URN EY450001 · Inspected 2026-03-30 · Published 2026-05-26 · Inspector: Kelley Ellis Hayley Doncom
Bright Horizons Otterbourne Day Nursery andPreschool Unique reference number (URN): EY450001 Address: Otterbourne Hill, Otterbourne, WINCHESTER, Hampshire, SO21 2HJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 05/07/2012 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited Inspection report: 30 March 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Needs attention Safeguarding standards not met Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding. This puts children at significant risk of harm. Leaders have failed to ensure that safeguarding concerns are managed appropriately and in line with policies and procedures. Safeguarding concerns are not identified or addressed appropriately, and children are put at risk of harm. Leaders are not making effective decisions to keep children safe. Staff are alert to signs that indicate that children might be at risk of harm and pass these concerns on to leaders. However, they do not make any further enquiries to ensure that the relevant agencies have been alerted, as required. This means that appropriate action is not taken in a timely manner. These failings do not ensure the safety of children and protect their welfare. 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 Needs attention Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not make the progress they are capable of or at the rate they could. They experience inconsistent learning opportunities to enable them to develop their skills and make progress. For example, they are not supported well when they transition between rooms, as staff are not aware of their individual plans and targets. This negatively impacts the continuity of children's development and their achievements. Children are enthusiastic and demonstrate a willingness to learn. Children are inquisitive and ask questions to find out more about their interests. For instance, while listening to stories, children ask staff to explain what certain words mean, which deepens their understanding and supports their communication and language skills further. Children seek each other out to share their experiences. They develop positive relationships and enjoy the company of staff and other children. This helps prepare children for school as they become confident communicators and develop their social skills. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention On occasion, the organisation of some rooms can lead to inconsistencies in staff practice. For example, as staff carry out routine tasks, such as preparing lunch, they fail to support children to engage in meaningful activities. Children walk around the room uninterested and not engaged in their learning. There are times when rules and boundaries are not consistently reinforced. For example, staff do not always remind children to put their coats on as they play outside when needed. These inconsistent messages lead to children becoming confused with what is expected of them. Children, including those who face barriers to their learning, are included and supported to participate in routines, such as mealtimes. Staff provide appropriate support while children eat lunch with their friends. Staff recognise the importance of good attendance and punctuality, understanding that consistent routines support children's learning and development. Children are polite and behave considerately towards others. Staff support children effectively as they learn to play cooperatively. For instance, children work together and share resources as they dig for worms in the soil outside. Staff generously praise children as they work together, which helps them build positive relationships. Some staff tailor their teaching and interactions in accordance with children's age and stage of learning. This ensures that their learning and understanding are well matched to their needs. Curriculum and teaching Needs attention Children, including those who face barriers to their learning, do not consistently receive purposeful learning experiences. This limits their progress towards their next steps in learning. Leaders have designed a curriculum that covers all areas of learning, which most staff members understand and implement. However, staff with less experience are not clear about what they are teaching children or why it is important. Staff observe, assess and monitor children's development regularly. This helps them evaluate children's learning from their starting points and set appropriate next steps for them to achieve. However, inconsistent teaching means progress in development is limited. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop a love of books from an early age. Staff read to children with enthusiasm and teach them to handle books with care. Children repeat words back to staff as they read, which supports children's communication and language skills. Staff support older children's safety as they engage in risk-taking activities such as climbing trees. Children are motivated and keen to test their physical abilities. Staff provide encouragement and reassurance, which enables children to keep trying. Inclusion Needs attention There are some inconsistencies in support that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or those who face other barriers to their learning receive. Staff gather information about what children know and can do to identify children's learning needs. However, leaders do not effectively monitor staff practice to ensure agreed strategies are applied by all staff, such as using visual aids to support children's understanding of now and next. Additionally, ineffective key-person arrangements do not ensure all children's needs, including those with SEND, are fully met. At times, the variations in support can reduce progress and engagement in learning. Those with lead responsibility to support children with SEND understand their roles well. However, leaders do not support them in this role effectively to ensure that all children receive the required support. Urgent improvement Staff use assessments so that gaps in children's learning are identified. Leaders and staff work well with other professionals, such as the local authority, and ensure that additional funding is used to benefit children's care and learning. For instance, they use additional funds to buy resources and equipment, such as low benches and mats, to aid children's learning throughout the day. Staff complete training to help them understand how they can use specialised equipment. They know children well and recognise their unique characteristics. They talk to all children with respect, which helps children feel valued. Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement Leaders do not ensure that staff are consistently following the setting's policies and procedures, including understanding their roles and responsibilities as a key person. Staff do not ensure that all children's care is tailored to meet their individual needs. Staff fail to control room temperatures and do not recognise children's physical signs, such as when they need attention as they are cold. They do not ensure that children are wearing sufficient clothing to keep them warm both indoors and when outside. This does not help children, particularly those new to the setting, to form secure attachments with staff as their individual care needs are not being met. Not all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from having their key person present during important transition times, such as when moving into a new room. The absence of the key person during transitional times does not give children the familiar reassurance needed to adjust smoothly to routines that some children find challenging. Staff help the youngest children to regulate their emotions by gently cradling them and patting their backs. This supports their personal, social and emotional development. Staff promote good hygiene practice to help children develop skills required to do things for themselves. For instance, staff attentively tell the youngest children they are going to wipe their noses before they do this. Older children learn to do this for themselves and independently blow their noses and place their tissues in the bin. This helps children become confident as they learn to manage their personal needs. Leadership and governance Urgent improvement Leaders do not meet their responsibility to ensure effective day-to-day running of the setting and to keep children safe. They fail to meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, which negatively impacts the care and education of all children. Leaders and staff do not receive the required support and coaching to ensure they fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Leaders do not engage with all parents and fail to provide relevant information, particularly around how the setting is supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The communication failures from leaders and recent staffing arrangements have had a direct, negative impact on the quality of care and education that children receive, including those who are new to the setting and those who face barriers to their learning. The weak key-person arrangements limit consistency and support, which negatively affects children's sense of security and positive attitudes towards learning. In addition, leaders have not ensured effective supervision is in place to identify gaps in staff knowledge around their understanding of the overall intention for children's learning. This leads to inconsistencies in teaching, which has a negative impact on the progress all children can make. These weaknesses do not sufficiently promote children's safety and wellbeing. Senior leaders have acted promptly to address the identified weaknesses. They are committed to making the necessary improvements to reduce the risk to children's wellbeing and learning and to restore consistency and quality in provision. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has not 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 What it's like to be a child at this setting Children fail to thrive due to the weaknesses in leadership and governance. Leaders' poor oversight results in several breaches of the early years foundation stage requirements. Leaders' ineffective key-person systems have a negative impact on those children who are new to the setting and settling in, as well as those children who are moving to a new room. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities who may require additional support during periods of change. Those who take lead responsibility for safeguarding have significantly failed to act in order to protect children. For example, they do not make safeguarding referrals in a timely manner when there are repeated concerns about children. Despite being able to describe how they would raise concerns internally and how to escalate outside the setting, staff fail to follow procedures to keep children safe. Leaders do not have effective oversight of the day-to-day running of the setting. This has a direct negative impact on the experiences children receive, such as reducing the quality of the curriculum. The communication between leaders is weak, resulting in expectations of staff not being clear or consistent. This has a negative impact on staff wellbeing and morale and ultimately impacts children's care and learning. Staff encourage children's attendance and work with families when they do not arrive as expected. This helps support a steady attendance pattern for children and promotes secure foundations to routines and learning. Staff create inviting spaces where children are supported to develop confidence in their play. Older children have many opportunities to develop skills that will help support them for their next stage in learning. They learn how to build positive relationships and staff are on hand to help them develop these skills. For example, staff help children to develop confidence when inviting their friends to play with them or asking if they can have a turn with a toy. Children demonstrate their learning by doing this independently. Staff encourage children's creative play, guiding them to explore and pretend. For example, they use herbal teabags and water to make 'potions'. Children pour the potions onto their scooters to make them go super-fast. This supports children's imaginations as they make-believe by pretending. 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 that all staff understand and implement safeguarding polices and procedures 24/04/2026 implement effective key-person arrangements that meet the needs of all children 24/04/2026 ensure that arrangement are in place for the effective supervision of all staff 24/04/2026 support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to ensure that they receive consistent care, with agreed strategies clearly understood and consistently implemented by all staff 29/05/2026 ensure staff receive appropriate training and development to ensure all children receive quality experiences 29/05/2026 Inspectors: Kelley Ellis Hayley Doncom About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY450001 Address: Otterbourne Hill Otterbourne WINCHESTER Hampshire SO21 2HJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 05/07/2012 Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:45 - 18:00 Local authority: Hampshire Action Completion Date ensure effective communication with parents, in particular how children with SEND are supported. 29/05/2026 About this inspection The inspector's spoke to leaders, staff, the special educational needs coordinator, children, parents and carers 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. Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 30 March 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 106 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. 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