Ofsted Orders Bright Horizons to Fix Safeguarding at 75 Nurseries by Aug. 1
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jun 23
Ofsted Orders Bright Horizons to Fix Safeguarding at 75 Nurseries by Aug. 1
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jun 23
Summary
Ofsted gave Bright Horizons a compliance notice after checks from October 2025 to June found safeguarding breaches in 75 of its 247 nurseries in England.
The regulator said a serious safeguarding incident last September triggered scrutiny that uncovered significant weaknesses in leadership, governance, oversight and day-to-day practice across the group.
Bright Horizons must improve by Aug. 1, with Ofsted demanding consistent use of safeguarding policies, proper escalation of concerns and correct handling of allegations against staff.
Ofsted said most Bright Horizons sites still meet requirements, but warned the chain has not shown it can keep safeguarding consistently effective across all settings and could face registration conditions or cancellations.
The action follows wider pressure on nursery oversight after a north-west London Bright Horizons site linked to convicted abuser Vincent Chan closed in May 2025, as Ofsted also plans 3,000 extra unannounced inspections a year from September.