An Islington nursery has been told by Ofsted it must improve after the education watchdog described the quality of teaching as “variable”.

Bright Horizons Mount Carmel Day Nursery and Preschool in Eden Grove, Off Holloway Road, was given a rating of ‘requires improvement’.

Ofsted gave the ‘requires improvement’ rating for ‘the quality of education’, ‘behaviour and attitudes’, and ‘leadership and management’. For ‘personal development’ the report, based on an inspection carried out in February, found Bright Horizons to be ‘good’.

At the previous inspection in 2018, the nursery was found to be ‘good’ overall and in all key areas of inspection.

The report stated: “The quality of teaching is variable.

“Although babies are treated with kindness and have opportunities to sing songs, explore animals and experience play dough, staff sometimes overlook opportunities to offer good levels of commentary as they play and fully extend their learning.

“This restricts them from making the full progress they are capable of.”

The nursery, which opened in 2008, caters for children aged three months to five years. There are currently 73 attending and there is a capacity for 84.
Ofsted praised the centre for providing a space for youngsters to “have fun” and “show good developing knowledge of animals”. The body also noted that arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Bright Horizons has been given a clear instruction to, “improve how staff working with babies support their language and communication skills to extend their learning to a consistently good level”.

This, the inspector wrote, “is to help babies make the full progress they are capable of.”

The report stated the nursery had been given until April 28 to action this.
It added: “Overall, most parents are complimentary about their experience at the setting.

“They state that staff are kind and committed to their work. They discuss that their children enjoy attending and are making good progress.

“Some parents discuss that there have been some challenges with the consistency of staff. However, it is recognised that staffing across the sector has been more challenging since the start of the pandemic.”

A nursery spokesperson said: “We are heartened by positive comments within the inspection report, but also mindful of the observations that have led to this overall rating. We are addressing these concerns as a matter of priority.”