TALENTED leadership and management has led to an outstanding Ofsted report at Tops Day Nursery Mini Mariners, in Taunton.

Staff are praised for carrying out extensive risk assessments and removing hazards promptly, while skilfully enabling children to explore risks safely, inspectors concluded.

The manager and staff follow excellent procedures and their safeguarding practice is effective.

The report also noted that Tops staff have an outstanding knowledge of how children learn, especially in being able to identify babies' and toddlers' patterns of behaviour in learning.

The staff share this knowledge effectively with parents to enhance continued learning at home.

Cheryl Hadland, founder of Tops Day Nurseries, said: “I am extremely proud of the result for Tops Mini Mariners - the report is one of the most positive I have ever read.

"At Tops Day Nurseries, we strive to provide the best possible environment for our children to learn and develop in and I am so pleased this was picked up in the report."

The Ofsted inspectors said children have exceptional skills that prepare them extremely well for their next stage of learning and school.

They added: "Older children know that staff value their ideas and opinions, and that there are times to listen and pay attention.

"All children are highly confident communicators. Babies are extremely inquisitive.

"Children manage tasks extremely well, such as serving food and pouring drinks.

"They have an outstanding awareness of the importance of exercise and keeping healthy - for instance, older children and toddlers help themselves to drinks and tissues, and grow their own produce.

"Babies clean their face after meals, using a mirror and flannel."