Ofsted confirms tougher inspections for nurseries and pre-schools

Ofsted today confirmed plans for tougher inspections in non-domestic early years settings that come into force from November.

The new framework will see the satisfactory judgement for nurseries and pre-schools replaced with a “requires improvement” judgement.

Ofsted will reinspect settings found to be inadequate after six months. If they are still inadequate, Ofsted will consider closing them.

Nurseries and pre-schools judged to require improvement will be expected to rise to a good grade within two years or be labelled inadequate.

In April, Ofsted announced plans to give settings four years to reach a good standard. But chief inspector Michael Wilshaw said this was reduced on the basis of comments gathered in a consultation.

“Two years is a long time in a child’s life and it’s long enough for a setting to improve,” said Wilshaw. “I agree with the parents who told us in our consultation that four years is too long to wait for a nursery to reach the good standard that every child deserves.”

Wilshaw said Ofsted wanted to introduce “greater challenge” into the early years sector because too many settings did not achieve a good grade.

Ofsted’s 2011/12 annual report showed more than a fifth of non-domestic childcare providers were not yet good, which represents places for more than 176,000 children.

“As a nation, we spend around £5bn a year on funded early education, but too many pre-schools and nurseries across the country are not yet good, particularly in the most deprived areas,” said Wilshaw.

“It is vital that very young children make good progress so that they succeed in later years. I am clear that we ignore early education and care at our peril.”

Ofsted will publish the full framework in September. It will not affect childminders, as Ofsted is waiting for the government to confirm its proposed childminding reform, such as the introducing childminding agencies.