who works really hard. I am sure he has a nice time
but handover can widely differ depending on which member of staff it is. On one occasion, I was told ’ I don’t have a clue what he did today; I’ve not been with him.’ When you have an under two, this is concerning meaning you only have the online diary to rely on. However, the online diary is often incomplete and pictures are seldom published. If they are, along with accident reports, they may be approved for me to see weeks or even months later. I still have little understanding of what he learns each day. I’ve raised these issues multiple times now and nothing seems to change.

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Review from Beth R (Mother of Child) published on 28 July 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff at Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery are incredibly friendly and caring. They have a genuine passion for working with children and it’s evident in the way they interact with my child. I’m impressed by their attentiveness and the individualized attention they provide to my child.
Another
notable aspect was the nursery's commitment to safety and cleanliness. The facilities were well-maintained, and I could see that hygiene was a top priority. The nursery have implemented rigorous health and safety protocols, which provides parents like me with peace of mind knowing that their children are in a secure and healthy environment.
Overall this is a great nursery with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It’s evident that Tops Babbacombe are committed to providing a nurturing and enriching environment for children. I wholeheartedly recommend this nursery to any parent looking for a place where their child can learn, grow, and flourish in a supportive and loving environment.

Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery

Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to know you find our staff incredibly friendly and caring. Our team's genuine passion for working with children is evident in their attentive and individualised approach.
We appreciate your recognition of our commitment to safety and cleanliness. Maintaining a secure and healthy environment is a top priority for us, ensuring parents like you have peace of mind.
Your kind words about our warm and welcoming atmosphere mean a lot to us. We are dedicated to providing a nurturing and enriching environment where every child can learn, grow, and flourish.


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Review from Wayne R (Foster Parent of Child) published on 27 July 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our foster child started at the nursery in June of 2022, and has enjoyed a fantastic year of development, love and attention from the nursery team. The first months of nursery were not easy and not without problems, but together we worked through these in a professional and supportive manner. Our foster
child has developed beyond recognition and is now a different child from when she started, which is amazing given her difficult start in life and complex needs. The nursery staff have been instrumental in this development, with there consistent kindness, patience and professionalism. A special thanks must go to our foster child's key workers who have been instrumental in her development. Another special thanks must go to the two managers for supporting the range of meetings and training required to support our foster child.

Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery

Thank you for the heartwarming review! We're thrilled about your little one's fantastic year of development with us. Despite challenges, our nurturing team's consistent care and support have made a significant impact on their growth.
We're honored to be part of their journey and will continue providing the best care.


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Review from S A (Mother of Child) published on 27 July 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

As a new parent, I can't compare to other nurseries. But, I am a secondary school teacher and I know it can be a lot. That being said, for a very small nursery, I feel like there is a lack of attention to first-time parents and detail. The registration process was not informative about tax-free childcare.
The facilities seem old, dated and dirty, with a few hazardous bits. There are only two rooms, so I am not sure why there is so much loss and misplacement of things. I have to check my son's bag very thoroughly every time I pick him up as there is often stuff missing, or other children's stuff in his bag. Another problem is that he never manages to sleep more than forty-five minutes, he normally sleeps around two and a half hours every day at home. Furthermore, the quality of the diary entries and observations has dipped, I have asked for more detail with no response. I have made requests, but have had no answer and no assurance that they are done. I also don't think anyone actually talks properly to the babies.

Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery

Hi, thank you for sharing your feedback with us about your experience at our nursery. Your input is incredibly important to us, and we appreciate your openness.
We will carefully consider each concern you raised and take the necessary steps to make improvements if required. We will thoroughly investigate and look into each concern, making sure to take appropriate actions to enhance our nursery's environment and offerings. Your perception matters, and we are committed to creating an environment that reflects the best possible experience for parents and children.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.


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Review from Natalie H (Mother of Child) published on 21 July 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have been so happy with the care that Tops Babbacombe have given to our daughter. Since starting at the age of 9 months old, the staff have gone above and beyond to ensure that she is safe, happy and developing well. The activities which she engages with are matched well to her interests and abilities
and I feel happy leaving her at the setting knowing that she will be well looked after. My daughter dotes on all of the staff and looks forward to attending every session.

Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery

Thank you for the glowing review! We're thrilled with your satisfaction at Tops Babbacombe. Our dedicated staff ensures your daughter's safety, happiness and development. Seeing her enjoy the activities and look forward to each session brings us joy. We appreciate your trust and look forward to continuing to provide a nurturing environment for her.


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Review from E B (Mother of Child) published on 2 December 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter looks forward to going to nursery every day, which is a testament to how wonderful the team are. I really appreciate how parents get sent observations on the app which makes you feel connected and involved in her development. Overall, I'm very happy with the level of communication, care
and engagement the team at Tops provides, thank you!

Reply from Lauren Ballard, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery

Thank you for your positive review, we really appreciate it.


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Review from S C (Mother of Child) published on 16 November 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Friendly and professional.

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Review from Saurabh J (Father of Child) published on 16 November 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The nursery has been excellent in his development.
They helped my child develop and us identify the areas that we should be working on.

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Review from B F (Mother of Child) published on 14 September 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has attended Tops Nursery in Babbacombe since he was 10 months old. He will be turning 4 in the next few months. They have done everything they can to help support him and myself, even when he needs extra attention. The staff are all lovely, friendly and approachable. The biggest compliment I
can give is that my son loves them all and has never had a bad word to say about going to nursery, which for me speaks volumes.

Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery

Thank you for your lovely review, we are so happy to hear that your little one loves us at Tops Babbacombe. We have loved watching him grow and develop over the years.


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Review from Stephanie B (Mother of Child) published on 14 September 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending tops since September 2021 and I cannot recommend them enough. Every nursery day she is so excited to go and she has come on leaps and bounds since starting. The staff at the nursery are friendly, open and always willing to listen. The communication between staff and parents
at Tops is brilliant, with the use of the app and telling parents about their child's day at pick up. The admin team is always quick to respond and helpful when it comes to queries. Overall, Tops has been a brilliant start to my daughter's school journey.

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Review from L S (Mother of Child) published on 14 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter loves coming to nursery and is always happy. She has become much more confident and loves the staff throughout the nursery not just in her room. She has really flourished in the last couple of months, since starting. She has tried so much more new foods and is becoming better at trying new
things at home because of this.

Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery

Thank you very much for your positive review, we really appreciate it!


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Review from F H (Sister of Child) published on 24 June 2021
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery are really good and a supportive company. I like the fact they support the curiosity approach. When my sister came for the holidays she had activities planned for her age group.

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Review from Laura J (Mother of Child) published on 24 June 2021
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter likes coming to Tops. She is always happy.

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Review from Sophie H (Mother of Child) published on 15 September 2020
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Top-notch. My little girl loves going to nursery. Staff are lovely and very outgoing.

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Review from Toni (Mother of Child) published on 27 August 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been at Tops for just over a year and they have been amazing! Not only with the love and care they've provided for my daughter but also the flexibility needed for work. Nothing is too much for them and they've gone above and beyond our expectations. We are really sad to be leaving to
go to school and will miss all the girls so much, especially the manager and daughter's key workers!

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Review from J S (Mother of Child) published on 18 August 2020
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My experience has been fantastic. My son first started with severe separation anxiety he now comes to nursery with big smiles and confident. He had very limited speech and with the support of the nursery, he now has a great expression with is speech.

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Review from Katrina P (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2020
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Childs progress tracked accurately against the EYFS. Developmental next steps provided. Supportive nursery, great staff. Regular email updates, positive communication.

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Review from Kia C (Mother of Child) published on 2 March 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

As a mother almost every day you find yourself talking about your children, whether the receiver wants to hear it or not, they are our everything. Having found Tops Babbacombe I have never had a problem and feel grateful to the manager and the team on how well they look after my child. I will always
recommend Tops Babbacombe to anyone who should ask. I appreciate their learning, care and staff is held at an excellent standard. Safeguarding is always a worry as a parent but here I feel my child is safe and I thank the team for that. I would never hesitate in sending any more children I should have here.

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Review from Matthew R (Father of Child) published on 2 March 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been on a journey with Tops Babbacombe for 3 years now and what a great journey it has been. I feel the skills, behaviours and talents my son has learned have contributed to his readiness for school and life. The manager and her team really put their all into the children and every child
is as important as the next. I see happy staff and happy children and that is the pillar to a good nursery in my opinion.

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Current Review Score: 8.0 (8.042)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.0 (8.042) out of 10 for Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.2 out of 5 from 6 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.8 out of 5 from 4 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.232 for Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (45 Excellents x 5) + (3 Goods x 4) + (14 Satisfactorys x 3) + (6 Poors x 2) + (1 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 69 Ratings = 4.232

  • b) 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5').

    The 3.81 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery is based on 4 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 = 3.375

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 46 number of registered child places is 9.2. 4 Positive Reviews ÷ 9.2 = 0.435

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

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Awards / Recognitions (6)

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Meet the Team (1)

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Ciara Lightburn

Job Title: Senior Nursery Manager

Senior Nursery Manager


Frequently Asked Questions about Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery

What is the Age Range of Children that Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery accepts?

Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery Open?

Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery is open: Monday 07:00-18:00, Tuesday 07:00-18:00, Wednesday 07:00-18:00, Thursday 07:00-18:00, Friday 07:00-18:00.

How many Children does Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery have capacity for?

Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery has capacity for a total of 46 Children.

How far is Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery to the centre of Torquay?

0.9 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Tops Day Nurseries: Babbacombe Nursery has a Platinum Service – more info.