Since we published the renewed inspection framework on 9 September 2025, we’ve put on lots of online and face-to-face engagement with early years settings to answer your questions. We’re publishing the most frequently asked questions below, so you can see all the …
This blog was updated in September 2025 to reflect changes to the EYFS paragraph numbers. The Chancellor recently announced an optional change to childcare ratios from 1:4 to 1:5 for two-year-old children. This change applies from September 2023. All other …
Before looking ahead to what 2023 will hold for the early years sector, it's worth reflecting on the year that has just passed. Ofsted ended the year with the publication of our annual report, which provides an overview of what …
We want practitioners to have the confidence and freedom to do what they do every day. Our inspectors are tasked with finding out what it is like for children to attend their setting not just on the day of the inspection but every day. Therefore, we ask providers not to do anything differently just for …
This blog refers to a pilot that has since ended. Being a right-touch regulator is one of our new strategic priorities. This means ensuring that our regulation promotes high-quality care, education, and safeguarding for children, while being proportionate in our …
In this blog post, Chris explains what we'll be doing as part of our strategy for the early years.
This blog explains what committee-run childcare is and what Ofsted's role is in checking the suitability of committee members, trustees and directors.
This blog explains the difference is between registering with a childminder agency (CMA) or registered with Ofsted.
This blog explains what you need to do once you've decided to become an early years childminder and what you need to do to make sure you’re ready to be registered.
Yvette Stanley, Ofsted's National Director Regulation and Social Care; Gill Jones, Deputy Director, Schools and Early Education; and Alex Magloire, our Deputy Director, Early Years Regulatory Practice, launch Ofsted's new early years blog.