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Find out how to register with Ofsted as a nursery or other daycare, and what you will need to tell us about.

This guidance is for those who are registered, or want to register, with Ofsted. For guidance on how to register with a childminder agency, or if you are already with an agency, contact the agency directly.

Start a nursery or other daycare business

You will need to apply to register as a daycare if you will be looking after children aged up to the 31 August following their fifth birthday in:

a location other than someone's home

someone's home, working with 3 or more people at the same time

You must register with Ofsted unless you plan to work with 3 or more people in someone's home. In this case, you can choose to register either with Ofsted or with a childminder agency.

Certain other people involved in your daycare will also need to apply to Ofsted themselves as part of your application to register.

Running a nursery or other daycare

As a nursery or other daycare, you must report to Ofsted any significant events affecting your childcare within 14 days.

Being inspected

Requirements

If you are registered on the Early Years register, you must meet the early years foundation stage framework standards. If you are registered on the Childcare Register you must meet either or both of the voluntary or compulsory Childcare Register requirements, depending on your registration.

If you are registered on both registers, you will need to meet each set of requirements.

Changes to a nursery or other daycare

You must tell Ofsted about changes to those responsible for your daycare organisation.

If the childcare takes place in someone's home, you must tell Ofsted about any changes to who is living or working there.

Anyone you have to tell us about must also apply to join your registration.

Making payments to Ofsted

You will need to maintain your Ofsted registration with an annual fee.

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Starting a nursery or other daycare and running the business

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Find out how to register with Ofsted as a nursery or other daycare, and what you will need to tell us about.

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Nurseries are popular, successful businesses in this day and age. They offer early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education, and could be the perfect place for you if you enjoy working with children. However, if you're thinking of starting your own nursery school, there's a lot that needs to be taken into consideration first.

In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about starting a nursery business, including the qualifications required. We'll also provide a free business plan template that you can use.

The contents of the guide are as follows:

Why Start a Nursery Business?

Starting your own nursery business can be extremely rewarding - the benefits include:

The ability to influence and be involved in children's early development, which lays down the foundations for the rest of their lives. Early years are really important - find out more in our article here - and helping to give children the best start makes for a fulfilling career.

High demand and the potential for great success. The Department for Education's 2019 report showed that there were 1.7 million childcare places offered in that year in England, with the great majority being from group-based nurseries rather than school-based ones. Few places go spare - only 19% of group-based nurseries' places were available in 2019 - because more parents are able to work, as a result of changes in employment conditions, and new government childcare schemes.

Freedom to work for yourself. Starting your own nursery gives you the freedom to be your own boss, and if you decide to do it from home, you don't even have the hassle of travelling.

However, there may be some drawbacks to consider. Like any start-up business, there are risks to starting a nursery: you need a really good business plan, great organisational skills, and a passion for the industry. Additionally, you have to be prepared for things to go wrong - insurance policies are particularly important, so that you don't find yourself on the wrong end of a lawsuit.

What Qualifications Do I Need to Open a Nursery?

If you plan to set up a nursery business, you don't need any formal childcare qualifications, unless you want to be involved in the day-to-day managing of the nursery. Managers must have at least two years' experience as a qualified nursery nurse, one to two years' experience in a supervisory role, and a relevant nursery qualification.

However, there are a lot of other considerations that you will need to keep in mind, from registering your nursery to safeguarding requirements and health and safety regulations.

Registering Your Nursery

Your nursery will need to be registered the specific regulator in your country:

England - Ofsted. Follow the link to this page for more information.

Wales - CSSIW (Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales). Look at this page for more information.

Scotland - the Care Inspectorate. Follow this link for more information.

Northern Ireland - the Health and Social Services Board (HSSB). Follow the link to this page for more information.

In order to apply for registration, you must be aged 18 years or older, have the right to work in the UK, and must undergo a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check. The DBS check ensures that you have no criminal convictions that make you unsuitable to work with children; it costs around £50. You will also need to fill in a health declaration booklet, detailing any health problems that you have and any medication you are taking.

Once you are registered with Ofsted, they will carry out inspections of your nursery at least once every three years, to ensure that it conforms with the 14 national standards for childcare. You will be graded on this.

Below is an overview of the relevant information contained in the 14 national standards.

Safeguarding

You must comply with local child protection procedures, and ensure that all staff are also aware of how to safeguard effectively - including the symptoms of children at risk, and what to do to report it. You will also need to create a written procedure detailing what to do if allegations are made against a member of staff, as well as the person in your organisation that everyone with concerns should go to. Additionally, you should have a system of attendance showing the times of arrival and departure of every child at nursery, and a system where you can identify that children are being collected by the correct person.

Health and Safety

You will need to complete a risk assessment of your premises, and ensure that you review it if there are any significant changes or you have reason to suspect it is no longer valid. Your risk assessment will need to include an action plan to identify how and when you will minimise any existing risks. For help completing your risk assessment, have a look at our Health and Safety in Schools Checklist - much of this information will also apply to you.

Additionally, it's really important that all your staff know what to do in an emergency. This includes fire safety measures and evacuation procedures, how to report injuries, how and when to administer medicine, how to handle hazardous substances, and how to carry out manual handling. At least one staff member on the premises must have paediatric first aid training at all times.

You will require policies about health and safety and ill or infectious children, and a procedure for what to do if a child becomes ill while they are at nursery. You should also have a no smoking policy.

Food Safety

If you will be preparing food and drink for children in your nursery, you will require appropriate training - there must be one trained member of staff on duty at all times. A Level 2 Food Hygiene course would be an appropriate qualification. All other members of staff must ensure that they also follow safe food hygiene practices; you should create a food hygiene policy with sections covering everything they need to know, from cross-contamination to temperature control and accidents. Don't forget about allergens - we have created a handy poster of the 14 named allergens that you could give to staff:

Downloadable Poster: 14 Named Allergens

Documentation

You will need to ensure that you keep records relating to the children you care for - these must cover everything that your staff need to know in order to safely and effectively care for each child. After a child has left your nursery, you will still need to keep these records for a reasonable period of time (PACEY recommends this to be six years after the child has left your setting).

When handling records, you will need to follow data protection regulations. Failing to comply with data protection law can lead to serious consequences. If you need training in this, have a look at our Data Protection for Schools course.

Equal Opportunities

All staff must actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practices. You will need an equal opportunities policy that follows the current legislation and guidance on the topic - take our Equality & Diversity Training to update your knowledge. Your equal opportunities policy should be available to all staff and parents.

For more information about the 14 national standards, have a look at the Department for Education's guidance. If you will be looking after babies, there are additional criteria in that document which will apply to you.

Starting a Nursery Business Plan

When setting up a nursery, the first thing you need to do is create a business plan. This will help you to stay on track and within budget, as well as showing any prospective lenders that you know what you're doing.

In this section, we will detail everything you need to think about and consider including in your business plan. We will also provide a business plan template for you to fill in.

If you need more help to write your business plan, and you could do with advice on finding investors, accessing support, marketing and operations, try our Starting a Business course. Once you complete the training, you'll be confident and prepared to set up and run your nursery business.

Market Research

One of the first things to think about is whether there is actually demand for a nursery in your local area. Look at the childcare providers around you which might be your competition, including other nurseries and childminders. How many of them are there? Are they full, or do they have lots of spare places?

An easy way to find this information out is through your local authority, which will have a list of all registered childcare providers. You could also contact the other providers to ask whether they are over-subscribed. If the market is already saturated in your area - in other words, if there are already plenty of nurseries, with plenty of places - then starting your own may not be such a viable plan.

Other things you should consider are the services the existing nurseries offer, and what their fees are. This will give you guidance as to what you could provide, and for how much: if their service is limited in some way, could you be more flexible? Think about the length of their opening hours, the ages they provide for, group sizes, and activities - for example, could you offer regular trips to the park, or foreign language lessons? Could you cater for broader age ranges? You could ask your friends, family, and acquaintances what they would like in a nursery, or even contact the local authority about what provision they feel is lacking.

In terms of fees, you need to think about how many parents in your target market will be relying on government support or subsidies - research the average wage and other demographics in your area, and think about whether you would register your nursery for the Tax-Free Childcare Scheme, or make your fees reasonable for those paying individually.

Choosing Your Premises

The premises you run your nursery from can hugely influence its appeal to your target market. Initially, you should decide whether you want to run the business from your home, or whether you will acquire new premises.

Running a Nursery from Home

You can run a nursery in your home if planning permission is granted - you will need to contact your local authority about this, and it may take some time. If you decide to do so, be aware that the minimum space requirements set by the government might limit your capacity: you need 3.5 square metres per child under two years old, 2.5 square metres per child aged two years, and 2.3 square metres for children aged three to seven.

Acquiring Other Premises

If you decide to acquire other premises, consider:

Location: whether the venue is in an area that covers your target market. Are there plenty of family homes and lots of schools? Is it an area where parents will be able to afford your fees, or access them with subsidies? Are there lots of other nurseries nearby, and are these already full or not?

Access: is there parking outside or nearby, for both staff and parents? What are the transport links like - is there a nearby bus stop or train station? Are there pedestrian crossings so that parents can cross the road safely and easily?

Outdoor facilities: is there enough space outside for a playground? Can the grounds be enclosed, so that they are safe?

Indoor facilities: is there the potential to install all the necessary facilities, including toilets (one for every 10 children over the age of 2), kitchen facilities, changing areas, and a telephone? Is the building well-lit and adequately ventilated? Is there enough space to have separate areas for all the activities you plan to run, as well as for storage for equipment?

Potential hazards: are there multiple floors? Are staircases child-friendly? Would you be able to prevent children from accessing the kitchen?

Future expansion: is there scope for expansion in the future?

You might decide to convert a building into a nursery, purchase an existing nursery building, or share space with a building such as a retirement home or indoor play centre (something that is becoming popular!). If you choose to share space, bear in mind that this might limit your ability to be flexible in opening hours and expand your business.

Financial Planning

Financial planning is key to any successful start-up. You will need to spend time working out each of the following:

Costs

You will have two types of costs: start-up and running. Your start-up costs involve:

Setting the nursery up, including buying the premises (if you choose to do so), and any building conversion costs.

Installing facilities such as a professional kitchen and outdoor play equipment/ground surfacing.

Buying furniture, toys, books, first aid kits, office equipment, uniforms, and signage.

Registering your nursery.

Marketing.

Initial staff training.

Start-up costs could total up to £100,000, but you could cut costs by buying things second-hand, doing as much as you can yourself, or deciding to be part of an existing nursery franchise.

Running costs will include ongoing expenses, such as:

Rent or mortgage payments.

Staff wages. The average salary for nursery staff is £19,000; paying their wages will make up the bulk of your running costs.

Your own salary.

Utilities (including council tax, water, gas, and electricity).

Food and other disposable resources.

Cleaning.

Regular maintenance.

Ongoing staff training.

Insurance.

Profit

You need to project how much money you expect to make from your business, in order to find out whether or not it is going to be profitable. First, consider how much you are going to charge by looking at other nurseries' fees to compare. You might be able to charge more if you are going to offer more services - for example, you could charge extra for snacks, meals, trips out, and other activities. Government childcare payment schemes cover the childcare rather than these extra things, so all parents could be charged for them on top of the regular fees.

Then, think about how many children you will need to have in your care, paying the fees you have decided upon, to be able to cover all your outgoing costs and give you the profit you want. You will need to make a profit for your business to be sustainable. Create a cashflow forecast for the first year of your business, anticipating what money will be coming in. Remember that the number of children in nursery can fluctuate throughout the year, so you might not be able to rely on consistently filled places in every season. Also think about whether you're going to offer part-time, as well as full-time, places, and the difference in cost between these.

Finally, give some thought to how you're going to collect your fees from parents. You need to ensure that fees are paid regularly and on time - if lots of parents pay you late, you can easily run out of money. It is best to set up standing orders or direct debits for this reason.

Insurance

Insurance is included in your running costs, and it's worth mentioning which insurance you should consider acquiring before you start your nursery. This includes:

Public liability insurance. This covers the cost of potential injury or sickness experienced by a member of the public (such as a child) on your premises - for example, staff administering non-prescribed medication, allergic reactions, and injuries on your play equipment.

Employer's liability insurance. This covers the cost of potential injury or sickness experienced by a member of staff while on your premises. You will need to display your certificate of this insurance clearly in your nursery.

Professional indemnity insurance. This covers you if you give out expert advice to parents or children which turns out to be wrong.

Commercial property insurance. This covers your property (and potentially the contents of your property) in the event of fire, flood, or theft.

Business interruption insurance. This pays you a certain amount if your business has to close for a period of time.

Personal accident cover. If you are heavily involved in the business, personal accident cover is advisable - if you have an accident and can't work, it will give you financial compensation during this time.

If you plan to organise trips, make sure that your insurance policies cover staff and children when they are away from the nursery premises.

Funding

Looking at all the costs you have in front of you, think about how you're going to fund the business. You might have your own savings, or the potential of a 'soft loan' from family or friends. Your local authority might be able to provide you with some funding - look on their website or get in touch with them for more information. Additionally, you could acquire a loan, whether that is from the government (e.g. The Start Up Loans Company), or from private equity funding sources.

Marketing and Branding

Marketing and branding are important parts of your business plan - they involve making your business known, and giving it its own style.

To create your own professional brand, consider speaking to a branding consultant. They can help you to design your logo, colour scheme, and uniform, along with giving you advice on the way you communicate, and policies. Your brand is important in showing potential customers why they should come to your nursery.

The next step, marketing your business, could involve:

Placing bold signs outside your premises, so that potential customers in your area notice you.

Creating a website, which includes your location, contact details, and the services you offer (at the very least). You might be able to create your website for free, but if you want lots of traffic to come to your site, it could be worth talking to an SEO specialist to help you get it listed on major search engines. It could also be worth working with a website designer, if you want to make it look extra professional - they should be able to consider SEO too.

Using social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This helps to attract new customers - however, remember to get parents' permission before posting pictures of children.

Leafleting and hanging banners. These methods are still effective!

Giving tours of the nursery, or holding an open day. This will create trust between you and your prospective customers, and show off your premises to everyone who is interested.

Marketing is never finished - it is a continuous process, because the children at your nursery will gradually grow up. Make the most of every marketing opportunity.

Now that you know what to write in your business plan, download the template - which you can edit on your computer or print out - using the button below:

Nursery Business Plan Template

How Do I Run a Good Nursery Business?

Now you know what you need to do, you might be wondering what you could do to make your nursery the best that it can be. In this section, we will provide you with some tips and advice for maximising the success of your business.

Choosing the Right Staff

It is extremely important to choose the right staff to work in any business, but particularly when you work with children and families. When choosing your staff, think about:

Whether they have patience and enjoy working around children. They will be required to do this day in, day out, so it's key that they have the right attitude and share your vision.

Whether they are trained in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Some children that pass through your nursery may have special needs, and you will need staff who can adequately provide care to them.

Whether they can manage behaviour effectively. Those who care for children might experience a wide range of behaviour incidents, and they need to be able to respond in a way that promotes the children's welfare and development.

Their qualifications. At least half of your staff will need a Level 2 qualification that is relevant to the care or development of children - or be working towards this - and others should possess Level 3 qualifications. You can use the government tool to check whether someone's qualifications are applicable to your setting. Additionally, consider taking on apprentices - they will have less experience, but will be rewarding and inexpensive to train.

Keep in mind that there are minimum staffing ratios for nurseries: there must be one adult to every three children under the age of two, 1:4 for those children aged two, and 1:8 for children aged three to seven. Trainees or apprentices under the age of 17 do not count as an adult in your adult to child ratios. There must also be a minimum of two staff on duty at all times.

Pay and Training

Once you have hired your staff, paying them what they are worth and investing in training and development will ensure that you have high staff retention rates, as well as improving the quality of your nursery, morale, and productivity.

While all staff will require induction training within their first week - including safeguarding, food hygiene, and health and safety training - you should also think about courses they could take for their Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

For example, staff who have achieved Level 3 qualifications could be upskilled by completing Level 5 qualifications, allowing them to take on more managerial responsibilities in the nursery. Staff wanting to increase their skills might also take Challenging Behaviour Training. There are plenty of courses related to childcare and other aspects of the work environment that your staff could take, and you should ensure that they do complete extra training every year, as well as keeping on top of their compulsory safety training requirements.

Creating a Good Learning Environment

Your nursery school will not only provide childcare - it should also help children to develop their emotional, physical, social, and intellectual abilities. You should follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) development structure, providing activities and play opportunities that support children's:

1. Personal development

2. Language and communication

3. Mathematical development

4. Knowledge and understanding of the world

5. Physical development

6. Creative development.

You can use the EYFS handbook to help you to meet these goals.

Staff will need to support children in carrying out activities, listening to them and talking about what they are doing. They should also be able to teach children what is right and wrong, and encourage positive behaviour - for tips about how to do this in the early years, read our article.

In addition, you should have furniture, equipment, books, and toys that help to make your nursery an accessible and stimulating environment.

Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers

Finally, you can make sure you are running a good nursery business by working with parents and carers to meet children's needs as best you can. This involves sharing relevant information with them, having an established complaints procedure, and valuing their feedback and opinions on your nursery. By building trust between you, you can ensure that they are satisfied, and your reputation will be great as a result.
We hope you've found our guidance on how to start a nursery business helpful, and we wish you luck if you plan to get started. If you need further information, don't hesitate to get in touch with us to see how we could help - you might also find the range of courses we offer, alongside our other resources on the Hub, of use.
Further Resources:

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Our guide on how to start a nursery business covers everything from the benefits and qualifications required to creating a business plan and marketing.

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Welcome to our complete guide on how to start a nursery. If you have a lot of patience and a passion for working with children, starting a nursery could be the business for you.

But, working with children means strict rules and regulations need to be met. Here we outline your legal obligations and answer your questions to help you make your nursery business a success. Follow our guide on how to open a nursery to kick start your business planning.

1. What qualifications do I need to open a nursery?

When considering how to open a nursery, you don't have to have any relevant childcare or nursery qualifications, as long as your staff team meets the set criteria. What you will need though is a strong head for business and excellent attention to detail. Running a nursery safely means always following the appropriate health and safety rules, and there will be lots of things to coordinate, so it will help to be good at multi-tasking.

If you plan on managing the nursery yourself, you will need childcare qualifications and experience. The manager of a nursery must have at least two years experience as a qualified nursery nurse, 1-2 years experience in a supervisory role, and a relevant nursery qualification.

2. How do I find qualified nursery staff?

When starting a nursery, staff should be at the forefront of your business plan. All your members of staff must be deemed 'suitable' to look after children. That means they'll have had the appropriate police checks. At least half of your staff will need to hold a minimum level 2 qualification for a day-care setting.

Action point

Use the government's early years qualifications tool to check if someone's qualifications allow them to work in an early years setting: qualifications finder

You can advertise for staff in your local paper on a dedicated website like nurseryworldjobs.co.uk

3. How many members of staff will I need to employ?

The number of staff you employ will depend on the number of children you have in your care. The maximum number of children in a group should not exceed 26. The National Standards for Day Care and Childminding regulations (2003) sets the following minimum staff: child ratios

For children aged up to 2 years: 1 member of staff for every three children

Children aged 2-3 years: 1 member of staff for every four children

Children aged from 3-7 years: 1 member of staff for every eight children

4. What washroom facilities will I need to supply?

The National Standards for Day Care and Childminding regulations state that you need to provide at least one hand wash-basin with hot and cold water for every ten children over the age of 2 years old.

Get a free nursery insurance quote

5. Health and safety requirements

All members of staff will need to have full Health and Safety training and induction in Child Protection procedure within a week of working for you.

Your premises must be 'safe and secure' and furniture and equipment, such as play equipment, must be well maintained and meet British safety standards.

Action point

PAT testing is an annual check to ensure electrical items are safe for use. It's not a legal requirement, but it does prove that electrical goods are safe. Because a nursery is a high-risk environment, carrying out regular PAT testing can give you peace of mind that you are meeting your legal obligation to ensure the safety of your employees and the public.

Put a health and safety policy in place. Your policy should include:

A risk assessment

Fire safety and risk assessment

How you'll report injuries

How manual handling should be carried out

Emergency evacuation procedures

How abuse towards staff will be handled

How substances hazardous to health will be handled

Maintenance procedures

6. How do I register my nursery?

Before you open up your nursery doors and welcome families, you'll need to register your nursery business. To register, you'll need to be able to demonstrate that you meet the ' 14 national standards '.

To apply for registration, you must be aged 18 years or older and have the right to work in the UK. You must also undergo a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check. bear in mind that you can apply as an individual or as an organisation.

You can apply for the Early Years Register, The Childcare Register, or both. If you care for children aged under three years old, you'll need to apply for the Early Years Register. If you only have children older than three years old, apply for the Childcare Register. or, if you have both, you'll need to apply for both.

Action point

Check if you need to register your business as there are some exemptions. Read the guide here. Even if you don't have to register by law, you may decide to do so voluntarily.

If you meet the criteria that require registration, you can read the full guidance booklet

Apply for your DBS check here

7. How much does it cost to register my nursery?

This depends on the type of childcare you offer and whether you are applying for the Early Years Register, The Childcare Register or both. The maximum cost to apply for both was £220 in 2017, although this figure could change.

Essential paperwork like insurance

8. What about food safety?

If you're preparing food or drinks for the children in your care, you'll need to pay close attention to food safety. Any premises where food is handled must follow food safety legislation. You'll need to have a written food safety management system in place. This could include monitoring and recording fridge and freezer temperatures daily as well as ensuring all staff who handle food have the correct training.

Get a free nursery insurance quote

If you are responsible for developing and maintaining your nursery's food safety management system, then you'll have to have the appropriate training.

Action point

Safer Food, Better Business information packs from the Food Standards Agency detail key areas of food safety including:

They will help you to:

Download your pack here

9. Other paperwork essentials

Starting a nursery has a lot of factors, but managing your nursery effectively once it's open is just as important. When it comes to managing your children's nursery, insurance is an essential piece of paperwork you'll need to get right. No matter how well trained your staff and how strictly you follow health and safety procedures, things can and do go wrong. If something unfortunate does happen, you can rely on your insurance to help you manage financially and protect your livelihood.

Action point

Critical areas of insurance for children's nurseries include:

Public liability. Paying your legal costs in the event of injury to a member of the public, such as a child, or damage to property because of something to do with your business. This can include covering your staff for administering non-prescribed medication, such as Calpol, allergic reactions to mislabelled food, and trampoline injuries.

Employer's liability. This is a legal essential if you employ any members of staff. It pays your legal fees if a member of the team is hurt or property is damaged because of something to do with your business.

Professional indemnity. Covers you if your expert advice is wrong.

Commercial property insurance. Covers your premises in the event of fire, flood or theft. This can include all your contents too.

Cover away from the nursery. If you plan to take the children away from the premises (for example on a trip to the local petting zoo), you need to ensure your insurance package includes cover away from the business address.

Loss of Registration insurance and Business interruption insurance. This pays out an agreed amount if your business is forced to close for a period.

Personal Accident cover. If your business relies on you, personal accident cover will give you peace of mind you'll be financially compensated if you have an accident and can't work for a period of time.

Get a free nursery insurance quote now

10. Can I set up a nursery in my own home?

Yes, you can. But it can take a while. You'll need to apply for planning permission, and if local residents aren't keen, it may take a while for the permission to be granted.

Action point

To apply for planning permission, get in touch with your local district council.

11. Finding suitable business premises

If you don't want to set up a nursery in your home, your first step needs to be to find suitable premises.

Action point

Go to look at potential premises with a checklist in your hand. Things to think about include:

Location: Is the proposed venue conveniently near to plenty of family homes? These could be your customers.

Convenience: Is there easy parking for staff and for parents to drop off and pick up or is it close to a bus route?

Space considerations: Is there safe outside space? Will it be easy to make the venue safe for children?

Competition: What other nurseries are operating nearby. Do they offer a similar service to you? Are they already full, suggesting there is scope for further nursery provision in the locality?

12. How big does my nursery need to be?

When researching how to set up a nursery, the size of the nursery is very important. Guidelines require the following space for children:

Up to 2 years old: 3.5 square metres per child

Aged 2-3 years: 2.5 square metres per child

Aged from 3-7 years: 2.3 square metres per child

13. Nursery set up costs

The setup costs to start a nursery can vary. The most significant cost is likely to be your premises. Depending on the size and location of your chosen site, your purchase or rental costs can be very different.

Next, you'll need to consider staffing costs. These can vary depending on where in the UK you are. The average salary for people working in a nursery is £19,000.

14. Nursery profit margins

Making your nursery business profitable will take a lot of juggling. The numbers of children in your care can fluctuate throughout the year, for example, you're likely to have fewer children at the start of the school year in September. But you'll need to balance your staffing levels, so you're able to take on new children throughout the year.

To work out how much profit you could make, you'll need to find out how much other local nurseries charge. Is there something different about your nursery that means parents will pay more?

After staffing costs, the next biggest draw on your budget is likely to be your rent. Before you take on a lease, make sure the numbers add up, and you will expect to turn a large enough profit to cover rental costs.

Action point

Take a pencil and paper and write down all the likely costs that you will face. This could include:

Don't forget to factor in your salary.

Then work out how many children you expect to have in your care and how much they will be paying. Don't forget extra costs you may be able to charge to parents, such as snacks or meals. All 3 and 4-year olds are eligible for up to 30 hours a week free childcare. You'll get a payment from the government to cover this at a rate of £4.30. But this does not have to cover snacks and meals, or activities like trips out. That means you can still bill parents separately for this. Just make sure you are very clear on what is and isn't included under the government scheme.

You should now have two amounts. Make sure that the amount of money you expect to make is higher than the amount you expect to pay out to ensure your nursery business is profitable.

Your new nursery as a business

You may have a pretty good idea of how to start a nursery regarding rules and regulations, but you will also need to consider the business side of things if you want your enterprise to be successful.

Compiling a business plan will help you keep track of each stage of the process. You can use your business plan to help secure financing or guide your path through this challenging but fun process. If you haven't created a business plan before, the Prince's Trust offers excellent guidance and a handy template.

An important part of your business plan is working out how to attract clients to your nursery. Here you can think about how to build your nursery brand and advertise it successfully.

Market research

Market research is an important consideration when considering how to start a nursery business. Marking the highest level in 20 years, now three in four mothers are in employment, meaning childcare providers are in demand. High demand means that your nursery will have stiff competition, so conducting market research early in the process will be a wholly beneficial exercise, allowing you to tailor your business plan to your chosen target market.

Make an appraisal of your local competitors. Do they have many spaces available? What type of setting are they offering, and what is their rate? Once you've ascertained that there will be demand for places at your nursery, try to work out what your unique selling point will be, for example:

It's important to understand the demographic of parents who might use your nursery. Research the average wage in your area and use this to calculate your fees. Register your nursery for the Tax-Free Childcare Scheme to encourage inclusivity.

Building your nursery brand

First impressions count for a parent or carer looking for a nursery. Especially when you're setting up new premises and opening your nursery, you won't have word of mouth to rely on yet, so you need strong branding to tell the story of your nursery, what it offers, and its childcare ethos. You've already asked, what qualifications do I need to open a nursery? Make sure your branding showcases the qualifications and skillsets within your new team.

If you have no experience in branding, consider sourcing an expert. Begin with a fantastic name and logo, and you can start using this branding across all your communication platforms, from your website and letterheads to staff uniforms and your premise's signage.

Your website is an important marketing tool, and a branding consultant will show you how to use images and content to quickly communicate your nursery's ethos to the reader. Though there are many self-build websites available, you may prefer to work with a web developer for a more professional finish that will make the best impression on potential clients.

You can also use social media platforms but be mindful of image-sharing rules if you'd like to use photographs of the children who start attending your nursery, seeking signed permission from the parents and never naming the child online.

When the nursery is ready to go, organise open days and tours to let parents explore your premises and meet your staff.

What will it cost?

Thinking about how to set up a nursery UK requires a good head for figures. There are two main costs you need to consider when compiling your business plan: the start-up and the running costs.

You may need to budget up to £100,000 for nursery start-up costs, though there are savings to be made by avoiding state-of-the-art and brand-new equipment. These costs could include:

Your running costs could include the following:

Mortgage or rent and utilities

Wages

Insurance

Food

Learning supplies

Staff training

Maintenance (and your insurer can help you work out how often you'll need to carry out maintenance) and cleaning

Protecting your business

The welfare of the staff and children who attend your nursery will be top of your list of priorities, but you also need to consider the risks associated with running a childcare business. Make sure you discuss the following covers with your insurer to keep your finances protected:

Employers' Liability - a legal requirement in the UK if you employ staff. This will protect you if an employee claims they became sick or injured due to their employment.

Public Liability - which will deal with any injuries or personal property damage sustained by a third party while on your premises. This could involve a child hurting themselves on your play equipment or a delivery driver getting his mobile phone splattered with paint by an enthusiastic child. This is one of the most important nursery requirements in the UK regarding your finances.

Professional Indemnity - in case your advice harms one of your clients.

Business Interruption - as a safeguard against your business unexpectedly closing for reasons beyond your control.

Commercial Premises - a cover that insures the bricks and mortar of your premises against the likes of flood and fire damage. You should also consider adding sufficient contents cover to protect all your equipment.

What are the benefits of starting a nursery?

Though it comes with its fair share of paperwork and a need to be absolutely on top of the rules and regulations of childcare, setting up a nursery can be both a life-enhancing experience and an excellent business opportunity.

When you open a nursery, you have the potential to:

Shape the next generation - the skills a child learns at nursery age from all future learning. Not only can you influence the likes of fine and gross motor skills, but you can also encourage good social skills.

Run a business with a high level of demand, with the potential to maintain a steady profit over time

Set your own hours

Offer training and career progression for early years childcare professionals

Finally

If you enjoy working with children, opening your own nursery can be a financially and emotionally rewarding choice. Follow the steps above and you can look forward to running your own business with confidence and success.

Get a free nursery insurance quote now

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How To Start a Nursery | 14 Step Guide | Park Insurance

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The most comprehensive guide on how to start a nursery on the web. 14 steps to help you get your nursery business underway. Read more.

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If you are registered on the Early Years register, you must meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage framework. If you are registered on the Early Years and Childcare Registers, you will need to meet each set of requirements.

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Childminders and childcare providers: register with Ofsted

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If you are registered on the Early Years register, you must meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage framework. If you are registered on the Early Years and Childcare Registers, you will need to meet each set of requirements.

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The Data Protection Act 2018 controls how your personal information is used by organisations, businesses or the government.

The Data Protection Act 2018 is the UK's implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Everyone responsible for using personal data has to follow strict rules called 'data protection principles'. They must make sure the information is:

used fairly, lawfully and transparently

used for specified, explicit purposes

used in a way that is adequate, relevant and limited to only what is necessary

accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date

kept for no longer than is necessary

handled in a way that ensures appropriate security, including protection against unlawful or unauthorised processing, access, loss, destruction or damage

There is stronger legal protection for more sensitive information, such as:

race

ethnic background

political opinions

religious beliefs

trade union membership

genetics

biometrics (where used for identification)

health

sex life or orientation

There are separate safeguards for personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences.

Your rights

Under the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to find out what information the government and other organisations store about you. These include the right to:

be informed about how your data is being used

access personal data

have incorrect data updated

have data erased

stop or restrict the processing of your data

data portability (allowing you to get and reuse your data for different services)

object to how your data is processed in certain circumstances

You also have rights when an organisation is using your personal data for:

automated decision-making processes (without human involvement)

profiling, for example to predict your behaviour or interests

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The Data Protection Act (DPA) controls how personal information can be used and your rights to ask for information about yourself

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How To Start a Day Nursery 2023: Key Steps | Startups.co.uk

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Get the lowdown on how to start a day nursery, including expert insight on regulations, qualifications, premises and staffing.

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Nurseries and other daycare (childcare on non-domestic premises): registration

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Nurseries and other daycare (childcare on non-domestic premises): registration

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If your organisation takes over an existing childcare provider through a merger or acquisition, you need to make sure that the childcare is registered correctly with Ofsted. You cannot provide childcare on the existing premises until you have either:

If the individuals making up the registered person change, the nominated individual must tell Ofsted about any changes. Any new individuals must complete an EY2 form and get an enhanced check with barred lists from DBS.

When you do not have to make a new application

You do not have to make a new registration application if either of the following apply:

you acquire a company that retains the registered person's company number, and continue to trade under the existing company name

the sole trader or organisation changes its name or the registered address (the address where Ofsted sends legal documents) but the registered person remains the same

If you are acquiring a setting as part of your existing organisation, you can apply for approval to add this to your registration.

Separate legal entity

If you want to keep the existing provider as a separate legal entity from your other organisation, you should register this through a new application.

Continuity of care

The seller remains responsible for childcare until they contact Ofsted to resign the registration. If continuity of care for children is an issue, they may want to consider delaying their resignation until Ofsted has issued a new registration certificate.

If the seller wants to resign before the new applicant is registered, the provision must stop operating.

If you acquire an existing provision, we will include the setting's history on the Ofsted reports site for 5 years.

New legal entity

If Ofsted has completed checks on the applicant before, we will not redo these unless there are any concerns or new people connected with the provision. The registration visit will normally concentrate on checking that the new premises are safe and how the provision may or may not be different.

Resigning your registration

If you want to resign your registration, contact us or tell the inspector during a visit.

We will keep the published history of a childcare setting on our reports website for 5 years after the setting is listed as closed. This includes:

the name of the registered person and the address where childcare was provided

your previous inspection reports (if you were only registered on the Childcare Register, previous inspection outcome letters will remain online for 12 months after publication)

details of any previous conditions of registration

any information we have previously published about complaints or compliance action taken against you (this will remain online for 5 years after publication)

We do this so that people can view this information in case:

you decide to register to provide childcare again after a short period

you decide to start providing childcare at a different address

you decide to register to provide childcare through a new organisation, for example, you want to set up a new company to provide childcare

someone else decides to register to provide childcare from the same address

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Nurseries and other daycare (childcare on non-domestic premises): registration

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The application process for nurseries, playgroups, before- and after-school clubs and other daycare. This includes fees, who should apply and making changes once you're registered.

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The Disclosure and Barring Service helps employers make safer recruitment decisions. DBS is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Home Office .

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If you have applied to register as an organisation, the registration visit and interview will take place with the nominated individual. The inspector will check that you (as the nominated individual) fully understand the legal responsibilities of your role.

You must be accountable for meeting all the requirements. This means showing the inspector how you will make sure that the manager is running the setting properly (for example, setting suitable policies about safeguarding and recruitment).

As well as the points above, the inspector will check:

that you and your staff meet the EYFS qualification requirements for training and understand the childcare ratios

how much space you have for each child

that you understand the number and age of children you can care for (childcare ratios)

how you will organise your space to meet the children's learning, development and welfare needs

your premises' heating, ventilation, natural light and the general state of repair and cleanliness

that the children have access to outdoor play (this does not necessarily have to be on the premises), and any necessary arrangements for this

that there are enough suitable kitchen, toilet and nappy-changing facilities

that you and your staff will deliver educational programmes to help children learn and develop

The inspector will also check that you have suitable procedures for hiring staff, including:

recruitment processes

getting DBS checks

obtaining details of employment history, references and any other necessary checks, such as checks on an employee's physical and mental health

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Childminders and childcare providers: register with Ofsted

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If you apply to join the Early Years Register, we will arrange a registration visit. This will normally take place once all your checks are complete, but could happen earlier.

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Does this section apply to us?

This section applies if:

you are a UK-based business or organisation; and

the UK GDPR currently applies to your processing of personal data.

What should we do?

Now the UK has EU adequacy decisions, you can use our guidance to assess the impact of legal changes in a few key areas:

Does the GDPR still apply?

Yes. The GDPR is retained in domestic law as the UK GDPR, but the UK has the independence to keep the framework under review. The 'UK GDPR' sits alongside an amended version of the DPA 2018.

The key principles, rights and obligations remain the same. However, there are implications for the rules on transfers of personal data between the UK and the EEA.

The UK GDPR also applies to controllers and processors based outside the UK if their processing activities relate to:

offering goods or services to individuals in the UK; or

monitoring the behaviour of individuals taking place in the UK.

There are also implications for UK controllers who have an establishment in the EEA, have customers in the EEA, or monitor individuals in the EEA. The EU GDPR still applies to this processing, but the way you interact with European data protection authorities has changed.

This guidance covers the key issues you need to consider regarding cross-border processing.

Otherwise, you should continue to follow our existing guidance on your general data protection obligations.

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This guidance explains data protection at the end of the transition period for leaving the EU in more detail. Read it if you have detailed questions not answered in our other resources, or if you need a deeper understanding of data protection law and how it will change if we do not have adequacy at the end of the transition period.

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HSE: Information about health and safety at work

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Advice, guidance, news, templates, tools, legislation, publications from Great Britain's independent regulator for work-related health, safety and illness; HSE

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Securing a robust supervision system into each settings practice is a challenge, yet it is a key component to our work for many reasons. The role of supervision in early years settings remains a requirement in the latest statutory framework for the EYFS.

Providers must put appropriate arrangements in place for the supervision of staff who have contact with children and families. Effective supervision provides support, coaching and training for the practitioner and promotes the interests of children. Supervision should foster a culture of mutual support, teamwork and continuous improvement, which encourages the confidential discussion of sensitive issues. (Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage, Sept 2021 paragraph 3.22).

The call for supervision as a requirement became an outcome from the Plymouth Serious Case Review (2009) which looked at the failings of a nursery and the abuse one practitioner inflicted on many children during a short period of employment. One of the many failings was staff's lack of knowledge of safeguarding and where to go with concerns. The Tickell Review (2011) tightened up the statutory requirements around staff supervision and training and understanding of abuse in the workplace and the start of a mobile phone policy in settings.

The role and responsibility for providers to ensure that practitioners receive supervision needs to be embedded in practice across all settings. Knowing what supervision actually entails is essential in order to provide it effectively. It is also important to explore the meanings of supervision, mentoring, coaching and performance appraisal and where they may be interlinked. The EYFS uses these terms without fully explaining the differences.

Sturt and Wonnacott (2016) layout four functions to supervision which explain why supervision is helpful to embed in practice:

Are you doing what your provider/leader/manger thinks they are paying you to do? Everyone works better when they know exactly what is expected of them.

Could you improve what you are doing with some training/professional opportunities for growth?

What support do you need? What would help you emotionally to do your job even better?

Whenever you are at work are you behaving and therefore representing the provision, as is befitting your role?

Each of these four functions can be looked at in more detail. It is important to remember that supervision needs to be flexible to respond to individual needs and that the balance across the four domains will vary in every session.

In discussion with colleagues, the following benefits of one to one supervision were highlighted:

As a leader you are more up-to-date with the 'temperature' of the setting, how staff are feeling about their performance and where they might need support. The staff on the ground know what is going on and any issues can be identified, explored and resolved before they escalate.

Individual staff can talk about their key person working, and/or wider observations about individual children, in terms of their learning and development and any barriers that might be present or possible. This aspect can also support safeguarding concerns, where both you and the practitioner can be professionally curious and 'think the unthinkable' about children's welfare, in a safe confidential space. This might of course lead to action to protect a child.

Support can be given more readily by you when it is required - some team members might not ask for help unless they see a window to do so. These meetings create that window which can open up your relationship with each practitioner and will enable them to ask for support when they need it, outside of these meetings.

The supervising relationship can help reduce potential fear of the appraisal/performance system in the setting as you or a line manager will be meeting each team member on a regular basis.

The balance between support and challenge
Within the supervision relationship, there is an important balance we need to provide so that practitioners are encouraged to be the best they can be, exploring ideas with motivation and confidence. With a support-only approach, supervision can become just a 'cosy chat' where little learning takes place. With a challenge-only approach, the practitioner can become very anxious or defensive. The best place for supervision, and therefore the best place for learning, takes place where there is both high challenge and high support as this table illustrates:

Practitioners feel under pressure, can lose confidence and avoid taking risks for fear of reprisal

Practitioners explore new ideas with strong motivation, trying new skills and developing their professional knowledge and understanding

Quality of care and standards tend to drift downwards as staff feel uninspired

Staff keep doing what they have always been doing and can get bored or laissez faire about their practice

Adapted from Cook (2016).

Finding time as a leader, and continuing to develop your skills as a supervisor are challenges in themselves. It might be worth asking yourself who is supporting and challenging you - do you have a coach, mentor, peer to provide the same platform that you are expected to provide for others. Remember to look after your own needs as well as those of your team. Supervision is a huge topic - necessary and worthy of your time to do well to safeguard children, strengthen your team and stretch yourself.

Cook, J. (2016) "Leadership and Management in the Early Years", Practical Preschool Books

Sturt, P. and Wonnacott, J. (2016) "Supervision for Early Years Workers", Pavilion

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An introduction to supervision in the early years

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Securing a robust supervision system into each settings practice is a challenge, yet it is a key component to our work for many reasons. The role of...

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It's not known why some babies die suddenly and for no apparent reason from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), or cot death.

Experts do know placing a baby to sleep on their back reduces the risk, and exposing a baby to cigarette smoke or allowing them to overheat increases the risk.

It's also known there's an association between sleeping with your baby on a sofa or chair and SIDS.

Follow the advice on this page to reduce the risks as much as possible.

How to reduce the risk of SIDS

To reduce the risk of SIDS:

place your baby on their back to sleep, in the same room as you, for the first 6 months

keep your baby's head uncovered - their blanket should be tucked in no higher than their shoulders

if wearing your baby in a sling or carrier, do not cover their head with the sling material or with a muslin

place your baby in the "feet to foot" position, with their feet at the end of the cot or Moses basket

do not let your baby get too hot or cold

never sleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair

do not smoke when you're pregnant or around your baby after they're born, and do not let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby

Place your baby on their back to sleep

Place your baby on their back to sleep from the very beginning for both day and night sleeps. This will reduce the risk of cot death.

Do not put your baby to sleep on their side or tummy.

Once your baby is old enough to roll over, there's no need to worry if they turn onto their tummy or side while sleeping.

Do not let your baby's head become covered

Babies whose heads are covered with bedding are at an increased risk of SIDS.

To prevent your baby wriggling down under the covers, place them in the "feet to foot" position. This means their feet are at the end of the crib, cot or Moses basket.

To put your baby in the feet to foot position:

tuck the covers in securely under your baby's arms so they cannot slip over their head - use 1 or more layers of lightweight blankets

use a baby mattress that's firm, flat, well-fitting, clean and waterproof on the outside - cover the mattress with a single sheet

do not use duvets, quilts, baby nests, wedges, bedding rolls or pillows

If you use a sling or carrier, make sure you use it safely.
The Lullaby Trust has more information and advice about swaddling your baby and using slings

Do not let your baby get too hot or too cold

Overheating can increase the risk of SIDS. Babies can overheat because of too much bedding or clothing, or because the room is too hot.

When you check your baby, make sure they're not too hot. If your baby is sweating or their tummy feels hot to the touch, take off some of the bedding. Do not worry if their hands or feet feel cool - this is normal.

It's easier to adjust for the temperature by using layers of lightweight blankets. Remember, a folded blanket counts as 2 blankets. Lightweight, well-fitting baby sleeping bags are a good choice, too.

Babies do not need hot rooms. All-night heating is rarely necessary. Keep the room at a temperature that's comfortable - about 16 to 20C is ideal.

If it's very warm, your baby may not need any bedclothes other than a sheet.

Even in winter, most babies who are unwell or feverish do not need extra clothes.

Babies should never sleep with a hot water bottle or electric blanket, next to a radiator, heater or fire, or in direct sunshine.

Babies lose excess heat through their heads, so make sure their heads cannot be covered by bedclothes, slings or carriers while they're asleep.

Remove hats and extra clothing as soon as you come indoors or enter a warm car, bus or train, even if it means waking your baby.

Be safe if you share a bed with your baby

If you share a bed with your baby (co-sleeping), you should:

make sure they sleep on a firm, flat mattress lying on their back

not have any pillows or duvets near them

not have other children or pets in the bed at the same time

It's important not to share a bed with your baby if they had a low birthweight (less than 2.5kg or 5.5lb) or if you or your partner:

smoke (no matter where or when you smoke and even if you never smoke in bed)

have had 2 or more units of alcohol

have taken recreational drugs

have taken medicine that causes drowsiness

Never sleep with a baby on a sofa or armchair

It's lovely to have your baby with you for a cuddle or a feed, but sleeping with your baby on a sofa or armchair is linked to a higher risk of SIDS.

It's safest to put your baby back in their cot before you go to sleep.

Do not let anyone smoke near your baby

Babies exposed to cigarette smoke before and after birth are at an increased risk of SIDS. Do not let anyone smoke in the house, including visitors.

Ask anyone who needs to smoke to go outside. Do not take your baby into smoky places.

If you smoke, sharing a bed with your baby increases the risk of cot death.

Get help and support if you want to quit smoking

Feeding, dummies and SIDS

Breastfeeding your baby reduces the risk of SIDS.

It's possible using a dummy at the start of a sleep also reduces the risk of SIDS. But the evidence is not strong and not all experts agree that dummies should be promoted.

If you do use a dummy, do not start until breastfeeding is well established. This is usually when your baby is around 1 month old.

Stop giving them the dummy when they're between 6 and 12 months old.

Get medical help quickly if your baby is unwell

Babies often have minor illnesses that you do not need to worry about.

Give your baby plenty of fluids to drink and do not let them get too hot. If your baby sleeps a lot, wake them up regularly for a drink.

It can be difficult to judge whether an illness is more serious and needs urgent medical attention.

See spotting the signs of serious illness for guidance on when to get help.

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Reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

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Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), or cot death, is rare. Find out how you can reduce the risk even further.

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Childminders and childcare providers: register with Ofsted - Suitability checks - Guidance - GOV.UK

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Details of the checks we carry out, including health checks and what to do if you have lived abroad in the last 5 years.

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Situations when we can put your application on hold.

We may put an application on hold for up to 16 weeks in exceptional circumstances, but we can only do this once. After this period, you must either continue or withdraw your application.

Situations when we can put your application on hold are:

short-term illness, injury or hospitalisation for surgery

death in the family

significant building work or planning difficulties

pregnancy

personal circumstances - if you are unavailable for a visit, for example because you are on holiday, or if you are experiencing personal difficulties such as divorce

if you have not been able to complete a training or first aid course because it was cancelled

staffing - if you are applying to register as childcare on non-domestic premises, and have not yet appointed a manager

you have applied for a disqualification waiver

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Childminders and childcare providers: register with Ofsted

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Situations when we can put your application on hold.

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Ofsted cannot refund fees, even if you withdraw your application. This also applies if:

we refuse to grant registration and/or approval for additional or different premises

you're disqualified from providing childcare

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Childminders and childcare providers: register with Ofsted

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Information about the fees that Ofsted charges to register as a childminder, nanny or other childcare provider.

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If you are on the Early Years Register, we will carry out regular inspections. We inspect 10% of providers only on the Childcare Register each year.

You must continue to show that you are suitable to look after children and follow all requirements. We monitor this through:

regular inspections

visits by inspectors, or repeat/additional checks, to follow up any concerns that we receive

If you work on different premises for up to 50% of your time, we will inspect you wherever you would normally be at the time of inspection. For instance, if you are a childminder but run an after-school club on Fridays, and we arrange the inspection for a Friday, we will inspect you there.

You can find out more in Being inspected as a childminder or childcare provider.

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Childminders and childcare providers: register with Ofsted

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If you are on the Early Years Register, we will carry out regular inspections. We inspect 10% of providers only on the Childcare Register each year.

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Looking after children at home

This is also known as childminding or looking after children 'on domestic premises'. This can be your home or someone else's home. You do not have to register if you:

are a nanny, looking after children in their own home

are only looking after children over the age of 8 in someone's home

do not receive any money, vouchers, goods or services in return for childcare

are a babysitter, looking after children at home between 6pm and 2am

look after a friend's children for less than 3 hours a day for some payment

are providing home education to a child of school age who is educated outside school full-time

Tutoring, coaching and clubs

You do not have to register if you provide tutoring or coaching in either one or two of the following activities to children aged 3 and over:

school study support or homework support

sports

performing arts

arts and crafts

religious, cultural or language studies

However, you cannot look after children under 5 for more than 4 hours in any one day.

The activity needs to be the main focus of what you offer, such as school study support, sport or performing arts. This should be specific tuition or coaching to help children improve their skills, rather than offering childcare for working parents. We do not necessarily expect everyone working with children to be a specialist coach, but they should have particular skills in those areas to help children improve.

Online tutors cannot register with Ofsted.

Creches and other daycare

You do not have to register if you:

look after children under 8 from one place for 14 days or less in any year

let Ofsted know in writing at least 14 days before starting the service

If you offer care in an open space or other area with no building (for example as a forest school), you still have to register with Ofsted unless you meet any of our other exemption criteria.

Creches

Creches do not have to register if all the following apply:

they look after children under 8 for 4 hours or less each day

the children's parents plan to stay in the immediate area (close by where they can be summoned immediately)

there is no long-term commitment to provide childcare

this is offered to parents or carers as a short-term convenience, for instance while they are shopping

If you offer a crèche where parents can leave their children while they work or take part in training, this is not exempt. This is because it counts as a long-term commitment to provide childcare.

Open access childcare

An open access scheme lets children arrive and leave the setting by themselves - for example some council-run holiday clubs. You cannot offer open access childcare to children in the early years age group (up to 31 August following their fifth birthday).

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Childminders and childcare providers: register with Ofsted

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Most childcare providers looking after children under the age of 8 must register with Ofsted (or a childminder agency). This chapter explains when you cannot register, and when you do not have to.

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Childminders and childcare providers: register with Ofsted - The Ofsted registers - Guidance - GOV.UK

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There are 2 Ofsted registers: the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register. Find out which to join and how to change registers.

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These documents raise awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM) and provide advice on preventative measures.

The Home Office co-ordinates efforts across government and offers outreach support to local areas. You can find out more about FGM through the e-learning package, Recognising and preventing FGM.

The Home Office's FGM unit:

provides outreach support to local areas to support them in developing their local response to tackling FGM and to raise awareness of the unit

identifies and highlights examples of effective practice across local areas and professional groups both through the delivery of our outreach programme and an FGM resource pack

promotes available FGM resources including the multi-agency guidelines, e-learning, communications products (e.g. leaflets and statement) and resource pack which are all available to download from GOV.UK

works with the police, Border Force, the Crown Prosecution Service and the College of Policing to improve the identification and prosecution of offenders

has an overview of all government work to tackle FGM and works closely with the voluntary and community sector, survivors and professionals to develop cross-cutting policies and processes

If you are interested in receiving any outreach support or have any other queries, please email the FGM unit at fgmenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk

Please note the unit does not handle individual cases.

If you know someone at risk - contact the NSPCC anonymously if you're worried that someone is at risk of FGM or is a victim of FGM.

FGM Helpline

Contact the police if you think that a girl or young woman is in immediate danger of FGM. You should also contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office if she's already been taken abroad.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

telephone: 020 7008 1500

from overseas: +44 (0)20 7008 1500

find out about call charges.

You can also contact the nearest British embassy if you're already abroad.

Get a protection order

You can apply to get a protection order from the court if:

you're a victim of FGM

you or someone you know is in danger of FGM

Download and fill in an application form (FGM001). Read the guidance to find out which courts you can apply to.

Documents

FGM resources

Find posters, leaflets and other campaign material

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These documents raise awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM) and provide advice on preventative measures.

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Safeguarding children and protecting professionals in early years settings: online safety considerations

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Guidance to help those who work in early years settings consider their practice and to take steps to safeguard both children and adults online.

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Non-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

Development Matters offers a top-level view of how children develop and learn for all early years practitioners, including:

childminders

staff in nurseries

nursery schools

school nursery and reception classes in school

The guidance can help meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework.

Thank you for your feedback

Report a problem with this page

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Non-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage.

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Guidance to provide support for early years practitioners when completing the early years foundation stage (EYFS) progress check at age 2.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This guidance is for early years practitioners working with children aged between 2 and 3, including:

registered childminders

nursery schools and nursery classes

other early years settings

It will help early years practitioners to:

review a child's development and progress in the 3 prime areas of learning and development in the EYFS framework

identify any areas of concern or additional development needs

work with parents and other professionals to put in place appropriate support and intervention

The guidance informs, supports and offers suggestions. It does not replace the professional judgement of practitioners.

It should be read alongside Development Matters which sets out how children develop and learn.

What to expect in the early years foundation stage: a guide for parents can support practitioners to help parents find out more about their child's learning and development in the EYFS.

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Guidance to provide support for early years practitioners when completing the early years foundation stage (EYFS) progress check at age 2.

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Find out if a person’s qualifications allow them to work in an early years setting, and if you can include them in staff:child ratios.

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Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

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Resources to help keep children healthy and well from preconception to adulthood.

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Tips for Fire Safety in the Nursery & Childcare Sector

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This article looks at the Top 10 Tips for Fire Safety in the Nursery & Childcare Sector 2023. In a childcare environment especially, ...

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Early Years Inspection Handbook for Ofsted registered provision

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Early Years Inspection Handbook for Ofsted registered provision

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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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Who can apply, how to apply and contact details for criminal record checks overseas.

Details

The application process for criminal records checks or 'Certificates of Good Character' for someone from overseas varies from country to country. You'll have to apply in the country or to the relevant embassy in the UK.

Please read the guidance document if you have any queries. If you have any questions on applying for a criminal record check in the UK, please contact the Disclosure & Barring Service.

All Tier 2 (General) visa applicants who want to work in specified health, education or social care sectors must provide a criminal record certificate.

This must be from any country (except the UK) where you have lived for 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years, while aged 18 or over. This will also apply to any adult partners, whether they apply with you or make a separate application to join you if you are already in the UK.

This will not apply if you are making an application for an extension of stay in the UK.

If you don't provide a certificate or a satisfactory explanation about why you have not provided one, your visa application will be refused.

You can read the written ministerial statement and statement of changes to the Immigration rules (HC1078) for more information.

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Criminal records checks for overseas applicants

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Who can apply, how to apply and contact details for criminal record checks overseas.

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Example menus and useful guidance for early years settings to help meet the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements for food and drink.

Documents

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@phe.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

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Details

This series of example menus and associated guidance has been developed to support early years settings (such as nurseries and childminders) to offer food and drink in line with current government dietary recommendations for infants and children aged 6 months to 4 years.

The documents include example menus and useful information for early years settings to help show how they can meet the Early Years Foundation Stage welfare requirement to provide 'healthy, balanced and nutritious' meals for children.

Accompanying infographics are available from Action for Children.

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Example menus for early years settings in England

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Example menus and useful guidance for early years settings to help meet the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements for food and drink.

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The guidelines here are to help you consider how best to ensure the safety of children, parents and staff in the event of a local threat or emergency situation which may result in your setting being placed into a security-related lockdown (as opposed to a Covid-19 related lockdown).

Most of your existing procedures for handling an emergency situation will involve evacuation of the premises and will be focused on an event happening in your building.

However, in some situations, it is likely you will be advised to stay put (lockdown) rather than evacuate the premises.

In the event of an incident, 'lockdown' of a building or buildings is an emergency procedure to secure and protect occupants near an immediate threat.

By controlling movement in an area, emergency services can contain and handle the situation more effectively.

Be prepared

Risk assess the likelihood of an incident happening in your area i.e. consider your location, are you near a busy tourist attraction, power station, or city centre?

Check your police force website for advice about managing a range of issues that may be prevalent in your area. Make sure you have local police contact numbers clearly displayed for staff to refer to.

With regard to terrorism alert levels check the current status on the MI5 website.

Follow any advice for managing emergency situations issued by your Local Authority.

Review your existing emergency procedures and add to them if necessary. Give particular consideration to 'lockdown'.

Share information with parents to advise them of the actions you will take in the event of a 'lockdown' and what they should do.

Make sure all staff are aware of their role during 'lockdown'.

Consider the wording of a text or phone message that will be issued to all parents as soon as lockdown is announced and you are sure the situation is not a false alarm.

Suggested wording for message to parents:
Due to an incident we have been advised by the emergency services to secure the premises and stay put until we are given the 'all clear'. Please do not attempt to collect your child until it is safe to do so. We will let you know as soon as we are able when that is likely to be. In the meantime we need to keep our telephone lines clear and would appreciate your cooperation in not calling unless it is absolutely vital that you speak to us.
Lockdown procedures

If an emergency happens the setting manager must act quickly to assess the likelihood of immediate danger. In most cases the assumption should be that it is safer to stay put and place the setting into 'lockdown' until the emergency services arrive.

As soon as the emergency services arrive it is essential staff comply with instructions at all times.

Upon alert to lockdown

Stay calm.

Ensure staff and children stay in their designated areas. Stay in the room you are working in, secure all doors and windows and await further instructions.

Close curtains and blinds where possible.

Stay away from windows and doors.

Stay low and keep calm, it might be an idea to rehearse this with children in an age appropriate way, in the same way that you would rehearse fire evacuation. Lock-down must be rehearsed and recorded termly.

Tune into a local TV or radio station for more information.

Do NOT make non-essential calls on mobile phones or landlines.

If the fire alarm is activated, remain where you are and await further instructions from emergency services unless the fire is in your area. In which case, move to the next room/area, following your usual fire procedures.

Be alert

Do NOT open the door once it has been secured until you are officially advised 'all clear' or are certain it is emergency services at the door. This is another element of your 'lockdown' procedure that can be practised in an age-appropriate way with the children to avoid them becoming anxious when staff do not respond to the doorbell in the usual way.

Do NOT travel down long corridors.

Do NOT assemble in large open areas.

Do NOT call 999 again unless you have immediate concern for your safety, the safety of others, or feel you have critical information.

Following the lockdown

Co-operate with the emergency services to help in an orderly evacuation.

Ensure you have the Register and children's details with you.

Any staff or children who have witnessed an attack or incident will need to tell the police what they saw.

The police may require other individuals to remain available for questioning.

Managing parents

In the event of an incident it is inevitable parents will want to come to the setting and collect their children immediately.

They must be discouraged from doing so, until the emergency services give the all clear.

Even then, depending on the severity and type of incident, children may need to be checked by medical teams or questioned by the police.

It must be made absolutely clear to parents that you will be acting on the advice of the emergency services at all times.

With regard to getting information to parents during 'lockdown', you should use the existing systems you have in place for sending group messages, such as social media, text, emails. Discourage parents from ringing you directly for further updates during 'lockdown'; it will be vital your phone lines remain clear.

Threat levels

Threat levels are designed to give a broad indication of the likelihood of a terrorist attack.

LOW means an attack is unlikely.

MODERATE means an attack is possible but not likely.

SUBSTANTIAL means an attack is a strong possibility.

SEVERE means an attack is highly likely.

CRITICAL means an attack is expected imminently.

Members of the public should always remain alert to the danger of terrorism and report any suspicious activity to the police on 999 or the anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321.

For non-emergency calls to the police, call 101.

Further information

The information here is a source of guidance only and is not meant to be an exhaustive list.

Every setting is responsible for all decisions they take and you should seek further guidance on any matter you are not sure about.

For more details please see Policies and Procedures for the EYFS 2021 or Alliance members can contact us.

For advice on talking to children about current events read our Family Corner blog post How to talk to children about bad news.

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The guidelines here are to help you consider how best to ensure the safety of children, parents and staff in the event of a local threat or emergency situation which may result in your setting being placed into a security-related lockdown (as opposed to a Covid-19 related lockdown).

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Birth To 5 Matters – Guidance by the sector, for the sector

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For straightforward guidance on how to comply with the health and safety law, go to The basics for your business.

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain. It's sometimes referred to as HSWA, the HSW Act, the 1974 Act or HASAWA.

It sets out the general duties which:

employers have towards employees and members of the public

employees have to themselves and to each other

certain self-employed have towards themselves and others

You can read the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in full on legislation.gov.uk.

You can find out about health and safety law in our guide Health and safety at work: criminal and civil law.

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Contains links to various pieces of legislation, as well as the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

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Experience based route for early years staff

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Experience based route for early years staff

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Experience-based route for early years staff

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How early years providers can implement the experience-based route for staff who do not hold full and relevant qualifications.