Ofsted issues further welfare notice to Bright Horizons

Ofsted has issued a further welfare requirements notice (WRN) to Bright Horizons, setting out actions to ensure effective and consistent oversight of safeguarding concerns and risks.

Ofsted issues a WRN when it considers a provider is failing, or has failed, to meet one or more safeguarding and welfare requirements of the early years foundation stage (EYFS). Nurseries in England must meet the EYFS.

What Ofsted found

Ofsted served an earlier WRN on 22 June. It required the leadership of Bright Horizons to address all identified safeguarding and welfare failures by 1 August 2026.

Since then, Ofsted has carried out further regulatory activity and monitoring inspections at 68 Bright Horizons nurseries, selected through risk-based analysis.

Ofsted said inspectors found measurable progress across the organisation. It said significant resources had been invested in safeguarding, governance, oversight, training and quality assurance.

Just under half of the nurseries monitored were found to now be meeting requirements. Inspectors identified breaches at 39 settings, including significant weaknesses in safeguarding, leadership and governance, according to Ofsted.

Ofsted said these findings will be published on each nursery's Ofsted webpage, as usual.

The further notice

The further WRN sets out actions relating to concerns about children's safety and welfare, safeguarding policies and procedures, and staff supervision.

Ofsted has published an updated outcome summary for each Bright Horizons setting. It said these make clear the actions relate to organisational arrangements, not concerns identified at each individual setting.

Ofsted said it will continue monitoring Bright Horizons provision to make sure all actions are completed.

Ofsted's announcement did not include a statement from Bright Horizons.