URN 2585425 · Inspected 2026-06-09 · Published 2026-08-05 · Inspector: Mandy Cooper Beth Wilson
Bright Horizons Bracknell Day Nursery andPreschool Unique reference number (URN): 2585425 Address: Wokingham Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG42 1PN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 19/03/2020 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited Inspection report: 9 June 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Needs attention Safeguarding standards met The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe. How we evaluate safeguarding When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes: Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Achievement Needs attention Children do not always make progress, and they are not consistently developing all areas of development. Children do not benefit from consistent support, and some children do not access the full curriculum. Consequently, gaps in children's knowledge do not close at a steady or sustained pace. Children's diverse needs are not always well planned for. As a result, they are not able to engage meaningfully and often move away from activities. Some children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are not provided with learning experiences that precisely match their individual needs. This limits their opportunities to achieve and make good progress. Toddlers use simple sentences to communicate their wants and needs. They sometimes join in with familiar stories, although their engagement varies due to weaknesses in staff practice. Pre-school children are beginning to count and use early number language. For example, they happily count hearts, adding 5 and 3 to make 8. They are developing an early understanding of mathematical concepts. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention Staff expectations for behaviour and routines are not implemented consistently. Although staff support older children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning and wellbeing, to understand their daily routine, this is not consistent across the nursery. For example, staff repeatedly remind older children what will happen next before transitioning to lunchtime to help them to prepare for the change in activity. As a result, these children know the routine well, confidently sit at the table, wait patiently to serve their own meal and enjoy group discussions. However, routines are not consistently organised or predictable across the rest of the nursery. For example, toddlers struggle to manage transitions between free-flow play and group time, and staff do not adapt routines to meet their developmental needs. This means younger children are not always given the age-appropriate support they need to understand what to do and how to behave at nursery. Overall, staff teach children how to share and take turns, and children often collaborate successfully during play. For example, toddlers happily fill watering cans with water, telling one another, 'I do it,' while their friends wait patiently, giggling as they pass the watering can on. Older children play cooperatively as they create imaginative stories in the dinosaur swamp. Staff praise and encourage children to have a go, supporting their confidence and self-esteem. For instance, when children are nervous about going outside, staff reassure them by excitedly sharing that their friends are waiting. However, while some staff use positive strategies to support children's behaviour, this is not consistent. Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention The key-person system is not yet effective in practice. Children do not consistently benefit from support from a key person because leaders have not ensured that staff fully understand or implement the key-person role effectively. For example, at times, staff are unclear about which children they are responsible for as key workers. Furthermore, staff who are key persons for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face barriers to learning do not always know how to support them effectively. This results in children becoming upset and staff feeling unsure about how best to help. These weaknesses mean that children's welfare and emotional wellbeing are not fully supported. Overall, children settle well in the warm and inclusive environment. They form positive relationships with their peers over time. For example, older children enjoy sharing stories together and cuddling up as they do so. Children are supported to learn about healthy lifestyles, and they have daily access to outdoor play, which promotes their physical health and wellbeing. They are provided with a range of healthy foods, and staff gather information about dietary requirements to meet individual needs. In addition, staff help children learn about making healthy choices. For example, at lunchtime, children chat about the vegetables on their plate and how many they plan to eat. This helps them develop healthy habits and encourages them to try new foods. Curriculum and teaching Needs attention The curriculum is not yet fully implemented and lacks ambition for all children. As a result, some children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), wander without purpose and do not engage meaningfully in activities. Staff observe and assess children's needs; however, they do not use this information consistently to plan precise next steps or build on what children already know and can do. Consequently, some children do not develop secure foundations in key areas of learning. Staff provide a wide range of activities across all areas of learning, with a particular focus on fostering children's love of rhymes and books. In every room, staff sing with children, who join in with actions and familiar phrases. Books are available throughout the setting, and children regularly self-select them, happily flicking through pages. Older children often narrate the story to themselves. However, some activities lack clear intent. For example, toddlers struggle to listen and focus during large-group times. Some wander away, while others choose to play at the back of the group instead. In addition, staff do not always recognise the purpose of an activity or consider its impact on the wider room. For instance, staff play loud musical stories in the middle of a room where other children are concentrating, which disrupts focus and interrupts learning. Leaders and staff recognise that children need to feel safe and secure in order to learn. Staff build positive relationships with children and typically help them to settle well. Leaders emphasise the importance of communication and language, and staff sit at children's level and comment on their play. However, staff do not consistently adapt their interactions or use effective strategies to meet the differing communication needs of all children, including those with SEND. As a result, some children do not develop the strong communication and language skills they need, and gaps in learning are not reduced. Inclusion Needs attention Leaders' and staff's assessment of children's needs is not yet consistent enough to reduce barriers to learning and has not had a measurable impact on children's outcomes. As a result, learning gaps remain evident. Although leaders have systems for early identification and share information through training and supervision, inconsistencies in staff practice limit the effectiveness of these systems. While some support is in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), those known or previously known to social care and those who face barriers to learning, it is not consistent enough to secure positive progress for all children. The setting works in partnership with external agencies, including speech and language support coordinators and the early years inclusion team, to provide some support for children with SEND and those facing barriers to learning. However, this partnership working does not have a strong enough impact on children's progress, particularly in developing communication skills. Although referrals and external input are in place, recommended strategies are not consistently embedded in daily practice. As a result, children do not always receive the tailored support needed to build on the advice provided. Leadership and governance Needs attention Leaders oversee daily practice; however, the systems for monitoring the quality of provision are not effective. Leaders have not identified that key aspects of practice, such as behaviour management and the support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face barriers to learning, are not working well. They have also not ensured that routines consistently support children's learning. In some rooms, particularly the toddler rooms, staff do not adapt routines at appropriate times. This can lead to a disorderly environment in which children become upset. Leaders are committed and caring, and staff say that they appreciate the support for their wellbeing and individual circumstances. However, leaders' governance and oversight are not yet effective in securing sustained improvements across the setting. Although leaders carry out regular supervisions and feedback discussions with staff, they do not always identify weaknesses in teaching. As a result, inconsistencies in teaching remain, and children's best interests are not always promoted. Leaders and staff communicate with parents and carers through daily discussions and an online platform. Parents spoken to during the inspection report positive communication with staff and say their children are settled and happy. They appreciate the parent events, such as regular open days, and say these help them feel part of the community. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has not met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met Voluntary Childcare Register requirements This setting has not met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting While children enjoy attending the setting and generally form positive relationships, weaknesses in leadership and oversight of the nursery affect the overall quality of teaching and curriculum. Children's experiences are not consistently well supported because teaching, behaviour management, routines and inclusion are not securely embedded across the setting. As a result, the quality of teaching and interactions varies between rooms. For example, toddlers do not always benefit from the same high-quality interactions as older children. In addition, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known or previously known to social care or those who face barriers to learning do not consistently receive the targeted support they need to participate fully. Consequently, some children do not build on their knowledge or develop key skills they need for future learning. Children take part in a range of indoor and outdoor play experiences, such as riding bicycles, exploring dinosaur-themed sensory play and creating colourful pictures using materials, such as wool. They generally enjoy their day, and most children confidently explore the wide variety of activities on offer. Children's behaviour varies throughout the day. Some respond to reminders and begin to follow expectations, such as tidying away. At other times, children run indoors, leave activities or do not follow instructions. They do not receive consistent support to regulate their feelings or develop a secure understanding of boundaries. For example, when some children become upset after music is turned off, staff do not help them to understand why this has happened. Staff do, however, remain at children's level and offer comfort. Children regularly seek staff out for cuddles and reassurance. Overall, staff support children's language development. Many children enjoy singing familiar rhymes, including babies who smile as they hold staff members' hands and rock back and forth, babbling along to 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat'. Children also demonstrate skilful physical development. Toddlers jump with joy and giggle as they move their bodies in different ways while dancing to music. Older children carefully navigate obstacle courses, balancing on wobbly beams and crawling through tunnels. Next steps To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date: Action Completion Date ensure staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of child development and the curriculum, so they can identify what children need to learn next and adapt teaching effectively 03/07/2026 Inspectors: Mandy Cooper Beth Wilson Action Completion Date support staff to help them to develop the quality and consistency of their interactions and teaching to promote the best interests of children 03/07/2026 ensure that leaders monitor the environment and carry out regular supervision meetings, so that weaknesses in practice are identified promptly and lead to sustained improvements in provision 03/07/2026 implement effective key-person systems to ensure all children have a named key person and the staff know the children, their needs and how to build strong bonds that support emotional wellbeing 03/07/2026 ensure staff implement consistent behaviour expectations and boundaries to help children know and understand what is expected of them 03/07/2026 ensure that appropriate support is in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, ensuring staff are confident to implement strategies to support children's best possible progress. 03/07/2026 About this inspection The inspectors spoke with leaders, staff, parents and children and those with roles, such as the special educational needs coordinator and designated safeguarding lead, during the inspection. We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage. We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this. About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2585425 Address: Wokingham Road Bracknell Berkshire RG42 1PN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 19/03/2020 Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00 Local authority: Bracknell Forest Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 9 June 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 1 to 4 Total number of places 107 Our grades explained Exceptional Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it. Strong standard The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them. Expected standard The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them. Needs attention The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements. Urgent improvement The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. 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