URN EY562869 · Inspected 2026-08-11 · Published 2026-09-22 · Inspector: Mandy Cooper Lyndsey Howe
Bright Horizons Didcot Day Nursery And PreSchool Unique reference number (URN): EY562869 Address: 5 Gentian Mews, Harwell, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 6GR Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 24/07/2018 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited Inspection report: 11 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 Overall, children make steady progress from their starting points. They develop the knowledge and skills needed for the next stage of learning, including communication, physical development and social confidence. Children benefit from a range of experiences that support their development. For example, they practise pouring and painting with water, develop their physical skills through climbing and balancing, and engage in sensory and imaginative play, such as veterinary role play. Children develop early mathematical understanding as they explore shapes and compare size and quantity during everyday activities. They also build early literacy skills by enjoying stories, joining in with familiar phrases and experimenting with mark making, using a range of materials. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make secure progress from their starting points. They develop increasing confidence, independence, and physical coordination. For example, children who need support with their physical development learn to move confidently around the environment and independently access activities of their choosing. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders have created a warm, supportive and harmonious atmosphere across the nursery. Leaders work with families to support children's regular attendance. Children form secure relationships with staff and confidently seek them out for comfort, play and reassurance. This is particularly evident in the baby room. Staff promote positive behaviour through effective role modelling and treat children with kindness and respect. For example, during mealtimes, staff gently ask children if they would like vegetables with their lunch, giving them opportunities to make choices. This helps to create a calm and nurturing environment where children thrive. Staff also work effectively with leaders and parents to support children who occasionally display unwanted behaviour. They identify triggers and implement consistent strategies to help children regulate their emotions. As a result, children's behaviour improves over time. Staff establish routines that help children understand expectations. For example, older children independently collect their meals, clear away their plates and sort waste into the correct recycling bins. However, staff do not consistently recognise when some children become disengaged, particularly during routine parts of the day, such as after mealtimes. This means that children's needs are not fully met and time for learning is lost. Staff encourage children to take turns and play cooperatively. For example, when babies show an interest in action rhymes, staff invite other children to join in and participate together. Older children are supported to share resources and wait patiently for their turn. As a result, children play collaboratively and develop positive friendships. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard The key-person approach is well established and promotes strong relationships between children, parents and staff. Effective settling-in procedures help children make a smooth transition from home to nursery. Staff gather information about children's individual needs and interests, helping them develop a sense of belonging from the outset. As a result, children form secure and trusting relationships with their key persons. For example, staff recognise when babies need additional comfort and respond sensitively to support their emotional wellbeing. Overall, staff are attentive and responsive to children's needs. However, this is not consistently evident during some routine parts of the day. Mealtimes are generally sociable experiences that promote children's independence and self-care skills. In most rooms, children confidently serve themselves, identify their own plates and use utensils competently. Some children help prepare water for the table, further developing their sense of responsibility. Staff also encourage children to learn about sustainability by discussing recycling and supporting them to use the correct bins. Appropriate hygiene procedures and safe-sleep practices are implemented consistently to help support children's health and wellbeing. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that helps children build knowledge and skills over time. Staff understand what children need to learn and generally sequence learning appropriately across the nursery. This is particularly effective for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff use ongoing assessment to identify children's next steps and plan experiences that reflect their interests and developmental needs. For example, staff support older children to develop early mathematical skills through counting and simple addition activities. This helps children build their understanding of number. Staff generally interact warmly with children, helping them to feel happy and confident to explore. Their interactions often promote children's curiosity, imagination and learning. Children independently access books throughout the day, and staff regularly share stories and rhymes to develop children's language skills and enjoyment of reading. For example, babies eagerly select books and gesture for staff to read with them as they explore pictures and lift flaps. However, this is not consistent across all rooms. At times, some staff interactions do not support children's learning needs and next steps effectively. Leaders have a strong understanding of the children and families who attend the setting and respond well to their changing needs. Staff use this knowledge effectively to support children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff also help children develop an understanding of the wider world. For example, children participate in community activities, including visits to local care homes and litter-picking projects. These experiences help children develop an appreciation of diversity, community and life in modern Britain. Inclusion Expected standard Typically, leaders identify children's needs quickly and accurately through effective and thorough settling-in procedures. In addition, staff generally assess children's progress to identify any adaptations needed to teaching or care. This helps to ensure that emerging needs are recognised promptly and appropriate support is implemented without delay. For example, staff add braille labels to activities to enable children with visual impairments to access the full curriculum. However, this is not consistently considered for some children who need support in their personal, social and emotional development. Leaders and key persons work closely with other professionals involved in children's care and development, such as speech and language therapists. This collaborative approach ensures that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have support plans in place that meet their care and educational needs from the outset. Furthermore, leaders ensure that clear plans are in place to support children's transition on to school, helping to promote continuity in their care and learning. Leaders undertake relevant training to strengthen their knowledge of how to support children with SEND. They demonstrate a secure understanding of children's individual needs, and advice from external professionals is shared with staff and implemented consistently. Leaders also ensure that any additional funding for disadvantaged children is used effectively. Typically, they provide targeted resources and experiences that enrich children's learning and help improve outcomes. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders are highly committed to providing children with the best possible start in life. They have a clear and ambitious vision for children's learning and development. Leaders foster a culture of reflection and accurately identify areas for improvement. For example, they have identified the need to develop the consistency of staff interactions to further support children's learning, but improvement is not yet fully embedded across the nursery. Parents speak positively about the nursery and value the care and support provided. They report that communication is effective and helps them support their children's learning at home. Parents particularly appreciate the guidance provided to access additional professional support when needed. Those with younger children praise the settling-in arrangements, saying these help them and their children feel secure during the transition in to nursery. Leaders place a high priority on staff wellbeing and create a positive working environment. They consider staff workload and provide regular opportunities for professional development through training, monitoring of practice and supervision meetings. Staff speak positively about leaders and feel well supported in their roles. As a result, children benefit from care provided by a motivated and committed staff team. 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 happy, settle quickly and enjoy attending this welcoming nursery. They access a broad curriculum that is generally well sequenced and helps them build the knowledge and skills needed for the next stage of their learning. Staff provide a wide range of experiences, both indoors and outdoors, that encourage children to explore and investigate. For example, babies and toddlers smile, laugh and confidently join in with familiar nursery rhymes, copying actions alongside staff. Older children enjoy working together to make a mud 'pie' in the garden, chatting with one another as they share ideas. These experiences help children develop their understanding of the world, while extending their communication and language skills. Children develop warm relationships with their key person and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. They confidently seek reassurance, ask for help and share their achievements. For example, babies take the hands of their key person, who responds by singing and playing 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat', promoting shared attention and positive interaction. Staff know children well and use information gathered from parents, along with ongoing assessments, to plan learning and care that reflects each child's individual needs. As a result, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who speak English as an additional language and children facing other barriers to learning, are fully included and participate alongside their peers. Children follow nursery routines and behave appropriately. Older children line up as they go indoors, helping to create calm transitions between activities. Staff use praise and encouragement effectively, creating an environment where children feel confident and are motivated to persevere. For example, children delight in practising how to climb small steps and slide down the other side. Less confident children receive sensitive support from attentive staff, who encourage them to have a go and provide physical assistance when needed. This helps children develop their physical skills and build resilience when faced with challenges. Next steps Leaders should support staff to strengthen their interactions with children, so that they are of a consistently high quality and promote children's learning and development effectively. Leaders should support staff to manage routines, such as lunchtimes, effectively, so that all children's needs are fully met and they consistently access high-quality experiences that promote positive attitudes to play and learning. About this inspection The inspectors spoke with leaders, staff, parents, children, the special educational needs coordinator and the designated safeguarding lead, during the inspection. Inspectors: Mandy Cooper Lyndsey Howe About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY562869 Address: 5 Gentian Mews Harwell Didcot Oxfordshire OX11 6GR Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 24/07/2018 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: Oxfordshire Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 11 August 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of 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. 0 to 4 Total number of places 128 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. 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