How are nurseries inspected in Wales?

Are you wondering how nurseries are inspected in Wales? This article highlights all you need to know about Wales childcare regulation including Welsh nursery inspections.

Who inspects nurseries in Wales?

 In Wales, Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) and Estyn are the two independent regulators of early years services.   

Estyn conducts inspections jointly with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW).   

• The CIW inspects creches, day care nurseries, open access play provision, out of school care, sessional day care and childminders. 
• Estyn, the regulator for education and training in Wales, also inspects nurseries not managed by schools.  

CIW and Estyn regulate, inspect and report on early years services to make sure childcare providers meet Wales’ standards.

Inspectors works with childcare providers to improve their service and ensure all children receive safe, high-quality care.

Welsh early years settings are inspected to keep all children safe. This helps ensure your child is cared for, able to thrive and receive high-quality learning.

How does Wales inspect nurseries? 

Welsh nursery inspections take place in line with the Joint Inspection framework followed by Estyn and CIW.

Inspections are governed by Schedule 26 of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998.

The Act requires His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training to report to the Welsh Government on:

• The quality and standards of the nursery education provided.
• How far the setting meets the needs of a range of children in the setting.
• The quality of leadership and management of the setting.
• The contribution that the setting makes to children’s wellbeing.
• The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the children.

Before inspectors arrive on site, parents and early years staff give their views via a questionnaire. Parents also have a face-to-face meeting with inspectors.

Inspectors observe children and early years staff. They spend time talking to staff, parents and children to find out about the children’s learning experience.

Inspectors ask what staff and parents think about the early years service. They ask how children are kept safe and supported to develop skills.

Welsh nursery inspections: How are nurseries rated in Wales?

Inspection criteria for early years settings look at children’s: 

• Wellbeing.
• Learning.
• Care and Development.
• Teaching and Assessment.
• Environment.
• Leadership and management.

During inspections, inspectors must also evaluate how well an early years setting develops the Welsh language skills of children and staff. Inspectors assess how nurseries promote children’s awareness of the traditions and cultures of Wales.

Inspectors give one-word judgements for each of the criteria above. These are:    

• Excellent – very strong, sustained performance and practice.
• Good – many strengths and no important areas requiring significant improvement.
• Adequate – strengths outweigh weaknesses but improvements are required.
• Poor – important weaknesses outweigh strengths and significant improvements are required.

What notice do Welsh nurseries get about an inspection? 

Early years settings, including nurseries, receive 10 working days notice of an inspection.  

How long does a Welsh nursery inspection last?

Inspection visits usually take place over two consecutive half-days.

When are nursery inspection reports published?

Reports are produced within 45 working days from the start of the inspection. The Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) publishes all the reports on their website. However, before the report is published, the early years provider receives a draft copy of the inspection report to check for factual accuracy.

How often are nurseries inspected in Wales?

Nurseries are inspected at least once during a six-year inspection cycle.

Where can I find a Welsh nursery inspection report?

You can find Welsh nursery inspection reports published on the Care Inspectorate Wales website.