In her seventh and final Annual Report as Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman highlights both the progress of Ofsted as well as acknowledging the current challenges the sector faces. Challenges include a less qualified workforce; difficulties in recruiting and retaining; more children presenting with additional needs and a lack of training to support them as well… Continue reading One in five unqualified: Ofsted publishes annual report
Tag: Ofsted
Meet the Minister at NDNA’s Annual Nursery Conference
Children, Families and Wellbeing Minister Claire Coutinho will be attending National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)’s conference in June. The MP for East Surrey, whose brief includes early years and childcare, will be delivering her keynote speech at the Shaping the Future of Childcare: Making the First Five Years Count conference on Friday 9 June. Delegates… Continue reading Meet the Minister at NDNA’s Annual Nursery Conference
Official reports show pressure building on early years providers
New statistics released by DfE and Ofsted on the Early Years sector this reveal that recruitment and retention crisis remains prevalent while nurseries remain determined to keeping rising costs away from parents and support their children. The Department for Education’s annual Childcare and Early Years Provider Survey 2022 gives insights into childcare and early years… Continue reading Official reports show pressure building on early years providers
Fewer providers, places & good and outstanding judgements
Education Watchdog Ofsted have published their newest batch of data on the Early Years sector for the last academic year September 2021 to 31 August 2022. Their newest data has found that since August 2021: 5,400 providers have left the sector, representing an 8% drop in the total sector There are 302 fewer nurseries and… Continue reading Fewer providers, places & good and outstanding judgements
Sharp rise in summer nursery closures ring alarm bells for winter months
Many more nurseries have closed during the summer term than previously, setting course for a disastrous year for early years settings, says National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA). NDNA, the voice of the early years sector, has tracked nursery closures since the 30 hours policy was introduced in 2017. During the summer term April to July… Continue reading Sharp rise in summer nursery closures ring alarm bells for winter months
Ofsted updates to Education Inspection Framework don’t go far enough
Education watchdog, Ofsted, have published updates to the Early Years inspection handbook and to the guidance for early years providers that sits alongside it. They have also published a summary of the changes. The new inspection handbook will be in use from September 2022 and Ofsted have said it will not result in a change… Continue reading Ofsted updates to Education Inspection Framework don’t go far enough
1 in 5 nurseries inspected since September inadequate or require improvement
Ofsted has published its official statistics for Childcare Providers and Inspections, their latest report, since August 2021 before the Cost of Living Crisis. Worryingly, inspection data from the report suggests that in the last seven months before March 2022, more providers received ‘Inadequate’ and ‘Requires Improvement’ judgments than previously and once ‘Outstanding’ providers found it… Continue reading 1 in 5 nurseries inspected since September inadequate or require improvement
Ofsted publish five year strategy
Ofsted has published its five year strategy which was recently trailed by HMCI Amanda Spielman at Nursery World Business Summit. Their new approach will have a strong focus on early years. The strategy sets out eight priorities: One of the priorities is ‘Children having the best start in life’ which is where the focus on… Continue reading Ofsted publish five year strategy
Ofsted: guidance on significant events or changes to health
NDNA had an urgent meeting today (13 January) with Ofsted about the guidance document ‘Childcare: reporting significant events and changes to health’. This has been taken down by Ofsted for review and we welcome this approach. We understand that it will be made clearer that the guidance will only apply to the registered person whose suitability… Continue reading Ofsted: guidance on significant events or changes to health
Struggling settings can ask for an Ofsted inspection deferral
Ofsted has announced that early years settings in England which are currently significantly affected by the Covid pandemic can ask for a deferral of their routine inspection. The inspectorate officially resumed its routine inspection work this week which was paused in December. In the announcement they offered to defer inspections for those nurseries which are… Continue reading Struggling settings can ask for an Ofsted inspection deferral
Ofsted report: 98% still good or outstanding but more recent inspection concerns
Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman launched Ofsted’s Annual Report 2020-21 today. The report covered the year to September 2021 during which the Inspectorate carried out fewer inspections than normal due to closures and restrictions. Although 98% of nurseries and pre-schools still remain judged as good (76%) or outstanding (22%) there are concerns about the numbers… Continue reading Ofsted report: 98% still good or outstanding but more recent inspection concerns