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Invitation based on one of our favourite books

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Invitation based on one of our favourite books

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The unfolding child, free to move in their own time and own way , respectful care and secure relationships (Pikler)

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The unfolding child, free to move in their own time and own way , respectful care and secure relationships (Pikler)

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Extending communication and partnership with parents (Elklan- not part of the Curiosity Approach but part of my provision)

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Extending communication and partnership with parents (Elklan- not part of the Curiosity Approach but part of my provision)

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Outdoor learning , as much as possible, all the time, in all weathers  (Forest school)

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Outdoor learning , as much as possible, all the time, in all weathers  (Forest school)

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Self serving- real life skills (Montessori)

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Self serving- real life skills (Montessori)

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Each child's special day is celebrated. (Steiner)

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Each child's special day is celebrated. (Steiner)

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African animal invitation, following the child's interests.

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African animal invitation, following the child's interests.

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COVID-19 Recovery Childminders | Hempsalls

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COVID-19 Recovery Childminders | Hempsalls

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Apply for support from the DfE Childminder Mentor programme

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An example of child lead learning/ curriculum

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Listen to the Children. 34,645 likes · 2,204 talking about this. Via trainings and coaching I empower adults to LISTEN TO THE CHILDREN and enjoy the amazing results.

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Thurrock MASH (Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub) includes a wide range of statutory and non-statutory agencies, such as:

children's social care

health agencies

police

probation

youth offending service

housing

early help services

mental health services

domestic violence service providers

adult social care

substance misuse services

The purpose of the MASH is to enhance information sharing across all organisations involved in safeguarding the welfare of children in Thurrock - encompassing statutory, non-statutory and third sector sources.

Core agencies will ensure that their representatives either sit in the MASH office on specific days or have 'virtual' contact.

When referrals come in, the Hub will analyse information that is already known within separate organisations in a coherent format to inform decisions.

All partners will work together to provide the highest level of knowledge and analysis to make sure that all safeguarding activity and intervention is timely, proportionate and necessary.

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Thurrock MASH (Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub) includes a wide range of statutory and non-statutory agencies, such as: children's social care health agencies police probation youth offending service housing early help services mental health services domestic violence service providers adult social care substance misuse services The purpose of the MASH is to enhance information sharing across all organisations involved in safeguarding the welfare of children in Thurrock - encompassing statutory, non-statutory and third sector sources.

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Welcome to the Early Years Support Services

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What is a Local Offer? A Local Offer gives children and young people in the borough, who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) and/or a disability, information in one place. The Thurrock Local Offer aims to provide clear, comprehensive and accessible information about what services and provisions are available in Thurrock for parents and young people.

The local offer is part of the reforms to support children and young people with SEND under the Children and Families Act 2014. You can find out more about the reforms in the Department for Education's guidance:

Easy Read Guide for Children and Young People
Easy Read Guide for Parents
Contact us if you require more information or have specific access requirements to view the Local Offer.

Telephone 01375 652801 or email us at fis@thurrock.gov.uk

Neighbouring Councils Local Offer Pages: Havering; Essex; Kent; Barking & Dagenham: Southend

Please view video below for some helpful hints when using Thurrock's SEND Local Offer Website

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What is a Local Offer? A Local Offer gives children and young people in the borough, who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) and/or a disability, information in one place. The Thurrock Local Offer aims to provide clear, comprehensive and accessible information about what services and...

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Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership - lscp

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We use cookies to store information on your computer to improve your experience of our website. You can find out more about the cookies we use and how to delete them, in our Privacy Statement…

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Slow pedagogy - making time for children's learning and development

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Slow pedagogy - making time for children's learning and development

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Early Years Covid-19 Recovery: Childminder Mentor programme | Facebook

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A group specifically for Lead Mentors and Mentors [appointed by Hempsalls and working toward facilitating the DfE Early Years Covid-19 Recovery: Childminder Mentor programme] to come together to...

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Julien Grenier , Childminders and the Revised EYFS

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Julien Grenier , Childminders and the Revised EYFS

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Free courses in England - a range of relevant level 2 courses.

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Free courses in England - a range of relevant level 2 courses.

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Free Online Courses UK - Free Courses in England

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Free Courses in England support professional and personal development with free government funded courses for adults.

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What does 'cultural capital' mean for early years?

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Early Years Professional Development Programme - funded courses.

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Early Years Professional Development Programme - funded courses.

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Early Years Professional Development Programme

Registration for January 2024 cohort now open. Register your interest today.

Early Years Professional Development Programme

Government funded support and training for Early Years Practitioners in England

Early Years Professional Development Programme

Free to access professional development for Early Years Practitioners. Registration for January 2024 cohort now open.

The Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP) is an exciting opportunity for early years practitioners to improve their understanding and skills in supporting the development of the most disadvantaged children between the ages of 2 and 4.

About the programme

Funded by the Department for Education in England and delivered by Education Development Trust, the EYPDP is a tailored professional development programme and forms part of the government's Early Years Education Recovery Plan which aims to address the continued effects of the pandemic on young children.

The training is available to eligible practitioners across all participating local authorities in England. There will be staggered start dates across the 2023\25 period with a total of four cohorts, the next of which is due to start in January 2024. Participants will receive high quality, evidence-based CPD (continuous professional development) to support them to improve outcomes on school readiness, early language, early mathematics and Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED).

FAQs

EYP Places Available

Start Date

Completion Date

2000

February 2023

October 2023

3000

September 2023

May 2024

3000

January 2024

September 2024

2000

April 2024

December 2024

The EYPDP has been made available to all 152 Local Authorities across England, with eligible practitioners from all participating Local Authorities encouraged to apply.
Pre-reception practitioners and childminders from schools and private, voluntary and independent settings (PVIs) who offer childcare to children between 2 and 4 years are eligible, with priority given to applications from settings that meet at least two of the following criteria:

Provide to at least one child with an Education, Health and Care Plan or Disability Access Fund indicator

Provide to at least one child in receipt of Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)

Provide to at least one child taking up the disadvantaged two-year-old offer

EY providers which do not meet the above criteria but where local intelligence suggests disadvantaged children would benefit from their practitioners receiving additional CPD support, may also be eligible.
Additionally, participating practitioners must:

Be qualified to at least level 3

Be currently working with 2-4 year olds (e.g. a manager who does not spend any time with the children is not eligible)

Not have completed a previous version of the early years professional development programme delivered by Education Development Trust.

This programme is free to access. Support with backfill costs will be made available to settings via their local authority to help complete the training.

It is expected that it will take participants 8 months and approximately 60 hours to complete the programme. Some flexibility may be granted in extenuating circumstances. For further details, please contact us to see our extenuating circumstances policy.

If you are a Setting Manager* and are interested in practitioners from your setting taking part in the Early Years Professional Development Programme starting, please click here to complete an expression of interest form.
*We are using the term Setting Manager to refer to all those who manage Early Years Practitioners. Examples could include: EYFS leads, EYFS teachers, Nursery Managers, Childminders
If you are an Early Years Practitioner interested in signing up for the programme, please speak to your setting manager and ask them to complete the expression of interest form on your behalf

News

Jan Dubiel has decades of experience in the early years sector, as a Nursery, Reception and Year 1 teacher in schools across England and then leading teams as an Early Years Coordinator. He is the former Head of National and International Development at Early Excellence, and now works as an independent speaker, consultant, trainer, author...
Read More...

One of the most significant features of the Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP) is its unashamed and deliberate focus on the pre-Reception Years of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). This specific age-related focus fully acknowledges the importance of this element of the phase and the vital, unique and explicit strands of development that...
Read More...

Registering your interest is quick and easy

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Early Years Professional Development Programme

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Registration for January 2024 cohort now open. Register your interest today. Government funded support and training for Early Years Practitioners in England Free to access professional development for Early Years Practitioners. Registration for January 2024 cohort now open.

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Many years ago, I remember observing a child deeply engrossed in playing with a set of small world cows. She was ordering the cows according to their size.

A well-intentioned staff member noticed her play; she was interested and wanted to use this opportunity to engage. She rushed in, looming over ​"Oh, wow, how many cows have you got there?" She was met with a curt, ​"I don't care!" and the child walked off, abandoning her play.

Many of us will have experienced similar situations before, in which we have enthusiastically instigated opportunities to interact with young children, only to be left feeling confused and somewhat demoralised by the child's response.

So, what can we do to make sure that all our attempts to initiate high-quality interactions are successful?

As highlighted in the EEF guidance report Preparing for Literacy: ​"When done well, high quality interactions often look effortless but they are not easy to do well and professional development is likely to be beneficial."

The aim of the ShREC approach is to provide early years professionals with a simple and memorable set of specific evidence informed strategies that can be embedded into everyday practice.

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i remember observing a child deeply engrossed in playing with a set of small world cows. she was ordering the cows according to their size.    a well-intentioned staff member noticed her play; she was interested and wanted to use this opportunity to engage. she rushed in

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
how many cows have you got there?” she was met with a curt

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
“i don’t care!” and the child walked off

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
abandoning her play.   many of us will have experienced similar situations before

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
in which we have enthusiastically instigated opportunities to interact with young children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
only to be left feeling confused and somewhat demoralised by the child’s response.    so

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
what can we do to make sure that all our attempts to initiate high-quality interactions are successful?   the shrec approach   as highlighted in the eef guidance report preparing for literacy : “when done well

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
high quality interactions often look effortless but they are not easy to do well and professional development is likely to be beneficial.”  the aim of the shrec approach is to provide early years professionals with a simple and memorable set of specific evidence informed strategies that can be embedded into everyday practice.  the 'shrec' approach to high quality interactions in the early years  so

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
what does shrec describe:    sh are attention  showing genuine interest in what a young child is focused on is a powerful way to establish a connection. it lets them know that you value them and want to spend time with them. by getting down to their level and engaging in their choice of activity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
you can tune in and crucially pay attention to what they look at

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
and what they say. sensitively joining in with a child’s play motivates children to communicate with you.  r espond  how we respond to a child once we have established joint engagement is dependent on our knowledge of them as a unique individual. sensitive

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
supportive and stimulating responses need to be adaptive and informed by our understanding of the child’s development.  what might an attuned response look like? responding involves noticing how the child communicates and acknowledging these verbal or non-verbal communications warmly. it involves being aware of your body language.  responses can involve making appropriate eye contact

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an attuned response could be narrating their activity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
a relevant comment that describes what the child can see

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
feel or articulating the link between their activity and previous learning or experiences.  e xpand  once the ‘back and forth’ rally of engagement is getting underway: the adult and child are sharing attention

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
the adult is responsively following the child’s lead.  this is where modelling and scaffolding begins with the adult pitching their language just above the level of the child. for example

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
if a child gives a one-word response such as ‘dog’ the adult should expand on what they say by repeating and building on this utterance by adding a few more words. this helps children to use more complex utterances: ‘yes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
it’s a dog. a big/small/friendly/brown dog!’. your knowledge of the child will inform what key word/s may be helpful to model.  c onversation  sustained back and forth conversations that involve many turns are the goal. the beauty and power of conversation is that it offers children an opportunity to practise talking and to receive feedback from an adult. to encourage rich back and forth conversations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
question less.  it is important to note that questions can be useful in helping children to cue turn-taking in conversation. consider how to use questions sparingly so they are most effective. ‘wh’ and open questions are the most useful as they invite children to elaborate. as children’s conversational skills develop

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adults can sensitively challenge children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
shaping the conversation to incorporate more abstract topics that are removed from the here and now.   featured resources   high quality interactions in the early years: the ‘shrec’ approach

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EEF blog: The ShREC approach - 4 evidence-informed strategies to...

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The EEF's Fliss James explains how practitioners can use the 'ShREC' approach to support high quality interactions.

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Early Years SENCO Level 3 funded course.

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Early Years SENCO Level 3 funded course.

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How is it delivered?

The Level 3 Early Years SENCO qualification is delivered over 4 months through Online Taught Sessions and Online Study Units.

The Online Taught Sessions are 3 hours long and consist of live tutor-led training, incorporating pre-reading tasks, breakout room activities, group discussion and group training. Participants can choose to complete the Online Taught Sessions on either weekday mornings, afternoons or evenings. There will also be a limited number of Saturday sessions available.

The Online Study Units are delivered through the Canvas Virtual Learning Environment. Login details and induction training will be provided before the programme starts.

Department for Education Announcement

We are delighted with the high level of interest in the Department for Education's Early Years (EY) SENCO training offer. Having more qualified SENCOs in the EY sector will have positive impacts on children with SEND and on the sector as a whole.

Funding is available for 5,000 places in total. Training will be delivered to cohorts of trainees between October 2022 and August 2024. Each cohort will run for four months. Over 3,500 eligible applications have already been received by the Department's delivery partner Best Practice Network.

We are aware that this could mean long wait times for many applicants before commencing the training. This situation is being managed in the following ways:

Training places are being offered to applicants in order of date received and each applicant is being given an indication of when they can expect to commence the training.

A waiting list will come into effect once the 5,000 places have been filled, again operated in order of date received.

Where an applicant withdraws, applicants will move up the queue.

Pre-training activities will be offered, aimed at preparing applicants for the training and supporting them in their SENCO role pending training. Activities will include provision of the course induction book and pre-reading, regular newsletter and programme updates and cases studies from SENCOs.

BPN are expanding the number of places to be made available in early cohorts so that more applicants can take the training sooner.

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Early Years SENCO - Level 3 | Best Practice Network

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The Level 3 Early Years SENCO qualification is delivered over 4 months through Online Taught Sessions and Online Study Units. The Online Taught Sessions are 3 hours long and consist of live tutor-led training, incorporating pre-reading tasks, breakout room activities, group discussion and group training.

# data[].attributes.headline
ShREC- guide to high quality interactions

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ShREC- guide to high quality interactions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Many years ago, I remember observing a child deeply engrossed in playing with a set of small world cows. She was ordering the cows according to their size.

A well-intentioned staff member noticed her play; she was interested and wanted to use this opportunity to engage. She rushed in, looming over ​"Oh, wow, how many cows have you got there?" She was met with a curt, ​"I don't care!" and the child walked off, abandoning her play.

Many of us will have experienced similar situations before, in which we have enthusiastically instigated opportunities to interact with young children, only to be left feeling confused and somewhat demoralised by the child's response.

So, what can we do to make sure that all our attempts to initiate high-quality interactions are successful?

As highlighted in the EEF guidance report Preparing for Literacy: ​"When done well, high quality interactions often look effortless but they are not easy to do well and professional development is likely to be beneficial."

The aim of the ShREC approach is to provide early years professionals with a simple and memorable set of specific evidence informed strategies that can be embedded into everyday practice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
i remember observing a child deeply engrossed in playing with a set of small world cows. she was ordering the cows according to their size.    a well-intentioned staff member noticed her play; she was interested and wanted to use this opportunity to engage. she rushed in

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
how many cows have you got there?” she was met with a curt

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
“i don’t care!” and the child walked off

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
abandoning her play.   many of us will have experienced similar situations before

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
in which we have enthusiastically instigated opportunities to interact with young children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
only to be left feeling confused and somewhat demoralised by the child’s response.    so

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
what can we do to make sure that all our attempts to initiate high-quality interactions are successful?   the shrec approach   as highlighted in the eef guidance report preparing for literacy : “when done well

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
high quality interactions often look effortless but they are not easy to do well and professional development is likely to be beneficial.”  the aim of the shrec approach is to provide early years professionals with a simple and memorable set of specific evidence informed strategies that can be embedded into everyday practice.  the 'shrec' approach to high quality interactions in the early years  so

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
what does shrec describe:    sh are attention  showing genuine interest in what a young child is focused on is a powerful way to establish a connection. it lets them know that you value them and want to spend time with them. by getting down to their level and engaging in their choice of activity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
you can tune in and crucially pay attention to what they look at

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
and what they say. sensitively joining in with a child’s play motivates children to communicate with you.  r espond  how we respond to a child once we have established joint engagement is dependent on our knowledge of them as a unique individual. sensitive

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
supportive and stimulating responses need to be adaptive and informed by our understanding of the child’s development.  what might an attuned response look like? responding involves noticing how the child communicates and acknowledging these verbal or non-verbal communications warmly. it involves being aware of your body language.  responses can involve making appropriate eye contact

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
an attuned response could be narrating their activity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
a relevant comment that describes what the child can see

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
feel or articulating the link between their activity and previous learning or experiences.  e xpand  once the ‘back and forth’ rally of engagement is getting underway: the adult and child are sharing attention

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
the adult is responsively following the child’s lead.  this is where modelling and scaffolding begins with the adult pitching their language just above the level of the child. for example

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
if a child gives a one-word response such as ‘dog’ the adult should expand on what they say by repeating and building on this utterance by adding a few more words. this helps children to use more complex utterances: ‘yes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
it’s a dog. a big/small/friendly/brown dog!’. your knowledge of the child will inform what key word/s may be helpful to model.  c onversation  sustained back and forth conversations that involve many turns are the goal. the beauty and power of conversation is that it offers children an opportunity to practise talking and to receive feedback from an adult. to encourage rich back and forth conversations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
question less.  it is important to note that questions can be useful in helping children to cue turn-taking in conversation. consider how to use questions sparingly so they are most effective. ‘wh’ and open questions are the most useful as they invite children to elaborate. as children’s conversational skills develop

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
adults can sensitively challenge children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
shaping the conversation to incorporate more abstract topics that are removed from the here and now.   featured resources   high quality interactions in the early years: the ‘shrec’ approach

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
EEF blog: The ShREC approach - 4 evidence-informed strategies to...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The EEF's Fliss James explains how practitioners can use the 'ShREC' approach to support high quality interactions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Check out our latest events!

Choosing what to study can be challenging. Speak to one of our advisors to find out what your options are.
Advice & Help Centre

Delight, frustration, exhilaration, madness and endless laughter, no two minutes are alike, but one thing is certain. The rewards of overseeing the welfare and development of children are unique.

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Check out our latest events! Choosing what to study can be challenging. Speak to one of our advisors to find out what your options are. Advice & Help Centre Delight, frustration, exhilaration, madness and endless laughter, no two minutes are alike, but one thing is certain.

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Early Years Inspection Handbook April 2023

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Early Years Inspection Handbook April 2023

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Introduction

1. This handbook describes the main activities that inspectors undertake when they carry out inspections of early years providers in England registered under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006. The handbook also sets out the judgements that inspectors will make and on which they will report.

2. The handbook has 3 parts:

Part 1. How we will inspect Ofsted-registered early years providers: this contains instructions and guidance for inspectors on preparing for and carrying out early years registered inspections

Part 2. The evaluation schedule: this contains guidance for inspectors on judging the quality and standards of Ofsted-registered early years settings and indicates the main types of evidence used

Part 3. Applying the education inspection framework ( EIF) in different contexts: this includes guidance on how to apply the EIF in specific contexts, such as out-of-school settings and childminders. This part should be read in conjunction with parts 1 and 2

3. This handbook is primarily a guide for inspectors on how to carry out inspections of registered early years providers. However, we make it available to providers and other organisations to ensure that they are informed about inspection processes and procedures. It balances the need for consistent inspection with the flexibility needed to respond to each provider's particular circumstances. It should be regarded as an explanation of normal procedures, as inspections will vary according to the evidence provided. Inspectors will use their professional judgement when they apply the guidance in this handbook. This handbook applies to inspections carried out from September 2019 under the education inspection framework (EIF).

4. Each inspection is unique to the provider and some aspects of our inspections may be different, particularly for childminders. For information on specific inspection processes and procedures for childminders, please see Part 3 of this handbook.

Gathering personal information on inspection

5. Inspectors will gather any personal information necessary to assist them in inspecting a setting. Our privacy notice sets out what personal information we collect, what we do with it, how long we keep it and individuals' rights under data protection legislation.

6. Providers are legally required to provide inspectors with access to information. Section 77 of the Childcare Act 2006 gives our inspectors powers of entry, at any reasonable time, to any premises on which registered early years provision is being provided. It gives them a right to inspect, and take copies of, any records kept by the person providing the childcare, and any other documents containing information relating to the provision. Inspectors also have the power to seize and remove any document or material that may be evidence of a failure to comply with any condition or requirement, take measurements and photographs or make recordings. These powers enable inspectors to look at computers and other devices that may hold relevant information.

7. Inspectors gather evidence at inspection and record this on Ofsted's systems. They may also see evidence on site that contains personal information about staff and children, such as registers. They may take notes from, or copies of, this type of evidence before handing it back to an appropriate staff member at the end of the inspection. Any notes or copies will be stored as evidence securely and not retained by inspectors personally. Inspectors may take photographs using their Ofsted-registered mobile phones. These photographs will be stored securely as evidence but will not be retained by the inspector personally.

8. We normally gather evidence electronically using a range of devices, including laptops, Ofsted-registered mobile telephones and tablets. Inspectors should transfer all evidence securely to Ofsted's systems in line with our security policies.

Research on inspection

9. We may carry out research during our inspections. Where this happens, the research activity will have no impact on inspection judgements. In addition to this research approach, we may invite providers to participate in research visits (separate to inspections) at other times.

Common misconceptions about inspection

10. The information below confirms our requirements. This is to correct common misconceptions about inspection that can result in unnecessary workload for providers. It is intended to highlight specific practices that we do not require. You can find more information on inspections and the early years foundation stage ( EYFS) on GOV.UK Ofsted EIF inspections and the EYFS. More detail on what evidence inspectors will gather is in paragraph 70.

11. Inspectors must:

when making judgements, take a range of evidence into account, including: discussions with leaders, staff and children; the joint learning walk; observations; speaking to parents and so on ( see paragraphs 70 to 72)

judge fairly providers that take different approaches to meeting the requirements of the EYFS; inspectors will assess any provider's curriculum favourably when leaders have built or adopted a curriculum with appropriate coverage, content, structure and sequencing, and implemented it effectively

12. Inspectors will not:

create unnecessary workload for staff through their recommendations

advocate a particular method of planning, teaching or assessment; it is up to providers to determine their practices and it is up to leaders to justify these on their own merits rather than by referring to this handbook

13. Inspectors do not require providers to:

provide EYFS curriculum planning in any specific format for inspection

prepare any performance and children-tracking information for Ofsted

do additional work or to ask children to do work specifically for the inspection

Part 1. How we will inspect early years providers registered with Ofsted

How we select providers for inspection

14. Once a provider is registered on the Ofsted Early Years Register, we carry out regular inspections to evaluate the overall quality and standards of its early years provision in line with the principles and requirements of the 'Statutory framework for the EYFS'.

15. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families wrote to His Majesty's Chief Inspector ( HMCI) on 3 November 2020 to outline inspection arrangements from the date that Ofsted resumed its full routine early years inspections. The letter states that Ofsted must inspect each provider within 6 years from the date of its last inspection. We will use the previous inspection judgement alongside any other information we hold about a provider to determine the timing of its next inspection.

16. Providers on the Early Years Register will normally be inspected at least once within a 6-year window. We will prioritise the first inspection of newly registered providers on the Early Years Register. This will normally be within 30 months of their registration date.

17. We prioritise inspections and/or inspect more frequently when we receive a concern about a setting, and risk assessment concludes that an inspection is needed.

18. All provision judged as inadequate will be re-inspected within 6 months.

19. All childminders, pre-school provision and nursery provision judged as requires improvement will usually be re-inspected within 12 months.

20. Provision that has been given 2 previous 'requires improvement' judgements is likely to be judged inadequate if there is no improvement at the next inspection. Provision that has been given 2 previous 'inadequate' judgements is likely to have its registration cancelled if there is no improvement at the next inspection. We usually also take steps to cancel a provider's registration at any point if we find that they are no longer meeting requirements.

21. We risk-assess any information we receive about early years provision. This may remain on the provider's record or may be referred to the region for a decision on next steps. The region will decide whether to carry out an inspection, regulatory activity, or both. The nature of the concern will influence how quickly we inspect or visit. Depending on the urgency, regulatory activity may take place on the day the information is received. Information about regulatory activity is available in the 'Early years and childcare: Ofsted's enforcement policy'.

22. Where the region decides to carry out an inspection as a result of the risk assessment, inspectors must, as part of the inspection, gather evidence that relates back to the concern. They should plan activities - including a discussion with the provider - and observations that enable them to gather sufficient evidence to complete the inspection. The provision may subsequently be judged to be outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate, according to the evidence, even if the inspection is taking place because of possible previous non-compliance. Judgements are not pre-determined. A notification of an incident from the provider is not the same as a concern that comes from another person about the provision. While a notification from the provider may indicate that there are serious weaknesses within the setting, it could also indicate that the provider is dealing proactively with issues that arise. The provider will also have complied with their legal responsibility to notify us. However, a number of notifications, particularly within a short space of time or relating to similar incidents, may indicate wider weaknesses in leadership and management weaknesses. The inspector should consider this, and the provider's history, when reaching their judgement.

23. When the inspection follows other regulatory action we have taken, the inspector should check that the provider is compliant with any actions or other enforcement measures that result from that previous action.

No children on roll or present on the day of inspection

24. Childminders should also refer to Part 3: Applying the EIF in different contexts of this handbook for specific inspection arrangements.

25. Some childcare providers and childminders may have no children on roll at the time the inspection is carried out, or may not have any children present, even though they have children on roll.

26. In either circumstance, the inspection must not be deferred. However, if it becomes clear during the initial notification telephone call that the provider cares for children only on certain days or part-days, the inspection should be scheduled on a day where children are present, if practicable. While the provider remains registered with us, they should expect to be inspected at any time.

27. Where there are no children on roll or present, the inspector must make it clear at the start of the inspection or during the initial notification telephone call that the inspection will not be a full inspection but will be a check that the provider continues to be suitable to remain registered. As a result, no grades will be given against the 4 key judgements. The inspector will make a judgement only on the 'Overall quality and standards of the early years provision', with one of 3 possible outcomes:

28. Where a judgement is 'met', the inspector will not make recommendations. However, an inspector may reference within the report what the setting needs to do better.

29. If the provider does not meet one or more of the learning and development requirements and/or safeguarding and welfare requirements, the inspector must consider a judgement of 'not met' and either issue actions for the provider to take or consider enforcement action. In these cases, the inspector must follow the guidance for inadequate judgements set out later in this handbook.

30. Only a small number of childcare providers experience a no children on roll inspection. The main purpose of the inspection is to fulfil our legal duty to inspect registered providers within a defined period and to report in writing on certain matters. The inspection will report on whether the provider continues to demonstrate suitability to remain on the Early Years Register and, if applicable, the Childcare Register.

31. For these inspections, the inspector must assess whether the provider:

has premises suitable for the education and care of children

can demonstrate sufficient understanding of the EYFS requirements

is able to meet the care, learning and development needs of children

32. Providers must confirm that they meet the requirements of the Childcare Register, if applicable.

33. The provider must demonstrate how they will:

meet the learning and development requirements, if appropriate

meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements

develop and deliver the educational programmes, if appropriate

identify children's starting points and ensure that children make progress in their learning through effective planning, observation and assessment, if appropriate

safeguard children

work in partnership with parents, carers and others

offer an inclusive service

evaluate their service and strive for continuous improvement

34. The provider should tell the inspector how they have addressed any actions and/or recommendations from the last inspection and how this will improve the provision for children's care and learning.

35. If, during the inspection, the provider decides to resign from the Early Years Register and remain registered only on the Childcare Register, the inspector must collect sufficient evidence of compliance with the Childcare Register requirements by referring to the 'Childcare Register requirements: childcare providers on non-domestic or domestic premises'.

Early years or childcare provision on a school site

36. Schools that take children aged 2 years and over as part of their early years provision cannot normally register that provision with Ofsted. We will inspect the provision for these children under the school inspection arrangements.

37. Schools that take children younger than 2 years must register with Ofsted. We will inspect this provision under the early years inspection arrangements set out in this handbook.

Before the inspection

Inspectors' planning and preparation

38. The inspector must prepare for the inspection by gaining a broad overview of the setting, its context and history. As part of this preparation, inspectors must check and evaluate information to inform their areas of inspection focus.

39. As part of their preparation, inspectors must consider:

40. Inspectors must update the information about the setting in their evidence base and agree this with the provider at the start of the inspection.

41. Inspectors must take account of the provider's regulatory history when planning the inspection and note any concerns in their evidence. These will normally be shared with the provider.

Notification of inspection

42. Group provision will normally receive a telephone call at around midday on the working day before the start of the inspection.

43. In group provision, if the provider or their representative is unavailable when the inspection notification call is made to the setting, the inspector should ask to speak to the most senior member of staff available.

44. If all reasonable steps have been taken to make contact with the setting but the inspector has not been able to speak to anyone, then the inspection will continue the following day without notice.

45. Group providers that do not operate regularly, such as summer play schemes, will usually receive a call no more than 5 days before the inspection to check which days they are operating and whether there are children on roll and present. The inspector must not specify any proposed dates for the inspection but should indicate the time of day the inspection will start.

46. The telephone call is the first opportunity to initiate a professional relationship between the inspector and the provider or their representative. It should be short and focused on practical issues. Inspectors should not use this conversation to start inspecting, but they will seek to understand any ongoing impact of COVID-19. Where necessary, the telephone call may be made in two parts, as agreed between the inspector and the provider. The purpose of the notification call is to provide an opportunity for the setting to ask questions about the inspection and to confirm that:

47. It may be pragmatic to do some elements of the inspection through video/telephone calls. This will be agreed with the provider at the start of the inspection. We will usually only use video/telephone calls to involve parents/carers and those with leadership responsibility who are unable to attend the setting.

48. Inspectors should tell the provider that the relevant documentation or information they must be able to access includes:

paediatric first-aid certificates

the 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

49. Inspectors should tell the provider that the relevant documentation or information they may need access to includes: ( see paragraphs 10 to 13)

Requests for deferral or rescheduled inspection

50. If a setting requests a deferral of its inspection, the inspector must immediately tell the regional duty desk. We will decide whether the request should be granted in line with our deferral policy. The absence of the provider or manager, or having no children on roll, are not valid reasons for deferral. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

51. Where possible, a setting that has no children present on the planned day of inspection, but is operating at other times during the week, should have its inspection rescheduled for one of those days.

52. Inspections that are prioritised as a result of risk assessment will not usually be deferred, even if there are no children on roll or present at the time of the visit.

Inspection without prior notification

53. We may carry out inspections without notice. This normally, but not exclusively, happens when a provider has been judged as inadequate at its last inspection or when the region decides to carry out an inspection, as a result of a risk assessment. We prioritise inspections of settings that are judged as inadequate and/or because of concerns that have been expressed about a setting. When the inspection is carried out without notice, the inspector will:

Safeguarding

54. Inspectors will always have regard to how well children are helped and protected so that they are kept safe. Although inspectors will not provide a separate grade for this crucial aspect of a provider's work, they will always make a written judgement in the report about whether the arrangements for safeguarding children are effective.

55. We have published a document that sets out the approach inspectors should take to inspecting safeguarding in all the settings covered by the framework. It should be read alongside the EYFS and the early years handbook:

56. It is also essential that inspectors are familiar with and take into account the statutory guidance in relation to safeguarding:

57. Where the expectations in the 'Inspecting safeguarding in the early years, education and skills settings' differ from those set out in the EYFS, settings should follow the EYFS requirements.

During the inspection

58. Childminders should also refer to Part 3: Applying the EIF in different contexts of this handbook for specific inspection arrangements.

Days allocated to inspection and inspection team members

59. The time spent on inspection normally depends on the size of the provision. Most inspections are carried out by one inspector.

60. Inspectors will usually not arrive before 8am. When inspecting:

group provision that operates only for restricted daily hours, the inspector will normally be present for about 4 hours

group provision open for a full day, the inspector will normally be on site for at least 6 hours

61. The inspection may be carried out by more than one inspector or be carried out over more than one day, at the discretion of the region.

The start of the on-site inspection

62. On entering the setting, inspectors must introduce themselves and show the provider their Ofsted identification badge. The inspector must allow the provider time to check the identification (which is the main way to confirm identity) and to contact us to verify it, if they have any concerns. In group settings, the inspector must ensure that the provider has been informed of their arrival.

63. The inspector should meet the provider or representative briefly on arrival to confirm arrangements for the inspection, including:

checking the accuracy of - or any changes to - the information about the setting

gathering any information about staff absences, children on roll and other practical matters[footnote 10]

asking the provider to display the notice of inspection - if this has not already been done - so that parents are aware that an inspection is taking place

agreeing the timetable for inspection activities, including a learning walk; joint observations; inspectors must offer the provider or their representative the opportunity to take part in joint observations and their response must be recorded

making arrangements for a longer meeting at a convenient time with the provider or their representative to discuss the setting's evaluation of the quality of provision and other matters relating to leadership and management

making arrangements for providing feedback at the end of the inspection and, for group provision, requesting that the nominated individual or their representative is invited

making arrangements to talk to parents - this may be almost immediately if parents are present - and to check that the provider has informed them about the inspection

checking the number of staff and their qualifications and recording them in the evidence base[footnote 11]

64. If the inspection is being carried out without notice, the inspector should refer to any concerns that have led to the inspection taking place. The inspector should be aware of the need to maintain confidentiality and to protect fully any sensitive information relating to complainants.

65. If there is more than one inspector, a short team meeting should clarify inspection activities, the areas to be explored initially and individual roles and responsibilities.

Gathering and recording evidence

66. Childminders should also refer to Part 3: Applying the EIF in different contexts of this handbook for specific inspection arrangements.

67. During inspections, inspectors will usually carry out the following activities:

68. These activities enable inspectors to gather evidence to make valid and reliable inspection judgements. These activities, part of our inspection methodology, are an effective way of finding out what it is like for a child at that setting. Paragraphs 10 to 13 dispel common misconceptions about inspection that can result in unnecessary workload for providers.

69. Inspectors will evaluate evidence of the impact of the curriculum, including on the most disadvantaged children. Disadvantaged children includes children with SEND ( see paragraph 46). It also includes children who meet the criteria for the provider to receive early years pupil premium funding.

70. Inspectors must spend as much time as possible gathering evidence about the quality of care, teaching and learning by:

71. In group provision, the inspector must track a representative sample of 2 or more children across the inspection. The inspector should discuss with the provider what they intend the relevant children to learn and remember based on what those children know and can already do. The evidence collected must refer to:

the practitioner's knowledge of each child

the progress check for any children aged 2

the impact of any early years pupil premium funding on the children's development

the quality of support for any children with SEND ( see paragraph 46)

the discussions held with each child's key person and how they decide what to teach

how well children are developing in the prime and specific areas of learning that help them to be ready for their next stage of education, including school

the reason why children may not receive their full entitlement to early education and the impact that has on them, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with SEND ( see paragraph 46)

72. If any of the children are eligible for the early years pupil premium ( see paragraph 69) or subject to a child protection plan or child in need plan, at least one of them must be included in the sample of those tracked.

73. Inspectors must record their evidence clearly and succinctly. All sections of the evidence base must be completed before the end of the inspection. Inspectors may make handwritten notes, but these must be transferred to the electronic evidence as soon as possible after the end of the inspection. It is essential that the evidence accurately reflects discussions with staff and managers. Individuals can be named in inspection evidence if it is necessary to identify them and to avoid confusion. Inspectors should identify clearly any information that was provided in confidence.

74. The evidence underpinning the judgements and areas for improvement must be used to summarise the main points for feedback and to write the report.

75. The electronic evidence and any handwritten notes may be scrutinised for the purposes of retrieval or quality assurance monitoring or as a source of evidence in the event of a complaint or a Freedom of Information request.

Using the setting's own analysis of its strengths and weaknesses during the inspection

76. Leaders and managers of settings should have an accurate view of the quality of their provision and know what to improve. They do not need to produce a written self-evaluation but should be prepared to discuss the quality of education and care they provide - and how well they meet the needs of the children - with the inspector. Inspectors will consider how well leaders and managers evaluate their provision and know how they can improve it or maintain its high standards.

77. The inspector must meet the provider or their representative to discuss how they evaluate their practice. Normally, the discussion should be at a point in the inspection that gives the inspector enough time to follow up any matters discussed. To test the accuracy of the setting's analysis, the inspector will observe children learning, staff caring and teaching, and the safety and suitability of the premises. The inspector will discuss how the provider evaluates the quality of its provision, checking whether they take account of the views of parents and the progress made by the children to determine what it needs to improve.

78. During the inspection, inspectors will use the information provided to test whether the provider's view of the quality of the setting is realistic and to gauge what needs to improve.

Observation and discussion

79. Childminders should also refer to Part 3: Applying the EIF in different contexts of this handbook for specific inspection arrangements.

80. Inspectors will complete a learning walk around the premises with the provider or their representative early on in the inspection. This provides an opportunity for leaders to explain how they organise the early years provision, including the aims and rationale for their EYFS curriculum.

81. Inspectors must discuss with leaders and practitioners what they intend children to learn, know and do as a result of the EYFS curriculum they offer. They must follow this discussion through in their observations and discussions with children at play and staff interactions.

82. Inspectors must not advocate a particular method of planning, teaching or assessment. They must not look for a preferred methodology but must record aspects of teaching and learning that they observe to be effective and identify what needs to improve.

83. Inspectors will not analyse a provider's internal progress and attainment data during an inspection. This does not mean that providers cannot use data where they consider it appropriate. Inspectors will, however, put more focus on the curriculum and less on a provider's generation, analysis and interpretation of data. Leaders and managers have told us they believe this will help us play our part in reducing unnecessary workload. Inspectors will be interested in the conclusions drawn and actions taken from any internal assessment information, but they will not examine or verify that information first-hand. Inspectors will, however, ask providers to explain why they have decided to collect whatever assessment data they collect, what they are drawing from their data and how that informs their curriculum and teaching.

84. Inspectors do not expect to see documentation other than that set out in the EYFS. They will use the evidence gathered from discussions and their own observations to help judge the overall quality of the curriculum provided for children.

85. Inspectors must spend most of the inspection time gathering first-hand evidence by observing the quality of the daily routines and activities of children and staff. These observations enable inspectors to judge the contribution practitioners make to children's learning, progress, safety and well-being. The observations should also enable them to collect sufficient evidence to support detailed and specific recommendations about improvements needed to the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

86. In group settings, inspectors should observe as many staff as possible to ensure that an accurate picture of the overall quality of interactions between practitioners and children can be gained.

87. When observing interactions between staff and children, inspectors should consider how well staff:

88. Inspectors will also discuss children's learning and development with staff as part of the inspection. There will be a particular focus on communication and language, as the development of children's spoken language underpins all 7 areas of learning and development that are set out in paragraph 1.6 of the statutory framework for the EYFS. Much of this will be through incidental conversations prompted by observing the children at play and the interactions between them and adults.

89. Where the quality of practice is weak, the inspector must talk to the provider about what has been observed. The inspector should also ask about any action the provider is taking to bring about improvement.

90. The inspector should always invite the provider or a nominated senior member of staff - such as the manager or early years professional - to take part in one or more joint observations of activities, care routines and/or scrutiny of the progress children make. If the provider declines the opportunity to take part in joint observations, this should be recorded in the evidence base, along with the reason given.

91. Joint observations should enable the inspector to:

92. Following a joint observation, the inspector should discuss and note any similarities or differences between the provider's evaluation and their own.

Evaluating policies and procedures

93. Childminders should also refer to Part 3: Applying the EIF in different contexts of this handbook for specific inspection arrangements.

94. Childcare providers are required to have policies and procedures, as set out in the EYFS.

95. All providers are expected to keep any written records in English.

96. The EYFS is clear that records must be easily accessible and available (these may be kept securely off the premises). Records required by the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS must be easily accessible and available by the end of any visit or inspection, as appropriate.

97. In addition to meeting the EYFS requirements, providers must comply with other legislation. This includes legislation relating to safeguarding, employment, anti-discrimination, health and safety, and data processing and storage. If the inspector identifies concerns that may relate to other legislation, they must notify the regional duty desk. A decision will then be made about what action should be taken and whether there should be liaison with the other agencies.

98. The inspector must check all DBS records. The inspector must also check the provider's paediatric first-aid arrangements, in line with EYFS requirements. This will usually be done in discussion with the provider. However, in some cases, inspectors may ask to see paediatric first-aid certificates.

99. Inspectors are unlikely to check all policies held by the provider. However, they may consider:

100. The inspector is likely to talk to leaders and staff about how they implement their policies in practice, particularly where it relates to the training and development of staff. Where potential non-compliance with the EYFS is identified, inspectors are likely to check staff's knowledge of the setting's policies. Meetings with leaders and staff must take place without the presence of any senior staff.

Meetings with parents

101. Wherever possible, the inspector must find out the views of parents during the inspection, including those of any parents who ask to speak to them. This will contribute to judgements about how well the provision works in partnership with parents to support children's learning and development, and the promotion of their well-being.

102. Where the provision has been notified in advance, parents will know that an inspection is taking place. The inspector should consider the arrival times of children and parents to the setting and should set aside time to speak to parents. The inspector may arrange to speak to parents by telephone if this is more convenient for parents.

103. If the inspection is carried out with no notice, the inspector must check how the provider obtains and uses their views to improve its service. If there is no evidence relating to this, the inspector must consider whether the partnership with parents is good enough and the inspector may choose to contact parents by phone to request their views.

Meeting with the provider and/or their representative

104. Childminders should also refer to Part 3: Applying the EIF in different contexts of this handbook for specific inspection arrangements.

105. The inspector must meet the provider or, if the provider is not present, the manager. The inspector should consider the best time to hold this meeting. It should be early enough in the inspection so that matters that are being discussed can be followed up.

106. The meeting will need to take place at appropriate moments during the general observations, when the children are safely occupied. The inspector should be mindful that the provider has to supervise children and continue to meet their needs during any meeting time.

107. If the provider is not working directly with children and the meeting takes place in a room or office where the inspector cannot see the provision, it should take no longer than one hour. In most cases, it will be much shorter. The main evidence must come from direct observation of children.

108. The inspector should hold brief discussions with the provider to discuss the findings that are emerging during the inspection and record all these in the inspection evidence.

109. Before the inspection is complete, the inspector should always check with the provider whether further evidence should be taken into account. If the evidence suggests that the provision might be inadequate, the inspector should give the provider an opportunity to offer further evidence by having early discussions about this.

110. The inspector should seek to identify where improvements are needed and make recommendations about how the provision might improve.

Performance management and professional development

111. Childminders should also refer to Part 3: Applying the EIF in different contexts of this handbook for specific inspection arrangements.

112. Inspectors will gather evidence of the effectiveness of staff supervision, performance management, training and continuing professional development, and the impact of these on children's well-being, learning and development. This includes evidence on how effectively leaders engage with staff and make sure they are aware of and manage any of the main pressures on them.

113. The early years sector is diverse, ranging from single childminders to large day-care settings. This means that inspectors must use their professional judgement to assess how well the provider improves the quality of provision.

114. Inspectors should consider how effectively senior leaders use performance management and their assessment of strengths and areas for improvement within the setting to provide a focus for professional development activities, particularly in relation to increasing children's vocabulary and cultural capital.

Reaching final judgements

115. Inspection activity, including observations, should continue throughout the inspection. Inspectors should avoid giving any impression that they have reached final judgements before the inspection has finished.

116. The inspector must set aside sufficient time towards the end of the inspection to consider the evidence and make the final judgements. Final judgement grades should be recorded and the main points for feedback should be identified. The inspector should also ensure that time is set aside for the final feedback meeting.

117. Part 2 of this handbook sets out the judgements that the inspector must make and the aspects they should consider when doing so. The inspector must use professional judgement to weigh up the evidence gathered for each key judgement. It should be considered against the descriptors to reach fair and reliable judgements that reflect the quality of the provision.

118. Actions and recommendations for improvement should make clear what the provider needs to do to improve. Actions must refer to the requirements in the EYFS but should not simply repeat its wording. Recommendations for settings judged good or requiring improvement must focus on what the setting needs to do better. The inspector is not expected to check that each of the statutory requirements set out in the EYFS are met. However, if, in the course of collecting evidence, the inspector finds that a particular requirement is not met, they should take this into account when reaching judgements.

119. If one or more of the statutory requirements is not being met, this should be reflected in the judgement on leadership and management, as well as in any other judgements where it is relevant.

120. Failure to meet a statutory requirement will not always result in a judgement that the provision is inadequate. Where a statutory requirement is not met, the inspector will take into account the impact of this on children's health, safety and well-being as well as their learning and development.

121. Where the quality of education judgement is judged to be less than good, the overall effectiveness judgement will normally not be higher. There does not need to be a failure to meet a statutory requirement of the EYFS for a setting to be judged as less than good.

122. When a provision does not meet statutory requirements at the time of the inspection, the inspector must take into account any previous non-compliance. A provider may commit a series of minor breaches to EYFS requirements that, taken individually, do not have a significant impact on children's health, safety or welfare or their learning and development. However, a history of previous non-compliance in the same, or different, areas is likely to indicate either that the provider lacks knowledge of the requirements or is unwilling to comply with them. In such cases, the inspector is likely to judge the leadership and management to be inadequate because the provider does not understand the statutory requirements sufficiently.

123. Minor administrative errors that can be put right before the inspection is over should not necessarily have a negative impact on the judgements. An example might be that the certificate of registration is not properly displayed (paragraph 3.76 of the 'Statutory framework for the EYFS). However, where the provider is not meeting a number of administrative requirements, the inspector will need to consider whether these failings, taken together, suggest wider weaknesses within the setting. If this is the case, it is likely to have a negative impact on the leadership and management judgement.

124. The inspector must take account of all failures to meet EYFS requirements when determining the judgements. If the inspector judges the provision not to have an acceptable standard of care and/or quality of education, the overall effectiveness will be judged inadequate. When judging provision as inadequate, the inspector must decide whether the provider has the capacity to put things right through non-statutory actions or whether the failures are serious enough to warrant enforcement action.

125. Where a provider is not meeting statutory requirements but the inspector judges that leadership has the capacity to remedy this quickly, actions will be set. The actions will be listed in the inspection report. The inspector should raise actions if they find that:

the provider is not meeting one or more of the learning and development requirements and/or safeguarding and welfare requirements

leaders and managers demonstrate an understanding of the requirements and show that they have the ability to make the necessary improvements without the need for statutory enforcement action

126. When there is a significant failure to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements, inspectors will normally issue a welfare requirements notice. Inspectors will not normally issue an additional actions letter because any actions will usually be written in the inspection report. Inspectors are likely to issue a welfare requirements notice when a provider is failing to meet one or more of the safeguarding and welfare requirements that has a significant impact on children's health, safety and well-being. This is normally where one or more of the following apply:

leaders and managers do not demonstrate their understanding of how to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS

there have been previous occasions of non-compliance in relation to the same or different requirement(s)

actions relating to existing failures to meet safeguarding and welfare requirements have not been completed satisfactorily

the failure to meet the requirement is so serious that the inspector judges that a welfare requirements notice is appropriate

127. On making the judgement that the provision is inadequate, the inspector must consult with the regional duty desk if:

there is evidence of any immediate risk to children or failure to meet any of the conditions placed on the registration

previous concerns about the provision have not been dealt with in a satisfactory way, including the failure to take satisfactory action to meet actions and/or welfare requirements set at a previous visit

the inspector considers that they may need to issue a welfare requirements notice or take other enforcement action, such as suspension, cancellation or prosecution

the provider shows insufficient understanding of their responsibility to meet the safeguarding and welfare and/or learning and development requirements of the EYFS

the last inspection resulted in a judgement that the overall effectiveness was inadequate

128. The purpose of the inspector's consultation with the regional duty desk is to discuss whether - and what type of - enforcement action should be taken and the kind of monitoring that will be required. The 'Early years and childcare: Ofsted's enforcement policy (external guidance)' has more information about enforcement options and the arrangements for following up enforcement activity. The discussion will determine what the inspection report will say about the enforcement action.

Failure to notify Ofsted and/or meet conditions

129. It is an offence to fail to notify Ofsted of a significant event or fail to comply with a condition of registration, without good reason. Where the inspector finds non-compliance, they must refer to the 'Early years and childcare: Ofsted's enforcement policy (external guidance)' and contact the regional duty desk if necessary. The inspector should not set actions for breaches of condition or a failure to notify Ofsted about a significant event. However, the inspector must note any such failure in the report. Where appropriate, this may contribute to an inadequate judgement overall.

Providing feedback

130. Towards the end of the inspection the inspector should talk to the provider to:

131. At the end of the inspection, there must be a feedback meeting that should include the provider and/or their representative. If the provider is not able to attend, the inspector should give feedback to the manager as the provider's representative. The inspector must not defer feedback to another day.

132. The inspector should allow enough preparation time for feedback, making sure that their evidence is clear and fully supports the judgements. They should be ready to provide examples that illustrate the provision's strengths and weaknesses.

133. At the feedback meeting, the inspector should explain that its purpose is to share the main findings of the inspection and any areas for improvement. The inspector must make it clear that the findings are restricted and confidential to the relevant senior personnel and that they must remain so until the provider receives the final report. If the provision is judged to be inadequate, however, the provider is advised to inform the local authority immediately after the inspection.

134. Feedback notes must be consistent with the evidence discussed with the provider and the content of the report, and should cover the strengths and areas for improvement about:

135. The inspector must ensure that the provider or their representative is clear about the grades awarded for each judgement. The inspector should:

136. The inspector should summarise in the evidence base the main points raised at the feedback meeting and the responses to these.

Before- and after-school care and holiday provision

137. Providers who only offer care before and after school or during the school holidays for children who normally attend Reception (or older) classes during the school day do not have to meet the learning and development requirements for those children. For children younger than Reception age, the provider must have regard to, but does not have to meet, the learning and development requirements. In both cases, this means they only have to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS. The arrangements for inspecting this type of provision are set out in Applying the EIF to inspections of before- and after-school care and holiday provision.

Provision that primarily educates children in their home language

138. Provision that educates children primarily through the medium of their home language must show inspectors that individuals have a sufficient grasp of English to ensure the children's well-being. For example, providers must demonstrate that, where necessary, they could summon help in English in an emergency or keep records required by the EYFS in English and share them with inspectors. They must also be able to read and understand safety instructions, other instructions, information about the administration of medication and information about food allergies.

139. If children are not developing a good standard of spoken English, inspectors will consider the impact on their progress and whether this might lead to a judgement that the overall quality of the provision is inadequate.

Exemptions from the learning and development requirements of the EYFS

140. Some providers will be exempt from some or all aspects of the learning and development requirements of the EYFS.[footnote 12] The exemptions may modify or fully exempt providers from delivering the educational programmes, meeting individual learning goals and making the assessment arrangements. During the inspection, inspectors should find out if this is the case after reviewing the associated paperwork, which must include confirmation from the DfE that the provider is exempt and the extent of any such exemption. Inspectors should use their professional judgement in applying the grade descriptors in these cases and report accordingly. They should expect to gather evidence for the parts of the learning and development requirements that are not exempt.

After the inspection

Arrangements for publishing the report

141. The inspector present is responsible for writing the inspection report and submitting the evidence to Ofsted shortly after the inspection ends. The text of the report should explain the judgements and reflect the evidence. The findings in the report should be consistent with the feedback given to the provider at the end of the inspection. The report will explain what it is like to attend the early years setting.

142. When writing a report relating to an inspection that was prioritised, inspectors should ensure that it explains why the inspection took place and should report accordingly.

143. Where no children are on roll or present at the time of the inspection, inspectors must include a judgement of met/not met only for overall effectiveness. Although there will be no separate supporting judgements, the summary of main findings for parents on the front page must include at least one bullet point for each judgement in the evaluation schedule. The summary must also describe clearly any weaknesses that led to a 'not met' judgement.

Providers that are judged outstanding or good

144. A provider judged to be outstanding or good can use specific Ofsted logos to promote its judgement, for example on its website. Providers may only use a logo when it reflects the judgement of their most recent inspection. They must remove the logo if their URN changes, or if their grade changes. You can find more information on our logo terms of use page.

Other information to be completed following an inspection

145. As well as submitting the report and evidence, the inspector must update our database with the following information:

the number of places the registered provider offers and the ages of children attending

the level and number of qualifications, including paediatric first aid, held by staff at the setting

any previous actions that are complete and need to be closed

any new actions or recommendations

any changes to the people connected with the registration, including a note of any failure to notify us of changes

any errors in the registration details, including those relating to the registered person and the register(s) on which the provider is placed

146. Inspection reports will be quality assured before we send a draft to the provider. In most circumstances, the provider will receive the draft report within 18 working days after the end of the inspection. The draft report is restricted and confidential to the relevant personnel (as determined by the provider), and should not be shared more widely or published. We may share a draft of the inspection report with the DfE and other bodies as necessary. This will only take place following moderation or quality assurance.

147. The provider will have 5 working days to comment on the draft report, inspection process and findings. We will consider all comments, and we will respond to the comments when we share the final report with the provider within 30 working days after the inspection.

148. The provider will have 5 working days to submit a formal complaint after we have shared the final report with them. If a complaint is not submitted, the report will normally be published on Ofsted's website 3 working days later. If a complaint has been submitted, the publication of the report may be delayed.

149. Paragraph 3.76 of the Statutory framework for the EYFS requires all early years providers to supply a copy of the inspection report to the parents of children attending on a regular basis.

The inspection evidence base

150. The evidence base must be retained in line with Ofsted's retention and disposal policy. This is normally 6 years from when the report is published. We may decide that retaining it for longer is warranted for research purposes and inspection evidence must be kept for longer than 6 years when:

an action relates to safeguarding

the provision is being monitored or regulatory action is linked to the inspection

there is a potential or current litigation claim against Ofsted, such as a judicial review

the inspection is of a very sensitive nature or is likely to be of national or regional importance due to a high level of political or press interest

there is an appeal against enforcement action or an ongoing complaint

it has been identified for research and evaluation purposes

Quality assurance and complaints

Quality assurance

151. All inspectors are responsible for the quality of their work. The inspector present must ensure that inspections are carried out in accordance with the principles of inspections and our code of conduct.

152. We monitor the quality of inspections through a range of formal processes and inspectors visit some providers or monitor remotely to quality assure inspections. We may also evaluate the quality of an inspection evidence base. If there is more than one inspector, the lead inspector will be responsible for giving team inspectors feedback about the quality of their work and their conduct.

153. All providers are invited to take part in a voluntary post-inspection survey in order to contribute to inspection development.

154. The great majority of our work is carried out smoothly and without incident. If concerns do arise during the inspection, they should be raised with the inspector as soon as possible, in order to resolve issues before the inspection is completed. Any concerns raised, and actions taken, will be recorded in the inspection evidence.

155. If it is not possible to resolve concerns during the inspection or through submitting comments in response to the draft report, the provider may wish to lodge a formal complaint on receipt of the final report. The inspector will ensure that the provider is informed that it is able to make a formal complaint and that information about how to complain is available on GOV.UK.

Part 2. The evaluation schedule - how early years settings will be judged

Background to the evaluation schedule

156. The evaluation schedule must be used in conjunction with the guidance set out in part 1 of this document, 'How we will inspect early years providers', and part 3 'Applying the EIF in different contexts, and in the EIF.

157. The evaluation schedule is not exhaustive. It does not replace the professional judgement of inspectors. Inspectors must interpret grade descriptors in relation to children's age, development and stage of education.

158. In line with the EIF, inspectors will make the following judgements:

159. The criteria for each of these judgements are drawn from Ofsted's inspection experience, areas of consensus in academic research, and research that Ofsted has itself undertaken (see 'Education inspection framework: overview of research').

160. Inspectors use a 4-point scale to make all judgements.

161. Inspectors must use their professional judgement to interpret and apply the grade descriptors to the setting they are inspecting. In doing so, they consider the following factors:

a childminder who has only a very small number of children

settings in which only babies and very young children are present

settings that provide for funded 2-year-olds or groups who may be disadvantaged

settings that have children who receive their main EYFS experience elsewhere

children who are no longer in the early years age range

162. Inspectors must note any differences in the quality of education for children of different ages.[^ 13] They will use their professional judgement and take into account all their evidence and give clear reasons for their judgements.

163. Inspectors will always seek to understand any ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on providers and will take this into account when reaching final inspection judgements.

164. We recognise that the disruption to learning caused by the pandemic may have impacted on what children know, remember and can do. Children may have a wider than usual range of starting points and gaps in their knowledge. Inspectors will pay close attention to how providers are identifying and addressing these delays and gaps and what they are doing to address any disruption to learning, to ensure that children are well prepared for their next stage of education.

Reaching a judgement of outstanding

165. Outstanding is a challenging and exacting judgement. In order to reach this standard, inspectors will determine whether the early years provision meets all the criteria set out under 'good' for that judgement and does so securely and consistently. In other words, it is not enough that the provision is strong against some aspects of the judgement and not against others: it must meet each and every criterion. In addition, there are further criteria set out under the outstanding judgement, all of which the provision will also need to meet. Provision should only be judged 'outstanding' in a particular area if it is performing exceptionally, and this exceptional performance in that area is consistent and secure across the whole provision.

Reaching a judgement of good, requires improvement or inadequate

166. When considering a judgement of good or requires improvement inspectors will consider whether the overall quality of the provision is most closely aligned to the descriptions they set out. Inspectors are likely to reach a judgement of inadequate under a particular judgement if one or more of the inadequate criteria applies.

Overall effectiveness: the quality and standards of the early years provision

167. Inspectors must use all their evidence to evaluate what it is like to be a child in the provision. In making their judgements about a provider's overall effectiveness, inspectors will consider whether the standard of education and care is good. If it meets all the criteria for good, then inspectors will consider whether it is outstanding. If it is not good, then inspectors will consider whether it requires improvement or is inadequate.

168. In judging the overall effectiveness, inspectors will take account of the 4 judgements. They will also make a judgement about the effectiveness of the arrangements for safeguarding children.

169. Inspectors should take account of all the judgements made across the evaluation schedule. In particular, they should consider:

the extent to which leaders and providers plan, design and implement the EYFS curriculum

the extent to which the curriculum and care practices that the setting provides meet the needs of the range of children who attend, particularly children with SEND

the progress children make in their learning and development relative to their starting points, and their readiness for the next stage of their education

children's personal and emotional development, including whether they feel safe and are secure and happy

whether the requirements for children's safeguarding and welfare have been fully met and there is a shared understanding of and responsibility for protecting children

the effectiveness of leadership and management in evaluating practice and securing continuous development that improves children's education

Grade descriptors for the provision's overall effectiveness

Outstanding (1)

The quality of education is outstanding.

All other judgements are likely to be outstanding. In exceptional circumstances, one of the judgements may be good, as long as there is convincing evidence that it is improving this area rapidly and securely towards outstanding.

Safeguarding is effective.

There are no breaches of EYFS requirements.

Requires improvement (3)

Where one or more aspects of the provision's work requires improvement, the overall effectiveness is likely to require improvement.

Safeguarding is effective and any weaknesses are easy to rectify because they do not leave children at risk of harm.

If there are any breaches of EYFS requirements, they do not have a significant impact on children's safety, well-being or learning and development.

Inadequate (4)

The provision's overall effectiveness is likely to be inadequate if one or more of the following apply.

Safeguarding is ineffective.

Any one of the judgements is inadequate.

Breaches of EYFS requirements have a significant impact on the safety and well-being and/or the learning and development of the children.

It has been given 2 previous 'requires improvement' judgements and it is still not good.

Quality of education

The EYFS curriculum

170. The EYFS (educational programmes) provides the curriculum framework that leaders build on to decide what they intend children to learn and develop.[footnote 14] Leaders and practitioners decide how to implement the curriculum so that children make progress in the 7 areas of learning. Leaders and practitioners evaluate the impact of the curriculum by checking what children know and can do.

Curriculum flexibility

171. Some providers offer a specialist early years curriculum and Ofsted recognises their autonomy to do so. For example, they may follow a specific philosophical or pedological approach or reflect a particular faith. The choice of teaching methods is a decision for providers, within the confines of the EYFS. Alongside any specialist education provided, it is important that children have access to a highly ambitious, broad and rich curriculum.

172. When reaching a judgement on quality of education, inspectors will work with leaders and managers to understand how the curriculum as a whole is structured, and where they can find evidence that the quality of education criteria are met.

173. The inspector will judge fairly those providers that take radically different approaches to the curriculum and will judge the quality of the provision in relation to the impact it has on children's learning, development and well-being. Inspectors will assess any provider's curriculum favourably when leaders and managers have built a curriculum with appropriate coverage, content, structure and sequencing and have implemented it effectively. They are, however, likely to assess it negatively where the specialist curriculum has been designed or is being delivered in a way that limits children's opportunities or fails to prepare them for life in modern Britain.

174. Inspectors will evaluate how well:

175. Teaching is a broad term that covers the many different ways in which adults help young children learn. It includes their interactions with children during planned and child-initiated play and activities, communicating and modelling language, showing, explaining, demonstrating, exploring ideas, encouraging, questioning, recalling, providing a narrative for what they are doing, facilitating and setting challenges. It takes account of the equipment that adults provide and the attention given to the physical environment, as well as the structure and routines of the day that establish expectations. Integral to teaching is how practitioners assess what children know, understand and can do, as well as taking account of their interests and dispositions to learn (characteristics of effective learning), and how practitioners use this information to plan children's next steps in learning and to monitor their progress.

Cultural capital

176. Cultural capital is the essential knowledge that children need to prepare them for their future success.[footnote 15] It is about giving children the best possible start to their early education. As part of making a judgement about the quality of education, inspectors will consider how well leaders use the curriculum to enhance the experience and opportunities available to children, particularly the most disadvantaged.

177. Some children arrive at an early years settings with different experiences from others, in their learning and play. What a setting does, through its EYFS curriculum and interactions with practitioners, potentially makes all the difference for children. It is the role of the setting to help children experience the awe and wonder of the world in which they live, through the 7 areas of learning.

Grade descriptors for the quality of education

178. Inspectors will not grade curriculum intent, implementation and impact separately. Instead, inspectors will reach a single graded judgement for the quality of education, drawing on all the evidence they have gathered, using their professional judgement.

179. To reach a judgement about the quality of education, inspectors must use their professional judgement to consider the ages, development and stages of children in the setting.

180. In order for the quality of education to be judged outstanding, it must meet all of the good criteria securely and consistently. It must also meet all the outstanding criteria.

Outstanding (1)

The provider meets all the criteria for a good quality of education securely and consistently. The quality of education at this setting is exceptional. In addition, the following apply:

The provider's curriculum intent and implementation are embedded securely and consistently across the provision. It is evident from what practitioners do that they have a firm and common understanding of the provider's curriculum intent and what it means for their practice. Across all parts of the provision, practitioners' interactions with children are of a high quality and contribute well to delivering the curriculum intent.

Children's experiences over time are consistently and coherently arranged to build cumulatively sufficient knowledge and skills for their future learning.

The impact of the curriculum on what children know, can remember and do is highly effective. Children demonstrate this through being deeply engaged in their work and play and sustaining high levels of concentration. Children, including those children from disadvantaged backgrounds, do well. Children with SEND achieve the best possible outcomes.

Children consistently use new vocabulary that enables them to communicate effectively. They speak with increasing confidence and fluency, which means that they secure strong foundations for future learning, especially in preparation for them to become fluent readers.

181. Inspectors will use their professional judgement and adopt a 'best fit' approach in order to judge whether an early years provider is good or requires improvement.

Good (2)

Leaders adopt or construct a curriculum that is ambitious and designed to give children, particularly the most disadvantaged, the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.

The provider's curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced. It builds on what children know and can do, towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge and skills for their future learning.

The provider has the same ambitions for almost all children. For children with particular needs, such as those with SEND, their curriculum is still ambitious and meets their needs.

Children benefit from meaningful learning across the EYFS curriculum.

Practitioners understand the areas of learning they teach and the way in which young children learn. Leaders provide effective support, including for staff with less experience and knowledge of teaching.

Practitioners present information clearly to children, promoting appropriate discussion about the subject matter being taught. They communicate well to check children's understanding, identify misconceptions and provide clear explanations to improve their learning. In so doing, they respond and adapt their teaching as necessary.

Practitioners ensure that their own speaking, listening and reading of English enables children to hear and develop their own language and vocabulary well. They read to children in a way that excites and engages them, introducing new ideas, concepts and vocabulary.

Over the EYFS, teaching is designed to help children remember long-term what they have been taught and to integrate new knowledge into larger concepts.

Practitioners and leaders use assessment well to check what children know and can do to inform teaching. This includes planning suitably challenging activities and responding to specific needs. Leaders understand the limitations of assessment and avoid unnecessary burdens for staff or children.

Practitioners and leaders create an environment that supports the intent of an ambitious and coherently planned and sequenced curriculum. The available resources meet the children's needs and promote their focus on learning.

Practitioners share information with parents about their child's progress in relation to the EYFS. They help parents to support and extend their child's learning at home, including how to encourage a love of reading.

Children develop detailed knowledge and skills across the 7 areas of learning and use these in an age-appropriate way. Children develop their vocabulary and understanding of language across the EYFS curriculum.

Children are ready for the next stage of education, especially school, where applicable. They have the knowledge and skills they need to benefit from what school has to offer when it is time to move on.

Children enjoy, listen attentively and respond with comprehension to familiar stories, rhymes and songs that are appropriate to their age and stage of development.

Children understand securely the early mathematical concepts appropriate to their age and stage that will enable them to move on to the next stage of learning.

Children articulate what they know, understand and can do in an age-appropriate way, holding thoughtful conversations with adults and their friends.

From birth onwards, children are physically active in their play, developing their physiological, cardiovascular and motor skills. They show good control and coordination in both large and small movements appropriate for their stage of development.

Inadequate (4)

The quality of education is likely to be inadequate if one or more of the following applies.

A poorly designed and implemented curriculum does not meet children's needs. The needs of babies and young children are not met.

Practitioners have a poor understanding of the areas of learning they teach and the way in which young children learn.

Assessment is overly burdensome. It is unhelpful in determining what children know, understand and can do.

Children are not well prepared for school or the next stage of their learning, particularly those who are in receipt of additional funding. Strategies for engaging parents are weak and parents do not know what their child is learning or how they can help them improve.

Breaches of the statutory requirements have a significant impact on children's learning and development.

Behaviour and attitudes

182. Inspectors will consider the ways in which children demonstrate their attitudes and behaviour through the characteristics of effective learning:

183. Although attendance at the setting is not mandatory, inspectors will explore how well providers work with parents to promote children's attendance so that the children form good habits for future learning. In particular, inspectors will consider the attendance of children for whom the provider receives early years pupil premium.

184. Inspectors will consider the extent to which leaders and practitioners support children's behaviour and attitudes, including how the provision helps children to manage their own feelings and behaviour, and how to relate to others.

185. To reach a judgement about children's behaviour and attitudes, inspectors must use their professional judgement to consider the ages, development and stages of children in the setting.

Grade descriptors for behaviour and attitudes

186. In order for behaviour and attitudes to be judged outstanding, it must meet all of the good criteria securely and consistently. It must also meet all the outstanding criteria.

Outstanding (1)

The provider meets all the criteria for good behaviour and attitudes securely and consistently. Behaviour and attitudes in this provision are exceptional.

In addition, the following apply.

187. Inspectors will use their professional judgement and adopt a 'best fit' approach in order to judge whether a provider is good or requires improvement.

Good (2)

The provider has high expectations for children's behaviour and conduct. These expectations are commonly understood and applied consistently and fairly. This is reflected in children's positive behaviour and conduct. They are beginning to manage their own feelings and behaviour and to understand how these have an impact on others. When children struggle with regulating their behaviour, leaders and practitioners take appropriate action to support them. Children are developing a sense of right and wrong.

Children demonstrate their positive attitudes to learning through high levels of curiosity, concentration and enjoyment. They listen intently and respond positively to adults and each other. Children are developing their resilience to setbacks and take pride in their achievements.

Children benefit fully from the early education opportunities available to them by participating and responding promptly to requests and instructions from practitioners.

Relationships among children, parents and staff reflect a positive and respectful culture. Children feel safe and secure.

Inadequate (4)

Children's behaviour and attitudes are likely to be inadequate if one or both of the following apply.

Children's behaviour and attitudes to learning are poor. Their frequent lack of engagement in activities and/or poor behaviour lead to a disorderly environment that hinders children's learning and/or puts them and others at risk.

Children persistently demonstrate poor self-control and a lack of respect for others, leading to children not feeling safe and secure.

Personal development

188. Inspectors will evaluate the extent to which the provision is successfully promoting children's personal development. Inspectors must use their professional judgement to consider the effectiveness of the provision on children's all-round development. In doing so, inspectors must be mindful of the ages and stages of development of the children in the setting.

Grade descriptors for personal development

189. In order for personal development to be judged outstanding, it must meet all of the good criteria securely and consistently. It must also meet all the outstanding criteria.

Outstanding (1)

The provider meets all the criteria for good personal development securely and consistently. Personal development in this provision is exceptional. In addition, the following apply.

190. Inspectors will use their professional judgement and adopt a 'best fit' approach in order to judge whether an early years provider is good or requires improvement.

Good (2)

The curriculum and the provider's effective care practices promote and support children's emotional security and development of their character. Children are gaining a good understanding of what makes them unique.

The curriculum and the provider's effective care practices promote children's confidence, resilience and independence. Practitioners teach children to take appropriate risks and challenges as they play and learn both inside and outdoors, particularly supporting them to develop physical and emotional health.

A well-established key person system helps children form secure attachments and promotes their well-being and independence. Practitioners teach children the language of feelings, helping them to appropriately develop their emotional literacy (see pages 8 to 9 of the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (applies from 1 September 2021)', which set out the personal, social and emotional development (PSED) area of learning). Relationships between staff and babies are sensitive, stimulating and responsive.

Practitioners provide a healthy diet and a range of opportunities for physically active play, both inside and outdoors. They give clear and consistent messages to children that support healthy choices around food, rest, exercise and screen time.

Practitioners help children to gain an effective understanding of when they might be at risk, including when using the internet, digital technology and social media and where to get support if they need it.

Practitioners ensure that policies are implemented consistently. Hygiene practices ensure that the personal needs of children of all ages are met appropriately. Practitioners teach children to become increasingly independent in managing their personal needs.

Practitioners value and promote equality and diversity and prepare children for life in modern Britain. They do this in an age-appropriate way to help children to reflect on their differences and understand what makes them unique. Practitioners do this by: teaching children to be respectful and to recognise those who help us, and contribute positively to society; developing children's understanding of fundamental British values; developing children's understanding and appreciation of diversity; celebrating what we have in common; and routinely challenging stereotypical behaviours and promoting respect for different people.

Inadequate (4)

Personal development is likely to be inadequate if one or more of the following applies.

Breaches of the statutory requirements have a significant impact on children's safety, well-being and personal development.

Practitioners do not support children's social and emotional well-being or prepare them for transitions within the setting and/or to other settings and school.

The key person system does not work effectively to support children's emotional well-being and children fail to form secure attachments with their carers. Babies are not stimulated.

Policies, procedures and practice do not promote the health and welfare of children. As a result, children do not know how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

Children have a narrow experience that does not promote their understanding of people and communities beyond their own or help them to recognise and accept each other's differences.

Leadership and management

191. Inspectors will evaluate evidence from the range of different inspection activities set out in Part 1 of the handbook when considering the effectiveness of leadership and management.

192. Inspectors will seek to understand how leaders have adapted their approaches as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the rationale for any new or modified ways of working.

Grade descriptors for leadership and management

193. In order for leadership and management to be judged outstanding, it must meet all of the good criteria securely and consistently. It must also meet all the outstanding criteria.

Outstanding (1)

The provider meets all the criteria for good leadership and management securely and consistently. Leadership and management in this provision is exceptional. In addition, the following apply.

194. Inspectors will use their professional judgement and adopt a 'best fit' approach in order to judge whether an early years provider is good or requires improvement.

Good (2)

Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for providing high-quality, inclusive care and education to all. This is realised through strong shared values, policies and practice.

Leaders focus on improving practitioners' knowledge of the areas of learning and understanding of how children learn to enhance the teaching of the curriculum and appropriate use of assessment. The practice and subject knowledge of practitioners (including those who are newly qualified) build and improve over time. Leaders have effective systems in place for the supervision and support of staff.

Leaders act with integrity to ensure that all children, particularly those with SEND, have full access to their entitlement to early education.

Leaders engage effectively with children, their parents and others in their community, including schools and other local services.

Leaders engage with their staff and are aware of the main pressures on them. They are realistic and constructive in the way they manage staff. including their workload, to avoid any unnecessary burdens.

Those with oversight or governance understand their role and carry this out effectively. They have a clear vision and strategy and hold senior leaders to account for the quality of care and education. They ensure that resources are managed sustainably, effectively and efficiently.

The provider fulfils its statutory duties, for example under the Equality Act 2010, and other duties, for example in relation to the 'Prevent' strategy and safeguarding.

Leaders protect staff from harassment, bullying and discrimination.

The provider has a culture of safeguarding that facilitates effective arrangements to: identify children who may need early help or are at risk of neglect, abuse, grooming or exploitation; help children to reduce their risk of harm by securing the support they need, or referring in a timely way to those who have the expertise to help; and manage safe recruitment and allegations about adults who may be a risk to children.

Inadequate (4)

Leadership and management are likely to be inadequate if one or more of the following applies.

Leaders do not have the capacity to improve the quality of education and care. Actions taken to tackle areas of identified weakness have been insufficient or ineffective. Training for staff is ineffective.

Leaders are not doing enough to tackle the poor curriculum or teaching, or the inappropriate use of assessment. This has a significant impact on children's progress, particularly those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND.

Links with parents, other settings and professionals involved in supporting children's care and education do not identify or meet children's individual needs. Children fail to thrive.

Leaders do not tackle instances of discrimination. Equality, diversity and British values are not actively promoted in practice.

Safeguarding and welfare requirements are not met. Breaches have a significant impact on the safety and well-being of children.

Part 3. Applying the EIF in different contexts

Applying the EIF to inspections of childminders

This part of the handbook provides specific guidance for inspections of childminders. Part 1 and Part 2 of this handbook set out our inspection principles and methodology; however, where there are key differences for childminders, these are set out below.

How we will select childminders for inspection

195. Paragraphs 14 to 23 set out how we select childminders for inspection.

Notification of inspection

196. Childminders will usually receive a call no more than 5 days before the inspection to check which days they are operating and whether there are children on roll and present.[footnote 16] The inspector must not specify any proposed dates for the inspection, but should indicate the time of day the inspection will start. This will allow the childminder to leave the house if the inspector has not arrived by that time.

No children on roll or present on the day of inspection

197. Paragraphs 24 to 35 set out our approach to inspection when there are no children on roll or present on the day of inspection.

198. Childminders are required to notify us of any extended periods of time when they will have no children on roll or will otherwise be on leave, for example parental leave: Childminders and childcare providers: register with Ofsted. Childminders should contact us to:

199. Deferral requests that are made because childminders have no children on roll or are otherwise on leave will not be considered. Other reasons will be considered in line with our deferral policy.

200. Childminders who only offer before- and after-school care will be inspected without receiving grades against the 4 judgements: 'Quality of education', 'Behaviour and attitudes', 'Personal development' and 'Leadership and management' (see Applying the EIF to inspections of before- and after-school care and holiday provision). Childminders who operate on an on-demand basis are likely to receive a no children on roll inspection.

201. The majority of inspections affected by the no children on roll policy will be childminders. The main purpose of the inspection when there are no children on roll is to fulfil our legal duty to inspect registered providers within a defined period and to report in writing on certain matters. The inspection will report on whether the provider continues to meet the requirements to remain registered on the Early Years Register and, if applicable, the Childcare Register. See paragraphs 30 to 35.

Time allocated to inspection and inspection team members

202. When inspecting a childminder, the inspector will normally be on site for about 3 hours. If the inspection is likely to take longer than this, for example because the childminder is responsible for taking the children to school or collecting them from school, the inspector will discuss this with the childminder at the earliest opportunity.

Gathering and recording evidence

203. To assess whether the provider is meeting the requirements of the EYFS, the inspector will carry out a range of inspection activities, as set out in part 1 of the handbook.

204. During an inspection of a childminder, inspectors will usually carry out the activities set out in paragraph 67.

205. The inspection activities enable inspectors to gather evidence to make valid and reliable inspection judgements. These activities, part of our inspection methodology, are an effective way of finding out what it is like for a child to be cared for by that childminder. Paragraphs 10 to 13 dispel common misconceptions about inspection that can result in unnecessary workload for childminders. Read more information on inspections and the EYFS.

206. The inspector will talk to the childminder about what they want children to learn and remember based on what the children in their care know and can already do. The inspector will discuss with the childminder:

what they know about each child

the progress check for any children aged 2

the impact of any early years pupil premium funding on the children's development

the quality of support for any children where there are concerns about their development

how they decide what to teach the children

how well children are developing in the prime and specific areas of learning of the EYFS that help them to be ready for their next stage of education, including school

the reason why children may not be receiving their full entitlement to early education and the impact that has on them, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those who may get left behind.

207. As childminders have only a small number of children, inspectors are not able to track a representative sample of children in the same way as they would in larger providers ( see paragraph 71 for more information on tracking). Nevertheless, they apply the same principles in terms of evaluating the childminder's practice and its impact on children's learning, development and well-being. We will prioritise tracking the experiences of children who are eligible for the early years pupil premium ( see paragraph 69) or subject to a child protection plan or child in need plan.

Using the setting's own analysis of its strengths and weaknesses during the inspection

208. Childminders should have an accurate view of the quality of their provision and know what they need to improve. They do not need to produce a written self-evaluation but should be prepared to discuss the quality of the education and care they provide - and how well they meet the children's needs - with the inspector. Inspectors will consider how well childminders evaluate their provision and know how they can improve it or maintain its high standards.

209. The inspector will discuss with the childminder how they evaluate their practice. Normally, the discussion will be at a point in the inspection that gives the inspector enough time to follow up any matters discussed. To check the accuracy of the childminder's analysis, the inspector will observe children learning, the caring and teaching taking place, and the safety and suitability of the premises. This includes where the childminder is working with any assistants. The inspector will also discuss how the childminder evaluates the quality of their provision, and check whether they take account of the views of parents and the progress made by the children to determine what needs to improve.

Observation and discussion

210. Inspectors will provide an opportunity for the childminder to explain how they organise the early years provision, including the aims of and rationale for their EYFS curriculum. This is often referred to as the 'learning walk' ( see paragraph 70).

211. Inspectors will gather first-hand evidence by observing the quality of the daily routines and the activities of children. These observations enable inspectors to judge the contribution that childminders make to children's learning, progress, safety and well-being. The observations should also enable them to collect sufficient evidence to support detailed and specific recommendations about improvements needed to the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

212. Inspectors will also discuss children's learning and development with the childminder as part of the inspection. There will be a particular focus on communication and language, as the development of children's spoken language underpins all 7 areas of learning and development that are set out in paragraph 1.6 of the statutory framework for the EYFS. Much of this discussion will be through incidental conversations prompted by observing the children at play and the interactions between them and the childminder.

213. Where the quality of practice is weak, the inspector must talk to the childminder about what has been observed. The inspector should also ask about any action the childminder is taking to bring about improvement.

214. Inspectors will observe individual children with the childminder. Where possible, the inspector will watch the childminder engage with the children, discussing the children's learning, progress and behaviour as part of the activities that the children are engaged in. The inspector should follow this up with a further discussion about what the child has learned and how the childminder intends to build on this learning to help the child make progress.

215. If the childminder has an assistant(s), the inspector and childminder may carry out a joint observation of the assistant ( see paragraphs 90 to 92) in part 1 of this handbook).

Evaluating policies and procedures

216. Childminders are required to have policies and procedures, as set out in the EYFS. While they are not required to have written policies, they must make sure that they have effective procedures in place as set out in the EYFS. They must ensure that any assistants are aware of, and follow, the statutory policies and can explain them to parents and others when requested.

217. All childminders are expected to keep any written records in English.

Discussions with the childminder

218. During the inspection, discussions with the childminder will take place at appropriate moments during the general observations when the children are safely occupied. The inspector should be mindful that the childminder has to supervise children and continue to meet their needs during any meeting time.

219. Discussions will take place early enough so that any matters that are being discussed can be followed up.

220. During the inspection, the inspector should also hold brief discussions with the childminder to discuss the emerging findings. These will be recorded in the inspection evidence.

Performance management and professional development

221. Inspectors should consider how effectively the childminder assesses their own (and any assistants') strengths and areas for improvement within the setting. They will consider how well this focuses the childminder's professional development activities, particularly in relation to increasing children's vocabulary and cultural capital ( see paragraphs 176 to 177).

222. Where childminders are working with an assistant(s), inspectors will gather evidence of the effectiveness of staff supervision, performance management, training and continuing professional development, and the impact of these on children's well-being, learning and development. This includes evidence of how effectively childminders engage with their staff and make sure they are aware of, and manage, any of the main pressures on them.

223. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to assess how well the childminder improves the quality of provision.

Inspections where co-childminders work together

224. We normally inspect co-childminders together, but may do so separately, especially if they work at different times of the week and/or from different premises.

225. All registered childminders are expected to be able to demonstrate how they meet the requirements of the EYFS, even if they are an employee of another childminder.

226. Co-childminders working together may share policies, procedures and resources. If we inspect childminders together, we will take account of the individual education and care they provide for children, including the rationale for their EYFS curriculum.

227. Inspectors are likely to hold individual discussions with childminders, and will use their professional judgement to interpret and apply the grade descriptors to the individual childminder they are inspecting.

Before- and after-school care and holiday provision

228. Childminders who only offer care before and after school or during the school holidays, for children who normally attend Reception (or older) classes during the school day, do not have to meet the learning and development requirements for those children. For children younger than Reception age, the childminder should be guided by, but does not have to meet, the learning and development requirements. In both cases, this means they only have to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS. The arrangements for inspecting this type of provision are set out in part 3 of this handbook: Applying the EIF to inspections of before- and after-school care and holiday provision.

The evaluation schedule - how early years settings will be judged

229. The evaluation schedule, Part 2 must be used with the guidance set out in Part 1 and Part 3 of this document, and in the EIF.

230. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to interpret and apply the grade descriptors to the setting they are inspecting. In doing so, they will consider the following:

a childminder who has only a very small number of children

settings in which only babies and very young children are present

settings that provide for funded 2-year-olds or groups who may be disadvantaged

settings that have children who receive their main EYFS experience elsewhere

children who are no longer in the early years age range

231. Inspectors must use their professional judgement when interpreting and applying the grade descriptors for leadership and management for childminders.

Applying the EIF to inspections of before- and after-school care and holiday provision

232. Providers (including childminders) registered on the Early Years Register but that only provide care exclusively for children at the beginning and end of the school day or in holiday periods will be inspected without receiving grades against the 4 judgements ('Quality of education', 'Behaviour and attitudes', 'Personal development' and 'Leadership and management') of the inspection framework.

233. These providers do not need to meet the learning and development requirements of the EYFS. They do have to meet in full the safeguarding and welfare requirements, which are designed to help providers create high-quality settings that are welcoming, safe and stimulating, and where children are able to grow in confidence.

234. The inspector will make a judgement only on the 'Overall effectiveness: quality and standards of the early years provision'. The inspection will result in one of 3 possible outcomes:

235. The inspector will consider the criteria for 3 of the key judgements ('Behaviour and attitudes', 'Personal development' and 'Leadership and management') in reaching a judgement about whether or not the provider is meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS.

236. When the provider does not meet one or more of the safeguarding and welfare requirements, the inspector must consider a judgement of 'not met' and either issue actions for the provider to take or consider enforcement action. In these cases, the inspector must follow the guidance for inadequate judgements set out previously in this handbook.

237. Provision judged as 'not met' will normally be re-inspected within 12 months.

238. When inspecting before- and after-school and holiday care provision, the inspector must assess whether the provider:

has premises suitable to care for children in the early years age range (as appropriate)

can demonstrate sufficient understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS

can meet the care, safeguarding and welfare needs of children

239. Providers must confirm that they meet the requirements of the Childcare Register, if applicable.

240. The provider must demonstrate how they:

241. The provider should tell the inspector how they have addressed any actions from the last inspection and how this will improve the provision for children's care and learning.

Gathering and recording evidence

242. To assess whether the provider is meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements, the inspector will undertake appropriate inspection activity as set out in part 1 of the handbook. In particular, inspectors will:

Writing the report

243. Although there are no separate supporting judgements, the inspection will result in a summary for parents, which will explain what it is like for a child to attend the setting.

244. Inspectors will report on what the setting does well and what it needs to do better. This section must include reference to leadership and management, children's behaviour and attitudes and personal development. It must describe clearly any weaknesses that led to a 'not met' judgement and from which actions or enforcement action have been raised. Where a setting has a 'met' judgement, inspectors will usually report on what the setting needs to do better, but will not raise recommendations.

Providers that are judged outstanding or good

245. Providers that were inspected before the EIF was introduced and were judged good or outstanding may have been using Ofsted logos. Providers who have received an inspection under the EIF can no longer use these logos. Where applicable, providers affected can find out more information on use of logos on our Ofsted EIF inspections and the EYFS' page.

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Early years inspection handbook for Ofsted-registered provision

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1. This handbook describes the main activities that inspectors undertake when they carry out inspections of early years providers in England registered under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006. The handbook also sets out the judgements that inspectors will make and on which they will report. 2.

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Learn the strategies and techniques for teaching and caring for children with this free online childcare course.

Adequate childcare is vital in a child's tender early years. Taking the time and de... Adequate childcare is vital in a child's tender early years. Taking the time and demonstrating loving care reassures the infant that they are genuinely cared for and safe. As a child develops, it is crucial that the methods of teaching and care change and this free online course analyzes strategies and techniques for teaching and looking after children as they mature.

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Childcare & Early Years Foundation Stage | Free Online Course | Alison

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Learn the essential strategies and techniques to care for children and analyze the training needed and requirements to become an efficient early years teacher.

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Skip to main content

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Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage homepage

Early Years Curriculum

Welcome to our set of Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) resources

Early Years activities
Early Years articles
Early Years useful documents

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The Nrich Maths Project Cambridge,England. Mathematics resources for children,parents and teachers to enrich learning. Problems,children's solutions,interactivities,games,articles.

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Why not try these free online childcare courses

These free online courses are provided by the Open university, they are easy to complete and will give you an introductory insight into a particular subject.

Introduction to child psychology

As you work your way through this short course you will

Explore the discipline of child psychology as an area of study

Understand how theories try to explain children's development

Discuss important questions that are central to child psychology

Explore how child psychologists work in different applied settings.

To find out more about this course click here

Attachment in the early years

This free childcare course describes Bowlby's attachment theory.

After completing this short course you should be able

describe attachment classifications and how they are assessed

describe the features of caregiving that influence attachment, and the significance of attachment for lifespan development

discuss why the attachment system is an adapted and adaptive mechanism

recognise the need for ethical conduct in research carried out with children

describe the ethics principles of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and explain how research can be conducted ethically in line with these principles.

To find out more about this course click here

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Free Online Childcare Courses - Early Years Careers

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Why not try these free online childcare courses.These free online courses are provided by the Open university, they are easy to complete

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What to expect in the Early Years- useful to share with parents

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What to expect in the Early Years- useful to share with parents

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Putting the curriculum into practice- Julien Grenier

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Putting the curriculum into practice- Julien Grenier

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Putting the EYFS Curriculum into Practice:  Julian Grenier's 2023 keynote at Newham's EY Conference

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Understanding and supporting mental health in infancy and early childhood. 

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Understanding and supporting mental health in infancy and early childhood. 

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Understanding and supporting mental health in infancy and early childhood - a toolkit to support local action in the UK. - UNICEF UK

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As part of our policy work on early childhood, the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) and the University of Cambridge's Centre for Research on Play in Education, Development & Learning (PEDAL), have launched a new resource to support local areas in a shared understanding of mental health in infancy and early childhood.

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We love WNRW and have been taking part since it started! We make this a big theme throughout the school and get everyone involved! Our older children perform the rhymes to our early years children, it's amazing!

Anna W
Primary School, United Kingdom

The importance of nursery rhymes for the under 7's

Nursery rhymes play an important role in early childhood development and education. As well as being fun they are excellent teaching tools:

They provide a fun way to support early numeracy skills

Nursery rhymes help children to develop social, physical and emotional skills.

Row Row Row Your Boat is one of our featured rhymes for 2023!

For further videos please subscribe to our You Tube Channel here

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World Nursery Rhyme Week is a free, world-wide initiative celebrating the importance of nursery rhymes in early childhood development.

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2023 Speech, Language and Communication, Early Years Summit.

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2023 Speech, Language and Communication, Early Years Summit.

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Connect Childcare is the UK's most trusted Nursery Management Software. With over 18 years of knowledge in the sector, we are passionate about child development and supporting our customers to provide the best quality childcare. We provide a flexible, comprehensive system that covers everything you need to run your nursery. Meaning you can save hours, empower your staff, delight your parents and get paid on time.

See it for yourself Here!

Childcare.co.uk

Childcare.co.uk is an award winning online social networking platform for parents, childcare providers and private tutors with over 2 million members. You can start your childcare search or childcare job with just the click of a button.

Childcare Expo

Childcare & Education Expo is a must-attend event for everyone working in the early years and primary sectors. The events are designed to inform and inspire visitors giving them fresh ideas, activities and resources to take back to their education settings.

Find out more Here!

Childcare Marketing

Their team of passionate childcare & marketing professionals have the experience to take your online presence to the next level, getting you more enquiries and more registrations for your Childcare Business. They will help your business grow through the power of digital marketing!

Find out more Here!

Mindstretchers Academy

Their mission is to help children flourish in education.

Mindstretchers Academy is the home of child-led inquiry & nature-based learning. It is a place where early years educators from around the globe can access practical, research-based training materials.

Find out more Here!

Improving and Inspiring Practice

Plus you get a free Professional Development Certificate for every interview you watch covering the topic and the length of time of the training. Over a year that can add up to over 25 hours of certified professional development!

With Early Years TV Premium you get access to all our amazing interviews with the very best Early Years experts - current, past and future - for as long as you remain a member.
Join Early Years TV Premium Here
Frequently Asked Questions
And don't forget you can get a brilliant free "summit-like" Early Years video over at Early Years TV every week.

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The FREE Early Years Summit on Speech, Language and Communication

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Free online CPD for Early Years Practitioners - runs from Monday 29th May to Sunday 4th June 2023 with interviews with leading experts on Speech, Language and Communication in the Early Years. Featuring Sally Haughey, Alistair Bryce-Clegg, Prof Sam Wass, Dr Lucretia Berry & Dr Tehlia Glass, Molly Potter, Heeral Davda, Dr Amanda Gummer, Dr Claire Warden and many more (24 in total).

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Early years curriculum roadshow for childminders - webinar

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Information for early years practitioners about stronger practice hubs.

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A collection of Makaton signed Nursery Rhymes from our collection of DVDs - "It's Signing Time", "It's Signing Time 2" and "It's Signing Time 3" all featurin...

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Pen Green- A Celebratory Approach to SEND Assessment in the Early Years.

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Pen Green- A Celebratory Approach to SEND Assessment in the Early Years.

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The Learning Curve, training oppotunities.

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The Learning Curve, training oppotunities.

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We make sure government funding for education gets to the people who need and want it the most.

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Safeguarding advice about what to do if you are worried about a child or the behaviour of an adult working in your setting. Our self-audit tool will help you to check that you and your setting is compliant with current legislation and best practice.

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Foundation Years website- updates on current legislation and policies.

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Foundation Years website- updates on current legislation and policies.

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Foundation Years - From pregnancy to children aged 5

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Blog: Announcement on the changes to the EYFS from January 2024

In the Government's Spring Budget, it announced the single biggest investment in childcare ever made in England. These transformative reforms mean that the Government will...

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Foundation Years - From pregnancy to children aged 5

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Books for EYFS - our recommendations

Books for EYFS - 100 picture books to read before you are 5 years old. Here's our selection of recommended picture books that are ideal for children aged 3-5 who are learning to read at home, or in Nursery, preschool, Early Years, and infant schools. How many of these modern and classic picture books for children in EYFS have you read?

Children learn to read pictures before they read words, and that's why it's so important to make use of picture books when reading with the youngest children. There will be a wide variation in reading and inference abilities in this age group, and this is normal.

Children love to look at stories through the illustrations, ask questions and think about what will happen next. Repetitive language and the use of rhyme will also help children to predict, mimic and remember the words, and encourage them to join in with parents, teachers or older siblings at reading time. This collection of 100 picture books includes wordless stories, rhyming tales, counting stories, poetry and traditional fables - all highly illustrated to keep your child's imagination fired up.

As an Amazon Associate schoolreadinglist.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.
Click the button below to buy all the books in this EYFS picture book list, or class sets of any of these books and many more from Bookshop.org UK. Schools & teachers: please respect copyright and don't copy our EYFS picture book reading list. If you find our book recommendations useful, please consider sharing on social media or linking to this page instead. Thanks.
Click for more children's reading book recommendations - Picture books to read before you are 5 years old (this page) | Reception class books | Year 1 books | Year 2 books | Year 3 books | Year 4 books | Year 5 books | Year 6 books | Topic books | KS3 books

For more picture books for preschool and EYFS children, see our list of Books for Bedtime.

For more advanced books for your child, why not try our books for KS1 lists?

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100 picture books for EYFS to read before you are 5 years old

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A selection of picture books for EYFS - ideal for children learning to read in Nursery, Early Years, Foundation Stage & Pre-Prep schools.

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A guide for early years settings on the support system for children and young people with special educational needs and disability.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This guide is for managers and staff in all early years education settings funded by the local authority.

The guide explains the duties and responsibilities of providers of early years education who deal with children and young people with special educational needs and disability ( SEND) and their families.

It should be read alongside the 'Special education needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25'.

Separate guides for:

are also available.

Thank you for your feedback

Report a problem with this page

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A guide for early years settings on the support system for children and young people with special educational needs and disability.

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Help for Early Years providers- integrated review

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Help for Early Years providers- integrated review

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Case study - Barnsley Local Authority Family Centre

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Integrated reviews - Help for early years providers - GOV.UK

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Get advice on how to carry out integrated health and education reviews for children aged 2 to 3. Integrated reviews combine the EYFS progress check at age 2 and the health visitor 2 year old health check.

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What to do if you're worried a child is being abused.

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What to do if you're worried a child is being abused.

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Education for Change- evidence to support closing the attainment gap.

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Education for Change- evidence to support closing the attainment gap.

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Highfields Nursery school , Ipswich Stronger Practice Hub.

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Highfields Nursery school , Ipswich Stronger Practice Hub.

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The East of England Early Years Stronger Practice Hub is one of 13 DfE designated Stronger Practice Hubs across England. The East of England Hub will cover Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough offering bespoke support, EEF evidence informed training opportunities as well as conferences and opportunities to network with others working in Early Years. The hub is fully funded, meaning the offer will always be free to those who take part. The team running the hub are all working within the schools/settings currently and want to offer support across the whole Early Years sector.

If you are a childminder, working in a PVI or school/maintained nursery class and would like more information and to join our network, please sign up to the hub here:
East of England Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Sign Up
Alternatively, you can email the hub at EastofEnglandEYSPH@highfield.suffolk.sch.uk or call 01473 742534 to discuss further. We look forward to hearing from you.

Watch a short video about the hub here:
East of England Early Years Stronger Practice Hub - Meet the team... - YouTube
You can also follow us on Facebook (East of England Early Year Stronger Practice Hub), X (@EastEYSPH) and Instagram (@eastofenglandeysph)

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The East of England Early Years Stronger Practice Hub is one of 13 DfE designated Stronger Practice Hubs across England. The East of England Hub will cover Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough offering bespoke support, EEF evidence informed training opportunities as well as conferences and opportunities to network with others working in Early Years.

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Essex County Council: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) | Essex Local Offer

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We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use this website, remember your settings and improve this service.

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We'd also like to use analytics cookies so we can understand how you use this service and make improvements.

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Education Endowment Foundation- Early Years toolkit

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Education Endowment Foundation- Early Years toolkit

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A summary of the best available evidence on key areas for learning and development.

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We recently wrote about the power of picture books and how, despite the advances of technology, they are more than worthy of their place in any nursery setting. We also went into the benefit of introducing little ones to wordless picture books at an early age which ranged from inspiring visual thinking to introducing challenging concepts and developing vocabulary. In fact we're so passionate about wordless picture books we thought it only right to share with you our favourites! Below we've listed our top 10 wordless picture books which we think would make a great addition to any EYFS setting.

The Journey Trilogy by Aaron Becker

These three books (Journey, Quest and Return) sweep the reader into a magical landscape. A story of an ordinary child who undertakes an uncertain quest and goes on a spellbinding journey shown through rich imagery and a wordless tale. We think this book is especially good for developing imagination and one children will come back to over and over such is its depth. We couldn't recommend it enough.

Dog on a Digger by Kate Prendergast

Kate Prendergast's brilliant wordless story manages to convey such warmth that we couldn't help but be moved when we first read it. The pencil drawn images only add to the loveliness here as a relationship between a dog and his owner is tenderly explored. The wordless nature of this story encourages children to rely on their imagination and expand the narrative as they go.

Footpath Flowers by JonArno Lawson

A quietly lovely book about how small acts of kindness can prove transformational for both giver and recipient. Rich in visual detail, Footpath Flowers shows us a world we often take for granted and shines a light on it's beauty. A warm, beautiful story we think every child would appreciate.

Tuesday by David Wiesner

Tuesday received the 1992 Caldecott Medal for illustrations upon its release almost thirty years ago but the book has lost none of its lustre in that time. It's a book that consistently piques the curiosity of child readers and you'll be amazed by the amount of questions they're likely to ask as they go through this book. A lightning rod for a child's creative and emotional faculties.

Flotsam by David Wiesner

We couldn't leave it at just one David Wiesner book which is hardly a surprise given he's won three Caldecott Medals during his acclaimed career. Flotsam tells the story of a science-minded boy who goes to the beach to examine floating items that have been washed ashore. When he finds an underwater camera, the reader is transported to a world brought to life through vivid watercolour paintings.

Zoom by Istvan Banyai

Zoom is a book built to encourage a child's sense of wonder, something it manages to do with every turn of the page. This wordless picture book is famed for helping children gain perspective. It's a book that is deceptively simple and forces readers to think the entire time without actually being aware they're doing so. Great fun for children who constantly zoom in and out of images and have their perceptions challenged throughout.

Chalk by Bill Thomson

Bill Thomson's story of three little girls who go to the park on a rainy day is really a testament to the power of wordless storytelling. We've found that children in nurseries love to engage with this book repeatedly because each time there can be a different narrative. Similarly, they'll often ask for the book to be 'read' to them for the same reasons. Stimulating, fun and sure to fire up their imaginations!

Flashlight by Lizi Boyd

Flashlight transports the reader on a journey through the dark. It's message centres on encouraging children to look beyond what they first see, that there is often more to something if you are willing to look. With its dramatic colours and exploration of night, Lizi Boyd's visual poem is sure to brighten every early years setting.

Fossil by Bill Thomson

The cinematic artwork in Bill Thomson's brilliant book really brings to life this wordless story of a boy who trips on a fossil and makes it come to life. As he brings to life a series of prehistoric creatures, he has to figure out how to make things go back to normal. Fossil is incredibly good fun, dramatic, and bound to spark imagination in any reader.

Mirror by Jeannie Baker

Mirror tells two stories, one of a family in a Western city and one in a North African Village. The book is more innovative than it sounds, though, with the stories designed to be read simultaneously - one on the left, one on the right. Mirror shows how our lives reflect each other and how, ultimately, we are all connected. An important message for young children to receive.

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Our Top 10 Wordless Picture Books for Your EYFS Setting

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Wordless picture books have retained their power to inspire imagination and develop vocabulary.

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The start of a new year is always a good time to remind ourselves of the basics. As a designated safeguarding lead you will have overall responsibility for child protection. Many of you will follow the process below in your sleep.

However, for others of you, it may have been several months since you had to manage a disclosure and this reminder is for you.
Recognise
You can't do any of the other three R's without firstly recognising there is a concern that needs to be recorded and reported or referred.

And that recognising is that little alarm bell that goes off in the back of your brain.

It comes from knowing the signs of child abuse from knowing the sounds and that a child has been harmed or having an alarm bell ringing, that there is a safeguarding issue that's going on. And so get your little alarm bell working, get that little alarm bell trained so it can recognise when something isn't right, so that it can recognise when there is a potential problem and you can recognise when you need to take the next step which is to record the incident, the disclosure or the concern that you've got.
Recording
Now recording for me as a lawyer is the really important bit.

It's the bit where you actually say, I've recognised the concern.

This is what the concern is, and this is what has happened. And in terms of recording it, do so as thoroughly as possible. And ask yourself things like, why did it happen? When did it happen? What happened? Who said it? What was going on? And what was happening at the time who was around? Why that time? Was there something specific happening at that particular time, that could have prompted that disclosure from the child, any of that could be really useful and really important to further information. And being gathered, and certainly in terms of reporting it.
Reporting
Is the situation such that this is information that has to be shared is information that has to be shared immediately. Is this information that I have to share? But does it have to be a major? Do I have to drop everything and run off and go and do this? Or is it something that I can say, right, okay, I'll finish what I'm doing. I've recorded it. I'm seeing the person I need to speak to later on today, I will have that conversation then.

Best practice - always pass to your Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Refer
So you've recognised that you've recorded it And now you're reporting it. And in the reporting of it, you, the designated safeguarding lead then has a job.

You have to decide what happens next.

And is that something that happens immediately? Is it something that needs to be referred on? Or is it something that actually it's it's low level, we don't need to worry about it: is a referral something you can consider it at a later stage.

You will only know that by knowing what your policies and procedures are, in terms of escalating safeguarding concerns and in terms of meeting your safeguarding obligations as well as a thorough understanding of the types and impact of the harm on the child.

If you decide not to take action, where are you keeping your records? And are you reviewing those decisions?

Don't forget about it. Keep referring and keep a regular check on these disclosures that come up.

If the decision is a referral needs to be made, is it immediate? Is there an immediate risk of significant harm to this child or children? do you need to act now?

Do not delay. Make the referral when you need to make it in a timely manner and the locals are will take over their steps as appropriate or the police will act as they see fit.

So remember, recognise it, record it, report it, refer it.
Want more?
Want to keep on top of your safeguarding obligations, join Kate and other child protection professionals in The Safeguarding Association community.
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Now you know more about the different types of abuse, learn what the various stages of child protection look like in my short course: Overview of Child Protection Stages

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Content Disclaimer The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this blog are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this blog. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this blog. Safeguarding Practitioners Ltd & Kate Young disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this blog.

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The 4 R's of child protection: a reminder - Safeguarding Association

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Essex Early Years and Childcare website -training, safeguarding, support etc.

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Essex Early Years and Childcare website -training, safeguarding, support etc.

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Essex County Council's Early Years and Childcare website aimed at those working in the early years and childcare sector. Access the Provider Portal and sign up to our eBulletin.