One of the UK's largest nursery chains may not be meeting safeguarding and welfare requirements, according to the education regulator.

Ofsted served Bright Horizons, which operates 247 nurseries, a compliance notice after checks between October 2025 and June identified "significant weaknesses in organisational safeguarding leadership, governance, oversight and practice".

The Ofsted scrutiny was prompted by what is described as "concerns following a serious safeguarding incident" last September.

Ofsted issued the notice on Monday and said it would "monitor their progress closely". Bright Horizons, which has until 1 August to improve, has been approached for comment.

The Ofsted report says the majority of settings "continue to meet requirements", but "the provider has not demonstrated that it can ensure safeguarding is consistently effective across its provision".

It carried out 172 inspections, site visits and "direct engagements" with senior staff and found breaches in 75 settings.

One Bright Horizons nursery in north-west London, which employed Vincent Chan who carried out 56 sexual offences including abusing children, closed in May 2025.

Some of the parents of children at that nursery are taking steps towards a judicial review.