Ofsted inspections for early years settings to move to six-year cycle

Ofsted has announced all early years providers will be inspected in a six-year window from the date of their last inspection, but there are concerns from early years leaders who say "six years is a long time" and want assurances of "clear processes" in place to respond if "concerns" are raised.

Currently, nursery providers will normally have their setting inspected by Ofsted at least once within a four-year cycle but this can often result in an eight-year gap between inspection visits.

Now, all early years inspections will move to a six-year window, allowing inspections to be more proportionate to risk and it will bring more consistency for good and outstanding providers in the time between inspections, say Ofsted.

When full routine inspections resume, Ofsted will schedule early years inspections based on the most current risk assessment of the provision from its work as a regulator, including each provider’s previous judgement.

Ofsted will prioritise the re-inspection of the relatively small proportion of nurseries and pre-schools that are not yet ‘good’ and those where there are significant concerns.

'Two cohorts of children could pass through a setting between inspections'

While early years leaders welcome “clarity and consistency” to early years inspections, concerns have been raised in regards to length of time between inspections and a call for Ofsted to publish “clear processes” are in place if concerns are raised.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said: "The changes announced today provide welcome clarity on and consistency to early years inspections, and importantly, help avoid previous situations where a provider could be inspected at the start of one four-year cycle and the end of another, potentially resulting in an eight-year gap between inspection visits.

"Six years is still a long time, and it’s important to note this would mean that nearly two whole cohorts of children could pass through a setting between inspections. It is vital, therefore, that Ofsted ensures that there are clear processes in place to respond quickly and effectively if concerns are raised that the quality of provision at an early years setting previously rated as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ has declined.”

Because of the pandemic, routine inspections of nurseries and childminders have been suspended since March 2020, interrupting the last early years inspection cycle and creating longer periods between routine inspections. When inspections under the education inspection framework (EIF) resume, Ofsted said they will carefully prioritise their approach.

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said: “With COVID-19 cases still on the rise across England, there is still a lot of uncertainty in the sector. It’s important for Ofsted to recognise the concern this creates and not to push for full inspections too early while settings are still managing the pandemic.

“A greater level of certainty around what the future inspection programme will look like will help providers in understanding when their next inspection may come. It is clearly important for all our children that Ofsted is performing its regulatory role for safeguarding purposes and to see the quality of early education they are receiving through the child’s eyes.”

'Ofsted must engage with sector when full inspection is to recommence'

Ofsted recently published five reports from inspection visits, reflecting on the experiences of leaders working in schools, early years, social care and SEND. These reports have been looking at the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic across the sectors it inspects and regulates, including early years and children’s social care.

Ms Tanuku said: “Nurseries and other childcare providers have been working hard to support families throughout the pandemic and ensure children can access high-quality learning environments. Ofsted’s own report this week has highlighted how important this is for children’s development, especially where children have lost out on time in settings.

“It is important that Ofsted continue to engage with the sector around any planned date for full inspection activity to recommence.”

The vast majority of registered childcare provision in England is safe and of high quality. According to Ofsted’s latest figures, more than nine in 10 early years providers are judged good or outstanding.

Mr Leitch said: "Of course, by the same principle, the quality of care and education at a setting could also improve significantly over a six-year period, and so those providers rated as ‘good’ who are keen to demonstrate that they are now ‘outstanding’ are likely to be disappointed by this change.

“As such, we would urge Ofsted to consider how such providers might have the opportunity to demonstrate how their practice has improved sooner rather than later within this new framework.”

Some arrangements will not change:

• Ofsted will still aim to inspect all new childcare providers within 30 months of registration where possible, childcare providers judged to require improvement will be inspected within a year.

• Inadequate childcare provision will be inspected within six months.

• If there are concerns about any childcare provider, Ofsted can use its regulatory powers between inspections, and bring forward an inspection following a risk assessment.

Yvette Stanley, Ofsted's national director for Regulation and Social Care, said: “Parents and carers with young children can be assured that the vast majority of childcare provision in England is safe, effective and high quality, and it continues to get better.

“The impact of COVID-19 and the interruption of the previous inspection cycle presents the opportunity to rethink our approach and to inspect more proportionately, bringing forward inspections of providers that are a source of concern.”