Childcare sector welcomes Ofsted inspection reforms

Under the new Ofsted Common Inspection Framework, private, voluntary and independent (PVI) childcare providers will be given notice of half a day when an inspection of one of their settings is to take place – previously, they received no notice.

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nursery Association (NDNA), said the framework will "provide clarity on inspections to nurseries across the country".

She added: “We have been campaigning for Ofsted to make the inspection process fairer for some years now. Giving the same notice throughout the early years sector will finally give our members a level playing field for inspections.”

Liz Bayram, chief executive of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years, said the framework is an opportunity to improve the consistency of inspections.

"We are keen to ensure that this new framework offers a real chance to renew trust in the fairness and impartiality of the inspection process among early years providers," she added.

In addition, the framework, which will be implemented from September, will see schools and maintained nurseries judged as "good" or better only subject to a light touch, one-day inspection every three years to confirm that their previous grade is still accurate.

However, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, called it “odd” for the lighter touch inspections plans not to apply to PVI providers.

"The decision may cause confusion for parents trying to compare different provider types,” he added.

Unveiling the new framework, Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said the shorter inspections "will reduce the burden of inspection without losing the rigour which parents and the public rightly expect of Ofsted”.

He also announced that Ofsted’s complaints process will be opened up to greater accountability, where each Ofsted region will set up a “scrutiny committee” to assess and rule on the internal complaints about inspections, a measure praised by Bayram.