URN EY348911 · Inspected 2026-08-11 · Published 2026-10-12 · Inspector: Caroline Preston Jamie-Lee Kiff
City Child Nursery Unique reference number (URN): EY348911 Address: 1 Bridgewater Square, Barbican, London, EC2Y 8AH Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 30/03/2007 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 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 Achievement Expected standard Children are confident and typically develop the skills they need for the next stage in their learning. Babies and toddlers thrive from the time they start. Babies gaze at new faces and smile, demonstrating that they feel secure and emotionally settled. They closely watch staff's faces when they talk, and become familiar with different voices. Toddlers enjoy singing nursery rhymes and move their hands in response to familiar songs and actions. They listen attentively and respond to simple instructions, such as clearing away their plates after meals. Toddlers learn to take turns as they build with small bricks alongside their friends, showing interest in what others have created. Older children enjoy listening to stories and eagerly answer questions about what might happen next. They initiate conversations with one another during play, helping to develop their communication and social skills. Babies and toddlers are curious about their environment and enjoy physical challenges, such as climbing low-level apparatus and balancing along wooden planks. Older children develop their physical skills as they use large-muscle movements to roll hula hoops to one another. Overall, children make secure progress and develop the confidence, independence and skills needed for their future learning. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Children build warm and trusting relationships with their key persons who are positive role models. They are kind, attentive and responsive, which helps children to settle quickly and develop a secure sense of belonging. For example, when new babies start, staff provide reassurance, comfort and support. Leaders are also actively involved and know the children well, helping to ensure children feel safe and secure. Staff encourage children to treat one another with kindness, care and respect. Leaders and staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. However, children who become easily frustrated are not always supported consistently during some routine transitions. As a result, opportunities to help them manage their feelings swiftly are occasionally missed. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and readily engage in activities both indoors and outdoors. Leaders monitor children's attendance carefully and work closely with parents and carers to promote the importance of regular attendance. This helps to support children's ongoing development and contributes to their safety and wellbeing. Staff offer praise to children and this helps to support the children's self-esteem. Leaders and staff monitor any changes to families circumstances. They work well with parents and other agencies to support children to continue to learn and develop. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Typically, staff support younger children well during rest times. However, on occasion, transitions from lunch to sleep routines take too long, which can result in some children becoming restless. Staff soothe and supervise children appropriately, ensuring they sleep safely and that their individual care needs are met. Staff also help children to understand how to keep themselves safe. For example, during outdoor play, children are reminded about safe practices as they roll hula hoops to one another and use climbing equipment. This helps children to develop an age-appropriate awareness of risk while enjoying physical activities. Children enjoy healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. Meals include a range of nutritious foods from different food groups, supporting children's health and wellbeing. Children develop their independence as they serve themselves and clear away their plates after eating. They listen to and follow instructions well. This helps them to develop important skills that support their future learning and self-care. Children enjoy daily activities outside, as they run, jump and ride wheeled toys. Staff support children to develop a secure understanding of personal hygiene routines. For example, children know to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. These daily routines help children to develop healthy habits and an understanding of how to look after their own health and wellbeing. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders provide a varied curriculum that meets the needs of all children. Overall, staff promote children's confidence and independence, and support their ability to achieve what they set out to do. Leaders and staff ensure that children benefit from a range of meaningful learning experiences, with a sufficient focus on developing children's vocabulary, communication and language skills. For example, children enjoy exploring the well- resourced outdoor environment. Staff read stories to children in the outdoor wooden classroom, which makes effective use of the natural environment and provides an engaging space for learning. Children talk confidently with their friends as they drink water in the warm weather. They share ideas, build friendships and develop their social skills. Children use natural materials, such as soil, water, sand and leaves to create pretend meals. This supports their imagination and cooperative play. Babies access a safe outdoor area, where they explore using their senses and develop their curiosity about the world around them. Staff generally interact well with children. They engage them in conversations, ask questions and model play effectively. They take appropriate steps to support children who may be at risk of falling behind in their language development. This includes providing one-to-one support and planning targeted group activities. However, staff do not consistently adapt activities and interactions to build on individual children's interests, learning and development. As a result, some children are not sufficiently inspired or supported to make the best possible progress. Inclusion Expected standard Leaders and staff accurately identify and respond to children's individual needs promptly. They work with parents and carers, and relevant agencies when children start, as well as gathering their own observations. This helps to ensure that children receive appropriate support. Leader signpost parents to additional advice and guidance. Staff learn about changes in children's family circumstances and use this information to plan activities that support children's emotional wellbeing. For example, they read books about babies and provide opportunities for children to care for dolls during play. This helps children to understand and prepare for the arrival of a new sibling, promoting their sense of security. Staff are responsive to the support requirements of children with additional needs. They adapt routines and learning spaces in order to remove barriers, helping children to engage in and benefit from all areas of the curriculum. Staff generally interact effectively with children and demonstrate an understanding of how to adapt their teaching to meet individual needs. However, at times, staff do not always individualise their interactions to support children who find it more difficult to express their emotions. For example, during transitions between lunch and rest time, some younger children struggle to express their emotions. Staff do not always adapt their approach to support these children, which can lead to disruptive behaviour. Leaders are aware of the need to support children who are known, or previously known, to children's social care. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders have typically made secure progress since the last inspection and demonstrate a clear commitment to continuous improvement. They have successfully strengthened both their own and staff's safeguarding knowledge and understanding. As a result, this has had a positive impact on both children and staff. Safeguarding practice is now firmly embedded across the setting, and staff demonstrate a secure understanding of their responsibilities. This helps to ensure that children are kept safe and that their welfare is promoted effectively. Leaders also support staff wellbeing effectively. For example, staff regularly attend a wellbeing café. This gives them the opportunity to spend time away from their rooms, and to speak with leaders on a one-to-one basis about any concerns or matters they wish to discuss while enjoying refreshments. This dedicated time helps staff feel valued and supported, contributing positively to their wellbeing and morale. Staff access regular professional development opportunities, including both online and face-to-face training, to support their knowledge, skills and ongoing practice. Partnerships with parents and carers are positive. Staff regularly engage with parents, sharing information about children's experiences, achievements and any concerns that arise. However, communication with parents is not always consistent in the older children's room. As a result, some parents do not receive regular updates about their child's progress and next steps in learning. Leaders have identified this area for development. They are taking steps to strengthen communication and ensure that all parents receive consistent information about their children's learning and development. 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 and eager to begin their day of fun and learning at this warm and nurturing nursery. Leaders and staff know the children well and welcome them with smiles and affection. Children are cared for well and feel safe and secure in the setting. They develop secure social skills as they play together outdoors in the sunshine, chatting, laughing and forming friendships. Children enthusiastically greet their friends as they arrive at nursery. Children engage purposefully in their play. For example, they sit alongside staff in the construction area, moving trucks up and down wooden ramps while talking about the different vehicles. These interactions help children to express their thoughts and develop their communication skills. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning as they move confidently between activities indoors and outdoors. They make secure progress from their starting points. Younger children imitate finger movements and gestures, such as waving goodbye and clapping their hands. This supports their early communication and physical development. Older children demonstrate early literacy skills and understand that print carries meaning. They enjoy listening to stories and independently explore books. Children develop their early writing skills as they practise writing some or all of their names. They use mathematical language during play, for example, when comparing amounts of water in jugs and filling bottles in the water tray. Children also show problem-solving skills as they complete puzzles, helping to develop their critical-thinking skills. Children freely explore a range of materials, including paint, water and gloop, which supports their imagination and creativity. Staff positively model attitudes towards diversity and inclusion. For example, they reflect a range of backgrounds themselves and celebrate children's families, cultures and experiences through cultural events and celebrations. Children also show an interest in different occupations. For instance, they enjoy learning about construction, which helps them develop an understanding of how things work and the roles people play in their communities. Next steps Leaders should strengthen strategies to help children who find it more difficult to recognise, express and manage their emotions. Leaders should support staff to consistently adapt their interactions to meet the individual needs and interests of children, helping to deepen learning and development. Leaders should strengthen staff practice in managing transitions from lunch to sleep routines, so that younger children's individual care and rest needs are met in a timely way. Leaders should strengthen communication with all parents and carers about their child's next steps and progress. About this inspection The inspectors spoke with leaders, practitioners, parents 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 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. Inspectors: Caroline Preston Jamie-Lee Kiff About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY348911 Address: 1 Bridgewater Square Barbican London EC2Y 8AH Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 30/03/2007 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: City of London 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 0 to 4 Total number of places 54 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. 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