Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery

Middlefield House, Marlott Road, Gillingham SP8 4FA
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9.3 68 Reviews
  • Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery, Gillingham
Tops Gillingham is a friendly, active day nursery in Gillingham, Dorset.

It caters for children from three-months-old until they are ready to start school. Tops Gillingham also offers an after school and holiday club service for children aged from 5 years old to 11 years old.

The nursery prides itself as being a special place to which children of all ages love to come; feeling safe, secure, valued and cared for by each other and by committed and motivated staff.

Outside there is an enclosed garden in which children can play, plant and potter. 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.

Tops Day Nurseries has recently introduced a number of extracurricular activities such as Tops Cooking School, Tops Forest School, meditation, yoga, Rugby Rangers, Boogie Mites, tooth brushing and much more.

Tops Gillingham can offer funded hours which is available for two, three- and four-year-olds.

While each child is at Tops Gillingham, families are more than happy to call as often as they like to talk to a member of staff about your child and their day at nursery.

During a child’s day at nursery, staff will record important information to share with families, such as sleep times/nappy changes and information about milk/food intake. This information is added to a daily report which is submitted onto EYLOG.

Tops Day Nurseries has introduced a no-added sugar menu to all nurseries, ensuring children start their time at nursery with a nutritional, healthy diet.

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Care Provided by Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Natasha Holgate (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 28
  • Total Places for Children
  • 98
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:00-19:00
    Tuesday 07:00-19:00
    Wednesday 07:00-19:00
    Thursday 07:00-19:00
    Friday 07:00-19:00
  • When Closed
  • Christmas Day, Boxing Day & New Years Day

Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery Reviews (68)

Total of 68, showing 21-40
9.3

Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery has a Review Score of 9.3 (9.326) out of 10, based on 16 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery has 68 reviews.

Overall Experience

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

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter loves coming into nursery every day. She has great fun with all the variety of indoor and outdoor activities the staff prepare. I enjoy getting the updates on her day through the app and I am confident she is well cared for and is exploring new things to expand her development every day.
I would recommend Tops Gillingham and their caring staff to anyone looking for a nursery for their child.

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

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child seems very happy at nursery. We get frequent updates on the parents' app and it's great to see what she has been doing and see pictures of her enjoying her time at nursery. The staff are all lovely, friendly and welcoming.

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

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has just started at Tops and she absolutely loves it! With having a baby in lockdown and also my first child, I was apprehensive about how my daughter would get on with other kids and the general atmosphere of nursery, but she's doing so well already. The staff have been fantastic and helped
my worries disappear. I can't wait to see her develop and thrive at Tops!

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

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have only ever had positive experiences with Tops. They give frequent updates and good communication. My daughter had always loved her time there. They offer flexibility and are always incredibly helpful.

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

Thank you for your lovely review, we really appreciate your feedback and are so pleased you have had a good experience with us.


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Review from L S (Mother of Child) published on 29 March 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Sending my little girl here is the best decision I have ever made, she has already learnt so much and it's only been two months. I made the decision due to the lack of social interaction because of Covid-19 and that she has not yet got any siblings. She absolutely loves nursery and the staff takes such
good care of her. Couldn't be happier with the choice of nursery and would ten out of ten recommend to all friends and family. My favourite part is the daily report and the pictures I get sent, which brightens my day when I'm stuck at work. Nursery in general is a big cost for most parents but this nursery is worth every penny and I wish I could send her more often. Sometimes I am able to do so with the help of the last minute discounted hours, which is brilliant and so easy to book.

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Review from Dan C (Father of Child) published on 27 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been at Tops since well before her first birthday and to say I was anxious about sending her at such a young age would be a massive understatement. However, the staff immediately put me at ease with their care and knowledge, and having a dedicated Key Worker settled everyone involved.
Now, at nearly three and a half, my little girl has been through all the stages at Tops and enjoys every day. She talks about the staff (including the Chef!) and the things she has done during her day with excitement and enjoyment. There aren’t any downsides for me. Bookings are made easy, the food always smells inviting and the range of activities to keep my daughter interested and engaged always surprises me. The outside area is a huge draw and the addition of Cooking and Forest Schools are a welcome addition to an already great environment and service.

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Review from Yasmin P (Mother of Child) published on 22 July 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending the nursery since she was 8-months-old. She is now non-preschool, and she has grown into such a confident little lady. The staff have gone above and beyond to accommodate her and make her feel comfortable at nursery. They have an outstanding range of activities and really
let the children express themselves.

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Review from Kate (Mother of Child) published on 9 July 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have been using Tops for childcare since 2016 and I can’t praise them enough. From the baby room (a personal favourite) through to their holiday club they have always provided such great care. They have a great range of activities, a fantastic menu and most importantly dedicated staff. The rooms are
always inviting for the children and have so many engaging activities for them to play with. Highly recommend!

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Review from A B (Mother of Child) published on 8 July 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child has enjoyed their time at Tops and has developed into a confident individual ready to start school. Overall the care has been great and my child has really bonded with the staff. I would recommend.

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Review from Samantha V (Mother of Child) published on 8 July 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child has been attending Tops Gillingham since they were 8 months old and they are now moving up to the preschool room. My child has done nothing but thrive since being in their care. We have watched our child grow in so many areas - confidence and character to name a couple.
The staff at Tops Gillingham
are so kind, caring and attentive. They are always there to offer advice or support and nothing is too much trouble.
The range of activities and resources they have to offer is also excellent.
We personally found the daily diary option on the app very useful as it was often grandparents that would collect our child. Therefore, we were still able to see how much they had eaten and slept which was very helpful for us as working parents.
We have recommended Tops Gillingham to friends before and we will continue to do so. We can’t wait to go through the whole journey again once our next arrival has arrived! Definitely 10/10.

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Review from Koby (Mother of Child) published on 8 July 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Since joining the nursery my son has become so much more confident and independent in himself. He loves all of the nursery staff, and it really feels like they understand him too. He loves going in every day. My eldest son also attends the Hi5 club during school holidays. He loves it, he constantly
counts down how many weeks/days left until he gets to go back. We are very lucky to have the perfect setting for both of my children on the doorstep.
All the staff are very approachable with any concerns that I've had.

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Review from Victoria C (Mother of Child) published on 8 July 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We were first drawn to Tops because of their focus on authentic experiences and use of real-word objects to inspire imaginative play, rather than just 'toys'.
We really value the ongoing communication and detailed feedback with regards to daily activities, as well as observed developmental progress.
My
son has had speech and language input through Tops and has benefited greatly from it. My daughter has received additional support for her physical needs and Tops have been great at working closely with her physiotherapist and other professionals.
Our children's time here will come to an end later this year and we are really going to miss Tops. Nursery has become a really valued element of day-to-day life for our family. We have always felt that our children have been wonderfully cared for by the staff and we have all enjoyed developing close relationships with many of the team.

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Review from Staci H (Mother of Child) published on 21 February 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little boy started at Tops Gillingham when he was just nine months old.
He has settled in so well and all the staff have been really welcoming and reassuring. Now he is 18months old and doesn’t even look back when he goes through the door.
He has become so confident and developed a real little
personality which the girls here have really bought out in him.
Could not recommend this nursery enough.

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Review from Louise M (Mother of Child) published on 21 February 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All the staff are lovely - especially in the baby room. Any fears I had about using a nursery have gone and my two boys have been going there for nearly 2 years now. They love going, and I truly believe it has helped their development and socialising skills especially with my eldest who is a bit shy.
Their chef is also very good - very nutritious meals that they would never touch at home. Would not hesitate to recommend.

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Review from Richard O (Father of Child) published on 21 February 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Tops staff have all been very very helpful in their approach to assisting us with my son's care. He really loves coming into the nursery now and has formed some great friendships with staff and peers.

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Review from Radka N (Mother of Child) published on 12 June 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son absolutely loves this place. He is more than happy there. Very kind and helpful staff. Highly recommend this nursery. Thank you for the hard job.

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Review from Hannah T (Mother of Child) published on 30 October 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

An absolutely fantastic nursery. Our daughter has been attending Tops Day Nursery Gillingham since 2016 and thoroughly enjoys herself when she goes there twice a week. Staff are always very helpful and knowledgable, rooms are spotlessly clean and facilities are excellent. I wouldn't hesitate recommending
the nursery to anyone in the local area.

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Review from Sarah P (Mother of Child) published on 2 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

A lovely nursery, with friendly staff. Everyone is so helpful, kind, caring and fantastic with the children and parents. My son loves it here.

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Review from Vikki M (Mother of Child) published on 11 July 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have nothing but praise for Tops Gillingham. I was nervous of starting my son at nursery but aware that he needed more exposure to other children and more stimulation than we could offer. We were shown around Tops and left from that visit having done a complete 180 - I was no longer nervous and now
desperate that we get our son a place! He has come on in leaps and bounds since starting in January, and we don't have a single negative! His key worker is lovely and supports him to challenge himself and try new things. Fantastic! They've even convinced him to enjoy messy play!

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Review from Naomi B (Mother of Child) published on 27 February 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All the staff are friendly, efficient, helpful.
My daughter has been at this nursery for nearly two years. In this time she has developed in her social skills, her speech, her eating and many more. The food is fantastic, good variety.
The activities she does are brilliant, so educational and fun.

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Current Review Score: 9.3 (9.326)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.3 (9.326) out of 10 for Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.6 out of 5 from 16 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.8 out of 5 from 15 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 4.561 for Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (124 Excellents x 5) + (56 Goods x 4) + (4 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Poors x 2) + (4 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 189 Ratings = 4.561

  • 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 4.765 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery is based on 15 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 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • 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 98 number of registered child places is 19.6. 15 Positive Reviews ÷ 19.6 = 0.765

  • 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.

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Meet the Team (1)

Natasha

Natasha Holgate

Job Title: Senior Nursery Manager

Joined: 2022

1. What qualifications do you have? Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development – I am currently undertaking my level 5 qualification too.


2. How many years of experience do you have? I have been working in the early years industry for 10 years.

3. Hobbies/interests – In my spare time I enjoy walks along the beach with my family and dogs, I also love baking (when I get time!)


4. Fun fact – I have been part of several movie productions at Warner Bros Studios.


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