Ofsted early years guidance needs more clarity, says Alliance

Neil Leitch is calling on the inspectorate to give more details on the updated versions of the Conducting early years inspections and Evaluation schedule for inspections of registered early years provision documents, which feature guidance and grade descriptors for both early years inspectors and providers.

The papers, published on Tuesday, highlight the need for inspectors to take the history of the childcare provider into account when making an inspection judgement.

The Conducting early years inspections document states: “Inspection is not just about what the inspector sees on the day; it is also about the inspector’s knowledge about this setting, including any concerns that have arisen and whether they still impact on the setting’s compliance with requirements, and the effectiveness of improvement plans over time.”

The Evaluation schedule also reminds inspectors that they “must consider the previous history, present state and future plans of a setting” when making their judgement.

Leitch is concerned that a lack of detail over the meaning of the statements could cause uncertainty between providers and inspectors.

He said: “The updated Ofsted guidance states that inspectors should take provider history into account when making an inspection judgement, but there is no detail on what this really means. Many providers and, crucially, some inspectors are still unsure about when, and to what extent, a provider’s history can impact on an inspection decision.

“For example, in the case of a concern-triggered inspection, if the concern has been fully and effectively dealt with by the time of the inspection, and the on-site inspector feels that no further action needs to be taken, can the fact that the concern was raised in the first place still impact on the inspection judgement?

“If this is the case, this may well deter settings from reporting concerns about their own provision, which could have serious safeguarding implications. Clearly this is not the direction the sector should be moving in.

“At a time when the fairness of early years inspections is being called into question, it is more important than ever that Ofsted ensures that there is clarity and consistency throughout the whole inspection process.”