URN EY491997 · Inspected 2026-07-16 · Published 2026-09-08 · Inspector: Louise Harris Sheila Sidey
Bright Horizons Ely Day Nursery and Preschool Unique reference number (URN): EY491997 Address: 5 St Thomas Place, Cambridgeshire Business Park, Angel Drove, Ely, CB7 4EX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 22/07/2015 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited Inspection report: 16 July 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement 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. Expected standard Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders and staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Staff remain calm when speaking with children and reinforce the behaviour expectations of the setting. Generally, strategies for promoting positive behaviour are implemented well across the setting. For example, staff explain the importance of sharing toys and resources and treating others with kindness. They make adaptations, when needed, to support children's individual needs and provide an inclusive environment. For instance, children requiring additional support to aid their understanding of turn-taking are provided with visual aids to help them develop this concept. Children regularly receive praise for their efforts and kind behaviour. When children become upset or disagreements occur, staff introduce language to help children to understand their feelings and emotions. However, this practice is not yet consistent across the setting. Typically, children show enthusiasm for the activities staff introduce, such as music and dance and exploring malleable materials, including dough and sand. Staff provide familiar routines, which help children to understand what is happening next. Children are beginning to participate in routine activities, such as tidying away toys before mealtimes and when transitioning between activities. Parents confirm that children enjoy attending the setting. They understand the importance or regular attendance. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Staff promote and form positive and trusting relationships with children from the outset. They work closely with parents to understand the care needs of babies and children. This helps them to ensure that care routines are familiar to children, helping them to feel safe and secure. Children build secure attachments with their key person, who know their children well. For instance, babies cuddle with staff and are gently comforted to sleep. Older children seek out staff for comfort, when they need reassurance. Leaders and staff ensure they create a safe environment for children. Staff are warm and nurturing as they help babies and young children prepare for sleep. They remain close by and complete regular checks while they are sleeping. Leaders and staff have robust systems in place to keep children with allergies safe during mealtimes. Staff sit with children to create a sociable environment and support children as they learn to use cutlery safely. Babies and younger children are offered foods that are suitably prepared for their stage of weaning. Leaders and staff implement suitable hygiene practices to ensure children's personal care needs are met appropriately. Overall, staff support children to become independent in managing their self-care routines. Children wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. They assist with changing and dress for outdoors. In addition, staff encourage and support children to become independent at using the toilet, where appropriate. Needs attention Inclusion Expected standard Leaders and staff have created a welcoming and inclusive environment, where children and their families feel welcome. Leaders and staff work closely with parents to identify children's individual needs. They work collaboratively with other agencies and professionals, such as speech and language therapists and health care practitioners. This enables leaders to plan appropriate intervention for children requiring additional support, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders monitor children's progress and support children's key persons to implement plans that help to address identified gaps in children's learning and development. Overall, staff have an understanding of the individual needs of children, including those with SEND. Leaders use additional funding to support children's individual needs, such as providing additional staff training and providing individual daily schedules to help children understand what is expected of them. Parents speak positively about the support they receive and the progress their children make. They value the guidance staff provide, which helps them continue to support their children's care and learning at home. Achievement Needs attention Children are not able to engage and sustain attention. Overall, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language make progress in their communication and language. However, others do not maintain high levels of engagement during their learning, limiting their ability to engage and sustain attention. This has an impact on their overall achievement. Children of all ages learn to take turns in conversation. Babies and young children interact in games, such as peekaboo, while older children enter discussions and share their thoughts and ideas. Children learn important social skills and play cooperatively with their peers. They are independent, completing tasks for themselves, such as using cutlery at mealtimes and managing their self-care, gaining the skills that help them prepare for school. Curriculum and teaching Needs attention Leaders' ambitions for the curriculum and teaching are appropriate. They plan a well- balanced curriculum that covers all areas of learning. However, staff do not consistently understand the curriculum intent or what children are expected to learn during planned activities. As a result, staff interactions are not always purposeful or focused on extending children's learning. Although staff identify children's next steps in learning, they do not consistently tailor their teaching to help children achieve these. Consequently, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are not consistently supported to make the progress they are capable of in their learning and development. Children make independent choices in their play and confidently join activities. They enjoy a wide range of physical activity throughout the day. For instance, babies are supported through careful interactions to control tools as they learn to scoop sand. Toddlers develop their small motor skills as they manipulate dough, and older children build core muscle strength as they climb equipment in the well-resourced outdoor area. Staff promote children's communication and language skills. They regularly share books and children enthusiastically join staff to participate in action songs and rhymes. Staff introduce mathematical concepts, such as counting, matching numerals and exploring weights and measures. Children explore a wide range of media as they make marks using chalks, paints and water, supporting their creativity. They combine materials, such as water and soil, as they explore the mud kitchen. Leadership and governance Needs attention Leaders have an accurate understanding of the setting's strengths and the areas in need of further improvement. They have taken appropriate action to address identified weaknesses, which have brought about some improvements, such as focused staff meetings on understanding how to plan the curriculum. However, these actions have not been implemented quickly or consistently to bring about the sustained improvements, particularly in the quality of teaching, interactions and curriculum delivery. As a result, staff do not always tailor learning experiences sufficiently to meet children's individual needs or to build on their next steps in development. Leaders have implemented new systems for staff supervisions to ensure consistency across the staff team to improve the planning of the curriculum. However, staff do not yet receive the targeted support they need to address weaknesses in their knowledge and teaching practice. As a result, staff do not consistently support all children's learning effectively. Leaders have introduced effective strategies to ensure all staff are kept up to date with their safeguarding knowledge. For instance, daily questions are posed to ensure staff can identify the correct procedures to follow and inset days have been implemented to discuss policies and procedures as a whole setting. Leaders build positive relationships with the staff team, taking appropriate action to support and promote staff wellbeing, such as providing access to counselling and wellbeing meetings. As a result, staff confirm they feel supported in their roles and speak positively about the support leaders provide them. Parents speak positively about the staff team and the support they provide to help their children settle in and feel safe and secure. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has 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 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 Children arrive confidently. They receive a warm welcome from staff and settle quickly into their play. Those requiring a little more reassurance receive comfort from their key person. They demonstrate secure attachments to staff as they snuggle up close to listen to stories, pointing and commenting on the illustrations in books. Staff work closely with parents to understand children's needs and interests and incorporate these into the daily routine to support children's wellbeing. They implement appropriate strategies and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, such as using 'now and next' boards to help children understand the daily routine. Children enjoy a wide range of play experiences. For example, staff sing songs with babies, who smile and wiggle to the music, showing their enjoyment. Older children match the sounds animals make and enthusiastically join in with action songs. Staff introduce new vocabulary, such as 'press' and 'squeeze', as children manipulate dough with their hands. Children benefit from a wide range of physical play. Babies and younger children develop their climbing skills indoors, while older children learn to take appropriate risk on larger equipment outdoors. However, inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and gaps in staff understanding of the curriculum mean that some children do not sustain engagement in the learning. Consequently, staff do not consistently build on children's knowledge and skills through high-quality interactions. Children confidently explore the environment and make independent choices in their play. They develop friendships and play cooperatively with their peers. Children are sociable and invite their friends and staff to join their play. They welcome the playful interactions from staff. Staff are positive role models, demonstrating good manners and helping children to overcome differences. Children demonstrate kindness to each other. For instance, older children share their thoughts about the pictures they create and give each other praise for their efforts. 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 implement an effective curriculum tailored to children's individual needs and next steps of development to help them make at least expected progress from their starting points 06/08/2026 improve coaching, mentoring and professional development for staff so that teaching, interactions and curriculum delivery is of a high quality 06/08/2026 About this inspection The inspectors spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator and parents 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 Inspectors: Louise Harris Sheila Sidey About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY491997 Address: 5 St Thomas Place Cambridgeshire Business Park, Angel Drove Ely CB7 4EX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 22/07/2015 Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30 Local authority: Cambridgeshire Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 16 July 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 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. 0 to 4 Total number of places 123 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. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn. 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