URN EY492689 · Inspected 2026-08-10 · Published 2026-10-12 · Inspector: Victoria Salisbury Ruby Hayes
Bright Horizons Kings Hill Day Nursery andPreschool Unique reference number (URN): EY492689 Address: 60 Gibson Drive, West Malling, ME19 4AN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 01/09/2015 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 and babies develop the necessary skills for later learning and are suitably prepared to transition to their next stage of learning effectively. For example, babies settle quickly. They confidently explore their environment and build positive bonds with staff. Older children learn to manage their own behaviour. They learn to recognise and regulate their own emotions. Children are beginning to successfully understand their own and others' feelings and make firm friendships. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those facing barriers to or challenges in their learning and development, are suitably supported to make progress. Overall, children are generally independent and typically achieve well. They develop age- appropriate skills ready for their next stage in learning. For example, babies develop physical skills well, learning to climb and crawl. Younger children learn to take turns and share, developing their personal and social skills effectively. Older children benefit from activities and opportunities that support their language and vocabulary successfully. All children are supported to make positive progress and achieve their individual milestones. As such, all children achieve well from their starting points and are ready for their next stage in learning. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders ensure that staff have high expectations for all children. They have made positive changes to the learning environment to support children's engagement and interest. However, leaders recognise that they need to continue to support staff to encourage children's independence more consistently, especially during routine times. For example, at times, staff do things for children that children could attempt to do for themselves, such as washing their own hands and faces. All children typically demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and each other. Staff are gentle and sensitive when reminding children about behaviour expectations. Children learn to be kind and caring towards each other. For example, younger children help their friends to find their shoes before playing outside. Older children learn to respect their environments, demonstrating a secure understanding of routines. They respond immediately when asked by staff to help tidy up. Other children take turns and share when playing with dolls, learning to value and respect each other. Children benefit from nurturing staff who praise them regularly, supporting their confidence and self-esteem. Children develop warm and trusting relationships with staff. Relationships with parents are very positive. Parents are supported with flexible settling-in sessions to ensure that all families feel included and to promote their children's regular attendance. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Leaders ensure that children's welfare and wellbeing are a priority. Staff gather detailed information to support individual sleeping, weaning and feeding routines before babies start, to help them feel secure, safe and settled. Leaders ensure that children have access to healthy and nutritious meals and drinks, promoting their understanding of healthy choices. Children look forward to trying interesting new recipes, such as courgette and pear muffins, and learning about the impact of too much sugar on their teeth. These opportunities promote healthy habits for the future. However, at times, some staff do things for children that children could attempt to do for themselves to further support their developing independence skills. Staff promote children's physical and emotional health effectively. For example, babies learn to be safe in the sun by wearing their hats. Older children learn the importance of drinking water so that they remain hydrated when it is hot. Staff ensure that children develop secure and positive relationships. They support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers and challenges to learn how to identify and manage their own feelings and behaviour. This helps them to recognise how others are feeling and promotes healthy relationships. Children demonstrate their understanding of the strategies they have learned to support them in regulating their own emotions, which successfully promotes their sense of belonging and positive social skills. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have a very effective understanding of the strengths of the setting and where they need to further focus their support for staff. For example, although positive progress has been made, leaders are aware that they need to support staff's confidence to extend activities and opportunities when working with children, in order to further support children's ongoing learning. At times, some staff are not confident about identifying when they can extend experiences for children in order to enable them to make the best possible progress. Nonetheless, staff plan a curriculum which includes a wide range of activities and experiences that interest and motivate children. For example, babies enjoy snuggling up to share stories with staff, developing their understanding of books. Younger children enjoy building towers with staff, who help them learn to count and identify colours. Staff support other children to learn about puzzles, developing children's understanding of shapes and sizes effectively. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to their learning benefit from staff who undertake specialist training to support their individual needs. For example, staff support babies to learn to share and take turns when exploring sand and soil. Younger children are encouraged to invite their friends to join them in games, supporting their personal and social skills successfully. Older children sustain high levels of focus when pretending to be hairdressers, eagerly talking with staff about what they are doing, supporting their language and communication skills effectively. These experiences support children to develop important skills for the future. Staff regularly review what they offer to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of all children. They use assessment information effectively to identify gaps in learning and tailor teaching to ensure that all children make positive progress. Inclusion Expected standard Leaders and staff gather a range of information about children before they start, to ensure that they provide individual support. Children with identified needs, and those facing barriers to or challenges in their learning, benefit from warm interactions with kind and caring staff, supporting them to feel included and welcomed. Leaders identify children's needs swiftly and are proactive in seeking specialist advice and guidance to ensure all children are included to make positive progress. Where needed, leaders and staff make appropriate adaptations to the curriculum and provision, ensuring that children's specific needs are met successfully. For example, leaders use funding effectively to develop outside spaces, providing all children with interesting and motivating spaces to explore. This successfully supports children's developing skills. Staff share information effectively between each other and with parents, regularly reviewing what they offer and supporting families to know what their children are working on and what they need to learn next. Leaders ensure that staff are offered a wealth of training and support to develop their practice, ensuring all children's needs are met effectively. For example, staff undertake specialist training to support children with specific medical needs to access all areas of the setting and to feel valued and included. Leaders use funding effectively to purchase specialist resources to support children's specific next steps, as well as to develop areas of the setting that are specifically designed to help children manage their feelings and behaviour. Leaders review and monitor this regularly to ensure that they are meeting children's needs and that children continue to make positive progress. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders and staff are committed to ensuring that they provide high-quality care and education for all children. They accurately identify strengths and areas of continued focus within the setting. For example, they recognise that they have further work to do to support staff to extend activities and opportunities for children in order to further their learning and progress, and to support staff to provide more consistent opportunities for children to develop their independence skills. Nonetheless, leaders are proactive in ensuring that practice and provision remain a continuous priority. For example, they have recently undertaken a range of organisation-wide leadership training to enhance their oversight, professional curiosity, knowledge and understanding. Leaders are ambitious for all children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to or challenges in their learning and development. As such, leaders prioritise staff's continuing professional development to ensure they are well equipped to undertake their roles and responsibilities effectively. They review staff's workloads and promote their wellbeing successfully. Leaders and staff work closely with other professionals, partners and parents to seek advice and guidance where needed in order to support individual needs. For example, leaders are proactive in encouraging staff to take on further qualifications and specialist training to widen their skills. For example, all staff have recently attended a curriculum workshop to support their understanding further. Leaders and staff work closely with schools to ensure children's transitions are smooth and to share information to support this process successfully. 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 benefit from a secure start to their early learning. For example, new children settle well, encouraged by kind and caring staff. Babies demonstrate that they feel comfortable and content by cuddling up to staff to share stories and rhymes, supporting their developing communication and language skills successfully. Older children know the rules and routines of the setting well, demonstrating that they feel safe and secure. All children are supported to feel that they belong. Children typically display positive attitudes to learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those facing barriers to or challenges in their learning, are provided with specialist resources to help them achieve and develop effectively. For example, children benefit from cosy spaces created by staff to help them manage their behaviour and emotions successfully. Other children are provided with specific equipment to help them access all areas of the curriculum effectively and feel included. Children are provided with a wide range of activities and experiences across the curriculum to help them develop the necessary skills and knowledge for their next stage in learning. Older children sustain high levels of interest and engagement when playing together to build ramps for cars and trucks. They are supported well by staff to use their imagination and thinking skills effectively. Younger children enjoy exploring creative resources when designing their own rainbow pictures, excitedly sharing these with staff, who praise them regularly, supporting children's self-esteem and confidence successfully. Babies learn to balance and climb when exploring tunnels, developing their physical skills well. Children benefit from leaders and staff who recognise the challenges and changes they face and are committed to ensuring that children and their families receive high-quality education and care. Leaders and staff work closely with parents to support children's regular attendance. As such, children attend regularly and look forward to seeing their friends and favourite staff. All children make positive progress from their starting points. Next steps Leaders should support staff's confidence to identify when they can extend activities and experiences for children in order to support children's learning even further. Leaders should support staff to encourage children's independence more consistently. About this inspection The inspectors spoke with organisational leaders, managers, staff and the special educational needs coordinator during the inspection. Inspectors: Victoria Salisbury Ruby Hayes About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY492689 Address: 60 Gibson Drive West Malling ME19 4AN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 01/09/2015 Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Kent 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 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. Total number of places 129 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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