Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery

Middlefield House, Marlott Road, Gillingham SP8 4FA
Review Us
7.8 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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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

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)

7.8

Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery has a Review Score of 7.8 (7.751) out of 10, based on 4 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery has 68 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
  • 68
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Reviewer Connection to Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
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Total of 68, showing 1-20
Review from Magdalena Z (Mother of Child) published on 3 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Outstanding place, my son has been there for 3 years now and he loves it. Friendly staff, clean place, great menu, professional and helpful admin, nice wooden/natural toys, children are outside often. Can't blame anything, will be sad when this journey is over.
Reply from Funke Olotu, Marketing at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We're so happy to hear that your son has loved his time with us over the past three years. It's fantastic to know that you appreciate the friendly staff,…read more
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Review from Claire J (Mother of Child) published on 11 December 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy loves coming here.
It's fair to say my son has some special educational needs.
Tops were the only nursery in the local area which didn't tell me there was a 'waiting list' when they found out other professional services were involved. Tops have gone out of their way to support my son's
additional needs and I now have confidence that he will have the correct support in place for his transition to school in September.
Reply from Funke Olotu, Marketing at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful review. It means the world to us to know that your little boy loves coming to Tops and that we've been able to provide the support he needs. We're…read more
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Review from S S (Grandmother of Child) published on 15 August 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I would definitely recommend this nursery. My grandson absolutely loved attending, the staff are friendly, polite and understanding. They were professional and really helped him with his stammer issues, I can't thank them enough. After having been for just a few months his confidence had grown immensely.
Thank you!
Reply from Funke Olotu, Marketing at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you so much for your heartfelt review and recommendation! We're delighted to hear that your grandson loved attending our nursery and that our team members made a positive impact on his…read more
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Review from H N (Mother of Child) published on 25 June 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5
I'm not happy with the service my daughter received and she only attended for two weeks but wasn't settling and picked her up wet and they had not changed her or her nose all the time wasn't cleaned. The worst part was when I then changed her after paying the fees I still had different administration
telling me to pay different amounts and when I paid the highest they kept saying I hadn't paid. Their administration is really poor and my child settled at another school in a week and she is happy now.
Reply from Funke Olotu, Marketing at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry for any inconvenience during your time with us. In pre-school, we encourage children to manage tasks like wiping their noses independently, although sometimes…read more
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Review from J M (Mother of Child) published on 1 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Ever since my child started Tops Day Nurseries, they have grown in confidence, and I am so glad I made the decision for my child to go to this nursery! The staff are really lovely and are always willing to help you with any queries you have!
Reply from Funke Olotu, Marketing at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
It brings us immense joy to hear that your child has grown in confidence since joining our nursery. At Tops, we strive to create a nurturing and supportive environment that fosters not only…read more
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Review from Kerry I (Mother of Child) published on 28 November 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Overall this nursery is absolutely fantastic. All the staff are wonderful and care for my son to the highest standard. I have no concerns over the care they provide to my son. It’s a brilliant setting with a lot of exciting things for the children to explore.


The only thing I would say is that I

am not very happy with the food they serve for children. For example, cous cous, or dahl with a lot of other strange things a parent would not feed their children. My son seems to come home always hungry because he does not like to eat these meals. It would be nice if this could be addressed.
Reply from Funke Olotu, Marketing at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
We are delighted to hear that you find our nursery absolutely fantastic and that our staff has been providing the highest standard of care for your son. Creating a nurturing and stimulating…read more
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Review from N H (Mother of Child) published on 27 October 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have been very happy with all elements of Tops Nursery in the three years that my child attended. The staff have been supportive, caring and accommodating. Thank you for all you have done for us. It would have been helpful if Tops informed me about the possibility of tax-free childcare at the point
I enrolled my daughter (which I know is done at other Tops settings).
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Review from L M (Mother of Child) published on 27 October 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Very good and couldn't do enough to help us settle our newly adopted son. All ladies in the preschool went above and beyond to help with anything and everything. Very grateful.
Reply from Funke Olotu, Marketing at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
We are overjoyed to hear about your positive experience with us, and we're truly delighted to have played a role in helping your newly adopted son settle in. Our dedicated team of caregivers at the…read more
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Review from J W (Father of Child) published on 1 September 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our children always loved going to Tops. The kindness and care shown by all staff that we dealt with was always exceptional. I would definitely recommend Tops to other parents in Gillingham.
Reply from Funke Olotu, Marketing at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience at Tops Gillingham. We appreciate your kind words and are thrilled to hear that your children loved their time with us.…read more
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Review from Lexi L (Mother of Child) published on 27 July 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has come to this nursery having moved house only a month ago. We are still very much getting used to it but the transition is already smoother than we had braced for which we very much put down to the amazing team at Tops Day Nurseries! His key worker is so caring and understanding with him but
all the ladies are so lovely with him.
Thank you for putting our son (and two panicky parents) at ease!
Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you for your lovely review! We're thrilled that your son's transition to our nursery has been smoother than expected, thanks to our amazing team. We are so pleased we could help you through this…read more
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Review from Emily H (Mother of Child) published on 20 July 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery has been amazing for our daughter's development. She has formed strong friendships and has such a love of learning! The staff are great.
Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you for the amazing review! We're thrilled to see how Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery has positively impacted your daughter's development and fostered strong friendships and a love for…read more
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Review from A A (Mother of Child) published on 19 July 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery is very welcoming and a happy place.
Very supportive place and helps my son with his learning and development.
He loves to come to nursery.
Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you for the kind words! We're delighted to hear that our nursery is a welcoming and happy place for your son. Our team is committed to providing a supportive environment that fosters his…read more
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Review from Marion L (Mother of Child) published on 19 July 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter loves coming to nursery.
The whole team is great and accommodates our daughter's needs.
Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you for the lovely feedback! We're thrilled to hear that your daughter loves coming to our nursery. Our team is dedicated to providing a welcoming and accommodating environment for all the…read more
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Review from Chelsea S (Mother of Child) published on 19 July 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Ever since the first day my child started nursery she has loved it. The staff are amazing. She loves every minute at nursery.
Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you for the wonderful feedback! We're thrilled to hear that your child has loved every moment since the first day at our nursery. Our dedicated staff takes great pride in creating a nurturing…read more
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Review from David D (Father of Child) published on 19 July 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Our daughter always enjoys her days at Tops and the wide range of activities on offer. We always look forward to the updates on the app and seeing what she's getting up to.
Reply from Ellen Wentworth, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you for the positive feedback! We're delighted to know that your daughter enjoys her time at Tops and the variety of activities available. We love sharing updates on the app to keep you…read more
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Review from V Z (Father of Child) published on 10 April 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
This is a really good nursery. I am happy that my daughter attends it. I would be happy to enrol another child if I have one. Our daughter feels good there and that makes us happy. The staff there treat the children with care and always notify us of any incidents during play.
Reply from Lauren Ballard, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you for your positive review, we really appreciate it!
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Review from Kirsty L (Mother of Child) published on 13 December 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Our son has settled in really well at Tops. The staff are very caring and he comes out and goes in happy, I can't ask for any more!
Reply from Lauren Ballard, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you very much for your positive review, we really appreciate it
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Review from C J (Mother of Child) published on 12 December 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
We have been really impressed by the kind staff at the nursery, they have really supported me with my daughter starting at the nursery. Even came out to the car park to reassure me she had stopped crying when I was in tears because she had wailed when I handed her over! They reassured me it's okay to
check in for the first few weeks and I have done. The food is amazing, they follow all my daughter's dietary requirements and she is always given a hearty meal and pudding. You are sleep wizards. My daughter naps far better at nursery than at home, which was such a worry for me as she feeds to sleep at home. My only criticism, and not really a criticism, is that I don't do drop-off or pick up so communication is really important to me. It's nice seeing photos on the app but it would be nice for the nursery to lay out how we should communicate effectively possibly via messages. Also, would be great to have a parent's WhatsApp group or something, so I know who my daughter is in with.
Reply from Lauren Ballard, Marketing Assistant at Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery
Thank you for your lovely review, we are so happy to hear that your little one loves us at Tops. We are happy to hear that your daughter has settled in well and is enjoying her time with us.
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Review from Michael R (Father of Child) published on 14 September 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The staff are very supportive and friendly. The nursery environment is educational for my child to keep him stimulated. The staff update his play activity on an app, which is really nice to see, when I am at work. The garden is a bit small, which can't be helped. Overall, the staff work very hard.
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Review from Amber B (Mother of Child) published on 14 September 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Outstanding care for my firstborn, I am looking forward to my second joining in November as well. All staff are outstanding in the care and attention they give to my child and she's never had a bad day! All the staff who watch over my child deserve a pay rise!
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Current Review Score: 7.8 (7.751)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 7.8 (7.751) out of 10 for Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.3 out of 5 from 4 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.4 out of 5 from 3 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:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.348 for Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (30 Excellents x 5) + (9 Goods x 4) + (3 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Poors x 2) + (3 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 46 Ratings = 4.348
  2. 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 3.403 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery is based on 3 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 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 = 3.25
    2. 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. 3 Positive Reviews ÷ 19.6 = 0.153
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (8)

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.

Frequently Asked Questions about Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery

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

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

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

Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery is open: 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.

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

Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery has capacity for a total of 98 Children.

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

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: Gillingham Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Tops Day Nurseries: Gillingham Nursery has an Enhanced Service - more info.