Bright Horizons nursery chain served safeguarding notice by Ofsted

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Nursery chain served with safeguarding noticeImage source, /Harry LowImage caption, Bright Horizons has 247 nurseries in EnglandByHarry LowLondonPublished28 minutes agoOne of the UK's largest nursery chains may not be meeting safeguarding and welfare requirements, according to the education regulator. Ofsted served Bright Horizons, which operates 247 nurseries, a compliance notice after checks between October 2025 and June identified "significant weaknesses in organisational safeguarding leadership, governance, oversight and practice". The Ofsted scrutiny was prompted by what is described as "concerns following a serious safeguarding incident" last September.

Ofsted issued the notice on Monday and said it would "monitor their progress closely". Bright Horizons, which has until 1 August to improve, has been approached for comment. The Ofsted report says the majority of settings "continue to meet requirements", but "the provider has not demonstrated that it can ensure safeguarding is consistently effective across its provision".

The Details

It carried out 172 inspections, site visits and "direct engagements" with senior staff and found breaches in 75 settings. One Bright Horizons nursery in north-west London, which employed Vincent Chan who carried out 56 sexual offences including abusing children, closed in May 2025. Some of the parents of children at that nursery are taking steps towards a judicial review.

Child abuse families move towards judicial review Published2 June'Why we want child abuse nursery held accountable' Published17 MarchSafe-sleep checks for nurseries as mum says son who died 'not treated as human' Published22 hours agoBy 1 August, Ofsted requires Bright Horizons to ensure:Senior leaders are fully familiar with, and are able to effectively apply safeguarding policies, procedures and arrangements within their oversight roleSafeguarding policies, procedures and arrangements are consistently and effectively implemented Concerns are consistently identified, recorded, escalated and responded to appropriately and procedures to manage allegations against staff are consistently followedIf a nursery provider does not comply, Ofsted says it has the power to refuse, cancel and/or impose conditions on a nursery's registrations, external. Sir Martyn Oliver, His Majesty's chief inspector, said: "The outcome summary we've published today sets out clearly what the Bright Horizons group must do, and by when. "My message to parents is to read your nursery's latest inspection report or update on the Ofsted website.

The majority of Bright Horizons nurseries are meeting requirements. "We have already published reports and updates on all of the nurseries that we visited – today's action is about identifying improvements that need to happen at a management level within the Bright Horizons group. "Separately on Monday, the regulator said it would carry out an extra 3,000 unannounced nursery inspections a year in England from September.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.