Ofsted updates and amendments for April 2024

Ofsted have updated a number of documents, and whilst these changes are minor, you do need to ensure you are working to the most up to date document.

For ease of reference the changes have been grouped into three areas i.e. information for all early years and childcare providers; information specific to childminders and information for parents.

Information for all early years and childcare providers:

• Early years inspection handbook – Ofsted guidance on inspecting registered early years and childcare providers under the education inspection framework. See summary of changes.
• Early years and childcare: Ofsted’s enforcement policy – Ofsted’s policy on how they regulate childcare providers and explains what they may do if a provider is not following the regulations. See summary of changes.
• Carrying out Childcare Register compliance inspections – This guidance is for Ofsted inspectors carrying out inspections of providers that are only registered on either or both parts of the Childcare Register. Changes – additional wording under ‘Contacting the provider’ around when inspectors will provide the opportunity to discuss reasonable adjustments, amended wording under ‘Pausing an inspection’ for clarification and updated text under ‘After the inspection’ to outline Ofsted’s new complaints process.
• People connected with Ofsted-registered childcare – Guidance on checks we will carry out on anyone associated with Ofsted-registered childcare. Changes – removed the references to the EY3 form and updated the ‘Tell Ofsted about changes’ section with the new process for reporting a change.
• Report changes to registered people in your nursery or other daycare (updated February 2024) – You must tell Ofsted about changes to those responsible for a daycare organisation, and for a home where daycare takes place, and also who is living or working there. Changes – removed the references to the EY3 form and updated the ‘Tell Ofsted about changes’ section with the new process for reporting a change.
• Ofsted inspections: what EY providers and practitioners need to know – What schools, registered early years providers and childminders need to know about delivering the early years foundation stage (EYFS), and Ofsted inspections under the education inspection framework (EIF).

Information specific to childminders:

• Childminder agencies: inspection guidance – Guidance for childminder agencies about the main activities carried out by inspectors. It also sets out the judgements that inspectors will make. See summary of changes.
• Childminders: tell Ofsted about adults leaving the home – You must tell Ofsted when anyone aged 16 or over stops living or working in the home where you look after children. Changes – removed references to the EY3 form and updated the ‘Tell Ofsted about changes’ section with the new process for reporting a change.

Information for parents:

• Guides for parents: how early years settings are inspected – Ofsted guides for parents about different types of early years settings and how they are inspected. Changes – updated with information about how Ofsted inspect and report on safeguarding. Also clarified information about how often they inspect and about speaking to the inspector during inspection.