A children’s nursery in Northampton has been suddenly closed by Ofsted, with its licence suspended until further notice.

Child First Nursery in Moulton displayed a sign on its front gates on Friday (May 9), which has been widely shared on social media.

The sign reads: “The nursery registration has been suspended by Ofsted and the nursery will be closed until further notice.”

Confirming the news today (Monday), a spokesperson for Child First said : “We can confirm that the nursery is currently closed while an investigation is carried out by Ofsted and the Local Authority Designated Officer. While we are unable to comment further during this process, the wellbeing of the children and families we support remains our top priority. We are working closely with parents to help them access alternative childcare arrangements during this time.”

Child First Nursery in Moulton has reportedly closed after Ofsted suspended its registration until further notice.

placeholder image — Child First Nursery in Moulton has reportedly closed after Ofsted suspended its registration until further notice.

Ofsted has confirmed to the Chron on Monday morning (May 12) that there was ‘reasonable cause’ to believe that children ‘may be exposed to a risk of harm at the site’.

It is understood Ofsted will monitor the suspension and continue to work with other agencies.

The private day care nursery has been registered since 2006 and was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024.

In 2021, Ofsted raised concerns after a child managed to leave the nursery's outdoor play area unsupervised. The nursery took steps to improve security at the time and remained registered, according to Ofsted.

The nursery is situated in a Georgian lodge within three acres of land and forest, according to the nursery’s website.