• Inspectors are expected to understand the context that you are working in and be flexible around you.
• Ofsted cannot expect their inspectors to work evenings, and neither would Ofsted want to put pressure on you to work in your evenings just for them. If inspectors choose to work in the evenings, and you would like to be called in the evening, you will be able to agree this with the inspector.
• Ofsted have been notifying childminders of their inspections for many years now, and these calls have often taken up a fair amount of time to get all the information inspectors have needed.
• The planning call is there for inspectors to understand your setting’s context, what you see as your setting’s strengths, your priorities for improvement, understand what you want all children to know and be able to do at your setting, and your approach to inclusion. It is a good opportunity and chance for you to meet the inspector before the inspection and be involved in determining those areas of inspection focus.
• Ofsted will notify you in a notification call before 10 o’clock, to give an opportunity to agree the best time for the planning call, when children are napping for example. Ofsted will aim for the planning call to be on the same day as the notification call; however, it could be possible that they call another day if they were not going to be inspecting the following day.
• If it is not possible to have a separate call, so inspectors can understand your context you are working in, they will likely ask you some of what they need during that notification call and discuss the rest on the day of inspection.
• The planning call is expected to take around 30 minutes.
• Ofsted have stated the needs of the child come first and that they will be flexible during the call and work around you taking care of the children.
• If you miss the call, Ofsted will leave you a message and try calling again. Once they have tried so many times it might be that they need to come out without notice, although they would rather not do that.

Further information

More information about the planning call.

Read Ofsted’s Principles for carrying out early years inspection and regulatory work without notice – GOV.UK

• The reason that the evaluation of safeguarding must take place at the inspection, rather than before we arrive or afterwards, is because it is set in legislation. Inspectors are not legally able to gather evidence to evaluate the quality of provision before they arrive at the setting. The inspection starts when the inspector arrives at the setting.
• Inspectors do understand that childminders often work alone and that their priority needs to be the children in their care.
• Any discussions about safeguarding should not be so sensitive that they cannot be discussed with children around.
• If sensitive discussions are needed, for example, if there are specific concerns that inspectors are following up on, then inspectors will let you know about that, so that you can agree when it is going to be best for those discussions to happen. For example, if there are going to be nap times during the day then that would be a suitable time for you to have those discussions.
• Inspectors want to know what it is typically like at your setting, and that might mean that they need to be with you longer than the 3 hours intended if it is difficult to have those discussions with you. But the planning call will allow you and the inspectors to discuss that and make plans.
• The planning call is vital because you can have those discussions – you can tell Ofsted what your typical day is like and agree when it will be best for them to inspect and when it will be best to have those discussions on the day.

Further information

“Ofsted’s safeguarding expectations are those the Department for Education (DfE) has set out in the EYFS, Keeping children safe in education and Working together to safeguard children.” (Potential misconceptions about inspection, Safeguarding Early years inspection information: for use from November 2025 – GOV.UK)

Read Ofsted’s approach to inspecting childminders

Read more about evaluating safeguarding in practice

Read the Safeguarding evaluation area in the Early years inspection toolkit

• Inclusion is something that will be a focus of all inspections and it is something that Ofsted’s Chief Inspector has spoken about – that important message that if we get it right for those children, then we get it right for all children. On inspection our focus is on those children described above who need our support the most to be ready for their next stage in education, including school when that arrives.
• Inspectors will case sample a range of children, which will include those with SEND, those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, as well as children known to children’s social care, but also other children who may face barriers to their learning or wellbeing.
• When inspectors are evaluating inclusion, they consider how well you and any assistants are supported and trained to be able to accurately identify children’s needs and to help them, should there be any on roll in the future, for example.
• Inspectors do this through discussion, and it may be that you are able to talk about children in these groups who are no longer on roll, or you might have children who have other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, for example.
  • those with protected characteristics,
  • personal circumstances that their families are facing,
  • a child with glue ear,
  • if there is a new baby,
  • a parental relationship breaks down,
  • moving home,
  • significant illness.

(Not an exhaustive list.)

• If you have no children identified as disadvantaged or facing other barriers to their learning and/or well-being, inspectors will be curious as to why, particularly if you have never had any of these children on roll.
  • How do you make sure your setting is inclusive to these children?
  • How do you work with the local authority to ensure children from these groups in your local community have access to provision, particularly if there are high numbers of children eligible for EYPP or with SEND?
  • Ofsted will be looking at the local data before they come to inspect you, and you will be able to tell them the context of the area in which you work.
  • Some barriers to learning and wellbeing might be short term. It’s about being able to tell inspectors about the children in your care and how you are meeting their individual needs and working in partnership with parents and other settings if the child attends more than one early years setting.
• If you have no children on roll identified as disadvantaged or facing other barriers to their learning and/or well-being, you can still achieve the higher gradings by meeting the standards in the inspection toolkit.
• If you have no children on roll identified as disadvantaged or facing other barriers to their learning and/or well-being, but you’ve previously cared for children who do, you can refer to these children, the identification of and support you have provided them to support the evaluation areas.

Further information

“Throughout inspection, we give particular attention to the experiences and outcomes of disadvantaged children, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), children known (or previously known) to children’s social care and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or well-being. These groups are central to all planning, inspection activity, and evaluation.” (Information about the inspection process, Overall inspection focus Early years inspection information: for use from November 2025 – GOV.UK)

Outlined in the operating guide for inspectors are 3 key principles of inspection: Principle 2 – Leadership, inclusion and whether there is an open and positive safeguarding culture are key areas of focus when gathering evidence.

Read about how Ofsted will explore the leaders approach to inclusion

Read the Inclusion evaluation area in the Early years inspection toolkit

Read Coram PACEY’s blog: Tailoring care: Why your local context matters

• Inspectors will want to talk to parents of disadvantaged children, those with SEND, and those who are known to children’s social care or have other barriers to their learning and their wellbeing.
• They will want to know how well parents feel they and their child are included at the setting.
• They will want to know how well they are supported to take up their full entitlement of early education and what support they receive to continue their children’s learning at home.
• During the planning call, there will be a discussion about how Ofsted can talk to parents. That might be as children are dropped off in the morning or picked up in the evening or by telephone if parents agree to do that.
• Ofsted will ask what it is like for their child to be at the setting.
• Inspectors will not use language such as case sampling or disadvantage.
• Because Ofsted are focusing on those children identified as having a disadvantage or face other barriers to their learning and/or well-being throughout all their inspections, they are the parents that they will want to speak to, but they will also speak to other parents. There is a limit to Ofsted’s time on inspections, so they need to carefully choose who it is that they speak to and really focus their attention.

Further information

“Where possible, speak with the parents of children who are part of the case sample. This will help you to evaluate how well the setting supports these parents to make sure their children take up their full entitlement to early education, claim any additional funding the children might be entitled to, and continue their child’s learning at home. Speaking with parents can also help you in evaluating how well the setting works with parents and professionals.” (What to do on site during the inspection – Case sampling Early years inspection operating guide for inspectors: for use from November 2025 – GOV.UK)

• Inspectors will work flexibly around childminders. For example, if you would prefer to have the planning call by phone rather than video, let the inspector know this during the notification call.
• In terms of reasonable adjustments, inspectors will ask how you usually manage your individual needs. Inspectors must contact their duty desk when any reasonable adjustments are needed, this is to ensure that Ofsted are meeting their legal obligations.
• Inspectors understand that you and your assistants might feel nervous. They give you plenty of opportunity to demonstrate what you know and your typical practice. They will consider what it is typically like to be a child in your setting.
• If there is something you feel or wanted to tell the inspector, then let them know.
• Ofsted have found that the video planning call, where technology has allowed, has been helpful in reducing anxiety, because leaders have got to know the inspector before they arrive. It is the first opportunity to have that professional dialogue.
• Ofsted will be telling you which day they are coming, so this should also help reduce nerves too.
• Inspection is not a memory test. You can come back to a topic later during the inspection if you want to tell inspectors more, in fact inspectors would encourage you to.
• You can make notes and refer to them if that supports the way you work. But remember, Ofsted do not expect you to prepare this way.
• If the inspector uses any language or terminology that you do not understand or asks a question that is not clear or too long – ask them to repeat it, to break it down, or ask them to clarify what they mean.
• Ofsted would expect inspectors to be using language that is accessible and understandable. Do not be afraid to ask what they mean if it is not clear.

Further information

The revised Education Inspection Framework has an increased focus on professionals’ well-being and workload through a more collaborative approach to inspection. Beginning at the notification call which ‘sets the tone for the inspection’ inspectors will be checking on the well-being of childminders. Inspectors will also check that any reasonable adjustments agreed during the notification call have been put in place and remind leaders that they can ask for any further reasonable adjustments or adaptations during the rest of the inspection process.

Read more about how Ofsted respond to requests for reasonable adjustments and/or adaptations.

A core requirement throughout inspection is that inspectors check with leaders on their well-being and the well-being of other staff before the inspection activities begin, and throughout the day.

During each reflective discussion, inspectors will reflect with leaders and the nominee (if there is one) on the well-being of staff and how effective any reasonable adjustments and/or adaptations have been. They will also ask whether they want to change the arrangements/adaptations or make any additional requests.

When inspectors arrive on site, they should check on the well-being of the leader and staff and find out whether any issues have arisen since the planning call.

During reflective discussions inspectors should check on leaders’ and staff well-being and allow leaders and/or the nominee to raise any issues or concerns, or to seek clarification, including about the conduct of the inspection or of individual inspectors.

At the beginning of the grading discussion inspectors will check on leaders’ and staff well-being and allow leaders and/or the nominee to raise any issues or concerns, or to seek clarification, including about the conduct of the inspection or of individual inspectors.

When engaging with leaders and practitioners, inspectors should take careful account of the well-being of leaders and staff and make suitable adjustments, as necessary. For example, staff may need a break, or a later opportunity to follow up discussions, so that they can carry out their usual daily routines and responsibilities. If inspectors see or suspect that a leader or staff member is upset or distressed at any point, they should respond sensitively. Where appropriate, they will consider suitable adjustments to enable the leader or staff member to continue. If inspectors have serious concerns, they must inform those responsible for the person’s well-being, other than in exceptional circumstances, and they must contact Ofsted’s national duty desk.

Inspectors must be able to access, either online or in printed form, information that relates to:

• paediatric first-aid arrangements

• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) records and any other documents summarising the checks on, and the vetting and employment arrangements of, all staff working at the setting.

However, inspectors do not need to see the DBS checks for:

• those providing childcare on domestic premises.
• childminders (including childminders without domestic premises)
• any known assistants and/or household members

This is because these will already have been seen as part of the registration process.

(Information about the inspection process – Documents that EY settings must provide Early years inspection information: for use from November 2025 – GOV.UK)

Read more about the Documents that inspectors may need to see during the inspection

Ofsted do not expect providers to have completed any formal self-evaluation using the Early years inspection toolkit. However, settings may wish to use the toolkit to support continuous improvement. In the inspection planning call with leaders, Ofsted will ask where they see themselves against the 5-point scale of each evaluation area. (Potential misconceptions about inspection – Toolkit Early years inspection information: for use from November 2025 – GOV.UK)

Coram PACEY members have access to a new self-evaluation form to use to support practice.

“We do not require photographic evidence of what children are doing and learning in settings. We do not expect providers to prepare a presentation or any additional documentation about their setting or context for inspection. Inspectors prioritise examining first-hand evidence during the inspection.” (Potential misconceptions about inspection- Evidence/recordings Early years inspection information: for use from November 2025 – GOV.UK)

• Childminders told Ofsted that inspecting every 6 years is too long to wait between inspections, and this causes more anxiety due to a long gap between inspections.
• Ofsted have been working with the DFE. The DFE have now commissioned Ofsted to reduce this to every 4 years.
• However, those changes have not yet come into effect. As of April 2026, when the funding becomes available for Ofsted they will be moving towards that four-year window.
• There are many providers and Ofsted need to work out timescales so at the moment they cannot say what these timings will be for settings.
• Once Ofsted move to the new inspection window, they will publish the information so you will know when to expect your inspection.
• For now, until April 2026, inspections are still a 6-year cycle.
• First inspections for newly registered settings will be sooner than the 30 months that it is currently.

Further information

Read more about when Ofsted inspect registered early years settings.

• No, the old judgments do not translate to the new grades in any way. This is a total reset. All settings should be meeting the expected standards because they are closely aligned with the statutory EYFS requirements. If you are not meeting expected standards, you are not meeting the requirements of the EYFS, and you either need attention or urgent improvement.
• It is a high standard as the EYFS talks about high-quality education and care. If you are meeting the expected standards, then you are absolutely doing what is right for children, and what is required by the EYFS.
• Ofsted have been clear that an exceptional grade will be rare. Exceptional grades will be given where there’s practice that is having a truly transformational impact on children, and where the sharing of such practice would benefit others. Not only that, but all the grading standards for expected standard, strong standard, and exceptional must be met.

Further information

Read more about meeting standards and determining grades

Make sure you have taken time to read and understand the Early years inspection toolkit

• It will be up to childminders to choose how to use the evaluation of their own setting to promote their business.

Settings that Ofsted judged to be outstanding or good for overall effectiveness before November 2025 can continue to use the specific Ofsted outstanding or good logos until their next graded inspection. Once they receive their next graded inspection, they must remove those logos. They relate only to an overall effectiveness judgement, which they will not get as this is no longer part of our grading.

Further information

See Ofsted’s logo terms of use.

• It is something that Ofsted will look at on inspection, and it will be up to childminders to let us know how they do that.
• It is highly likely to be observed in practice during the inspection.
• Myth busting: Ofsted confirm that they are not saying you cannot go on a picnic anymore.
• Myth busting: Ofsted are not the ‘lunchbox police.’ Ofsted will want to know what you are doing to support parents who provide lunch/snacks to understand a healthy, nutritious, and balanced diet suitable for children.
• Ofsted will want to see how you support children to make healthy choices about food.
• Ofsted will connect the evidence they are collecting – through their observations, conversations with the childminder, children, and parents.

Further information

Read the Early Years Foundation Stage nutrition – GOV.UK

• From the Big Listen last year, one of Ofsted’s seven C’s is Consistency. Every inspection will be unique because every setting is unique – no two places are the same. Ofsted will adapt to each setting’s context using the operating guides and inspection methodology to ensure their approach to inspection and how they grade each setting are consistent.
• As part of the renewed framework, Ofsted inspectors have had extensive training, and they have undergone quality assurance processes before they have been determined as confident and competent to conduct inspections under the framework.
• All inspection reports will go through quality assurance to begin with, so that Ofsted are assured that inspectors are grading settings fairly and proportionately.
• If any leader experiences something other than what Ofsted have communicated you should be expecting, then please raise it with the inspector in the first instance.
• If you continue to have concerns, then you can contact the provider helpline – that is the number the inspector will give you during the notification or the planning call where there is an opportunity to speak to a senior manager.
• The complaints process is there to use in the period after inspection, before your report is published.
• The draft report will come to settings within the usual time scales, but Ofsted will initially be publishing reports in a batch in the first instance to mitigate the potential interest in a report from one setting.
• Reporting timescales in the previous framework will not change once Ofsted are into their usual routine.
• Ofsted have been monitoring inspection grades carefully as they embark on this renewed inspection framework and the renewed methodology, and they have been clear that an exceptional grade will be rare. Exceptional grades will be given where there’s practice that is having a truly transformational impact on children, and where the sharing of such practice would benefit others. Not only that, but all the grading standards for expected standard, strong standard, and exceptional must be met.
• Inspectors will have to contact the duty desk whenever they believe a setting is exceptional in any evaluation area. They will need to discuss the evidence that they have that demonstrates all standards are met for that evaluation area, the impact that the specific exceptional practice has on children, and whether this has been sustained over time.
• With the new five-point grading scale it is the three in the middle that Ofsted expect to see most often, with urgent improvement and exceptional being the ones that they will see less often. Thinking of it as a bell-curve can be helpful, with the expected standard at the top – where most settings will be – then, as you go down, it will be needs attention, and on the other side, strong standard. At the bottom, on the left, you would have urgent improvement, and on the bottom, on the right, you would have exceptional.
• The expected standard is a high standard.

Further information

Read more about Quality assurance and consistency checking

Read more about Ofsted Big Listen – GOV.UK

• Ofsted report that they have had a number of pilot inspections with childminders and are grateful for volunteers and have had some great experiences.
• Ofsted are confident that the renewed framework and the methodology works for childminders.

• If you are on the general Childcare Register, compulsory and voluntary parts, and you are not on the Early Years Register, then those inspections have not changed. They will be a compliance approach to inspection resulting in a met or not met grade. If you are on the Early Years Register and you only provide care before- and after-school and in the school holidays – you will no longer have just a met or not met grade. You will be graded on the 5-point scale but because you do not have to meet the learning and development requirements of the EYFS, Ofsted will not be evaluating the Curriculum and teaching and Achievement areas. This is good for providers as they get a much more holistic report of their setting.

Further information

Read more about the approach to inspecting before- and after-school settings and holiday provision

Read more about the specific context inspectors will consider when inspecting Before- and after-school and holiday provision

Read the guidance on carrying out Childcare Register compliance inspections.

Inspectors must make it clear at the start of the inspection, or during the initial notification telephone call, that the inspection will be a check that the provider continues to be suitable to remain registered, but it is not a full inspection.

If no children are on roll or no children are present and the inspection must take place, inspectors must evaluate only the leadership and governance of the setting. This is to determine if the provider is meeting the requirements of the EYFS and the Childcare Register (if applicable).

Inspectors will grade leadership and governance only as ‘expected standard,’ ‘needs attention’ or ‘urgent improvement.’

• If your experience is not what you were expecting, and not what Ofsted have communicated, then raise your concerns with the inspector. You can call the provider contact helpline and speak to a senior manager if you need to.
• If you have not resolved the issue, you can make a complaint after the inspection. It helps Ofsted to know if you have not had the experience that they think that you should be getting. If they do not know about it, they cannot do anything about it.
• Complaints are reviewed by Ofsted’s complaint panel. The panel review complaints that have been investigated and scrutinise their outcomes. They are anonymised and the panel see everything from the complaint to what the investigating officer did, and how Ofsted arrived at the findings.
• Ofsted investigate every single complaint that they receive, and many aspects of complaints are upheld.
• Ofsted take learnings from complaints – if there’s learning for individual inspectors, which is shared with them. If there’s learning for policy teams – Ofsted will take that back and consider what it means for policy.
• Do not be afraid to complain. It cannot go against you.
• If an inspector calls you, and you previously complained about them, and you do not think it would be appropriate for that inspector to come again, then you can use the provider contact helpline.

Further information

Read more about Concerns or complaints about inspection

Read the policy for handling complaints about Ofsted.

• The setting will likely be reinspected within 6 months if safeguarding is ‘not met’, but there can be enforcement activity in between if required.
• Where a setting is graded ‘Urgent improvement’ they can expect to be reinspected in 6-months. If any areas ‘Need attention’ and ‘Safeguarding’ is met, then reinspection is within a year.

Further information

Read more about when the evaluation standards are not reached

The introduction of report cards and changes to inspection outcomes for all types of early years providers means several early years regulations will need updating. This includes the regulations that enable (but do not require) local authorities to refuse to fund or withdraw early education and childcare entitlements funding from providers not achieving the relevant, specified Ofsted judgement; and the regulations requiring local authorities to secure the provision of information, advice and training to early years providers registered with Ofsted that have been judged less than ‘Good’.

Therefore, the Department of Education will be updating these regulations and the Early Education and Childcare statutory guidance in early 2026 so these thresholds and triggers accurately reflect the new inspection framework. This does not represent a change in policy.

Subject to Parliament approving the changes, Ofsted have confirmed the new thresholds will be as follows.

The new trigger for allowing local authorities to refuse or withdraw entitlements funding will be where one or more of the following apply:

• All entitlements – where there is a ‘safeguarding’ outcome of ‘not met.’
• 30 hours childcare for eligible working families and the universal 3- and 4-year-old entitlement – where ‘leadership and governance’ has been graded as ‘urgent improvement’.
• The entitlement for 2-year-olds for families receiving extra support – where ‘leadership and governance’ has been graded as ‘needs attention’ or below.

The new trigger requiring local authorities to secure the provision of information, advice and training to early years providers registered with Ofsted will be when ‘safeguarding’ is graded as ‘not met’ or ‘leadership and governance’ is graded as ‘needs attention’ or below.

This blog from Ofsted will help you to understand how Ofsted will look at your use of EYPP in your setting during your inspection from the first phone call through to the actual visit. How we look at the use of Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) in our inspections of early years settings – Ofsted: early years

• Ofsted will be checking childminders and assistants have the knowledge they need to protect children from harm. They will do this through discussion and observation. If they have any concerns about your or your assistant’s knowledge, inspectors may ask to see training certificates.

Further information

Read more about evaluating safeguarding in practice.

Find out the documents that EY settings must provide and documents that inspectors may need to see during the inspection.