URN EY286889 · Inspected 2026-08-10 · Published 2026-09-22 · Inspector: Andrea Vaughan Anna Marshall
Bright Horizons Kirkby Day Nursery andPreschool Unique reference number (URN): EY286889 Address: c/o David Lloyd Leisure Club, Arbour Lane Kirkby, Liverpool, Merseyside, L33 7ET Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 08/06/2004 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited Inspection report: 10 August 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Expected standard 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 Expected standard Children learn to use mathematical language accurately, such as to discuss and measure the distance a paper aeroplane travels when thrown. Children become confident and skilful mathematicians. They develop accurate, wide-ranging knowledge, for example about number names and how to count in order. Children learn to think about the thickness of paint and the height and speed from which they pour it when creating carefully crafted paintings. Children build a secure knowledge of relevant art words, for instance 'drip', 'splat' and 'pour'. In the main, children develop their physical skills and coordination well. Some younger children develop less confidence and fewer physical skills when outdoors. Children develop a rich knowledge of different stories due to leaders' well-thought-out and taught curriculum. They listen well to the stories that staff read to them and take part in storytelling with joy. Most, but not all, of the time, children develop their thinking skills effectively. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard The nursery day runs smoothly and effectively because leaders have established well- considered routines that children and staff follow. Behaviour issues are rare, and quickly spotted and acted on by leaders. For example, leaders and staff calmly approach any squabbles between children to help them to learn how to negotiate and peaceably resolve any short-lived conflicts. Leaders' well-organised approach helps children to positively anticipate changes, such as when it is tidy-up time or sleep time. Staff build respectful and caring relationships with children. This helps staff to recognise when some children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, need extra support to manage their emotions. Children love learning, and feel positive and at ease. Leaders have high expectations of children's behaviour. They work effectively with staff to ensure that children understand how to act sensibly at nursery each day. Most of the time, leaders and staff gently and expertly support individual children whenever they need extra help or reminders. Children play together kindly and cooperatively. They learn to look after the nursery's resources and to act responsibly. Leaders have clear expectations about children's regular attendance at nursery, which they share openly with parents and carers. Staff follow leaders' well-designed arrangements to act on any children's unexplained absences from nursery. They share with parents the importance of regular attendance to ensure that children experience the full curriculum. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Leaders and staff place high value on developing close and affectionate relationships with children at the nursery. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, show that they feel safe and freely approach staff for cuddles and reassurance. This helps children to develop a secure sense of belonging. Staff help children to understand the importance of keeping their hands clean, such as after toileting and before eating. Leaders provide children with healthy meals and regular opportunities to be physically active at the nursery. Generally, older children benefit from the nursery's outdoor equipment and learn to climb and balance to develop their physical fitness. They learn about making healthy lifestyle choices. However, younger children develop less confidence in their physical skills outdoors. Staff ensure that all children learn to be independent. For example, staff give meaningful opportunities for children to pour their own drinking water and serve their own meals. Children delight in being able to do tricky tasks for themselves. Leaders and staff recognise that some children develop an interest in using the internet, such as to watch and listen to music. Leaders make certain that they share with parents how to keep their children safe when online at home. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders know what information they want children to understand and why. They ensure that staff teach children important concepts in a logical order. Staff carefully check what children already understand. This informs their decisions about the knowledge to teach children now and next. Generally, staff support children's communication, language and thinking effectively. On occasion, some staff do not use questions and comments to develop children's thinking and their understanding of important words. Leaders and staff understand the importance of children's regular access to physical activities outdoors. On the whole, they provide children with well-organised, beneficial activities, such as those to develop children's physical strength and lifting. Leaders' outdoor provision for younger children is not as well considered as that for older children. This means that, at times, the physical development needs of some less confident, younger children are not met as successfully outdoors. Leaders' effective curriculum is grounded in the successful teaching of children about the basics of mathematics, as well as developing their knowledge and love of songs, books and stories. Story times are a well-developed opportunity to learn different stories. Staff draw on their training well to provide skilful support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to develop their use of gestures. Inclusion Expected standard Leaders ensure that staff adapt the support that they provide for the learning and wellbeing of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Generally, the nursery meets the needs of children with SEND well. Leaders provide well-considered guidance and coaching for staff on how to work effectively with children with SEND, such as how to successfully apply individual plans for children. However, at times, adaptations to staff's support for children with SEND are not sharpened in a planned way to make a sustained difference to children's opportunities and experiences. Leaders work effectively to achieve the best for children. They are steadfast in seeking external professional support and assessments for children, such as to secure education, health and care plans. This reduces barriers to children's learning and ensures that future plans for children, such as to secure a place in specialist provision, are in place. Leaders have recently introduced home visits to support children's transitions into the nursery. This enables leaders to get to know each child and family well before they start nursery life. Children's key persons and leaders make effective use of information gathered at the visits to ensure all children's needs are met well from the very start. Although children who are eligible for additional funding do not currently attend the setting, leaders and staff are experienced in using this funding and have a secure understanding of how they may do so. For example, they know to discuss every child's needs and starting points with parents and carers. Leaders know to use this information to provide experiences and opportunities, or to purchase equipment to enhance children's learning and development. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders provide all staff with very well-thought-out induction training and daily discussions, including about workload. Leaders make sure that staff complete mandatory training about children's care, safeguarding and welfare. Staff have regular confidential discussions with leaders about their work. Staff have no doubt about their roles and responsibilities, including about the importance of safeguarding children. At times, leaders do not ensure that staff's wider training links to their individual learning needs. This means that, sometimes, staff do not develop as much understanding as they could about how to teach leaders' intended curriculum. Leaders engage with parents and carers professionally and courteously. They get to know families' needs well. Leaders provide carefully considered settling-in arrangements to support children to transition from home into the nursery. This helps children to settle quickly both at the start and when moving through into other nursery rooms. Leaders have well- considered arrangements to update parents about their children's needs, for instance holding regular reviews about the progress of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders value the staff and welcome their insights and suggestions to help the work of the nursery to improve. Leaders celebrate staff's achievements and build warm and positive teamwork between staff at the nursery. 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 love learning at the nursery. They arrive happy and settle quickly into the nursery routines. This is because of leaders' careful consideration to support children to start their nursery day with confidence and calmness. Children learn how to make and keep friends. They act with kindness towards each other. When children need extra support with managing their emotions, they receive gentle and caring help from leaders and staff. Children experience a carefully crafted curriculum that staff tailor to their needs and interests. Children build on their existing knowledge well. For example, when they learn mathematical language to describe size, staff match their teaching to what children need to know next. Children achieve well and are suitably prepared for the next stage in their learning. Generally, children benefit from leaders' provision for their physical development outdoors. For example, children climb, balance and crawl with skill and enthusiasm on the nursery's special climbing frame. Staff enable children to use this provision creatively. Children feel that it is a special place to play with one another. Staff are deeply interested in children's ideas, interests and wider experiences. Children benefit greatly from positive relationships with staff, such as their special key person, who knows them well. For instance, children aged 1 to 2 years settle with ease because staff know just the right level of encouragement and support that they need to have a happy day. Children develop a love of books, inspired by the skilful storytelling by staff. Children want to contribute to the story and to hear more, such as about who did what, where, when and why. This provides children with a positive foundation for their communication, language and literacy development. Next steps Leaders should continue to sharpen adaptations to staff's support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make a sustained difference to children's opportunities and experiences. Leaders should develop staff's expertise to extend children's learning further, such as to expand on their thinking and language, as well as how to promote younger children's confidence in their physical development outdoors. Leaders should build on existing professional learning for staff so that individual needs are supported effectively. About this inspection The inspectors spoke with leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, parents and carers, staff and children 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: Andrea Vaughan Anna Marshall About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY286889 Address: c/o David Lloyd Leisure Club Arbour Lane Kirkby Liverpool Merseyside L33 7ET Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 08/06/2004 Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:30 Local authority: Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 10 August 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 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. Total number of places 67 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. 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