Ofsted registers and inspections

Registers

Ofsted register childcare providers on two registers:

• Early years register
• Childcare register

Early years providers, childminders and out of school provisions can apply to join one register or both registers at the same time.

Most childcare providers caring for children aged under eight must register with Ofsted unless the law says they are not required to do so. There is a fact sheet that tells you about the types of care that are not required to register with Ofsted below.

Some childcare providers who are not required to register with Ofsted, but would like to, are able to join the voluntary part of the childcare register.

If you have any queries or concerns about a registered provider, you can ring the Ofsted helpline on 0300 123 1231 for more information.

Early years register

All early years providers, such as childminders, day nurseries, pre-schools and private nursery schools, providing care for children from birth to the 31 August following their fifth birthday must register on the early years register and deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

Childcare registers

The childcare register has two parts:

• compulsory
• voluntary

Registration on the childcare register relies on the applicant making a declaration to confirm that they will meet the requirements of registration. Ofsted carries out a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check on the applicant but does not normally carry out any other checks.

Compulsory

A childcare provider must register on the compulsory part of the childcare register if they care for children from 1 September following the childs fifth birthday up to the age of eight.

Voluntary

Some childcare providers can choose to register with Ofsted if they want to provide care that does not need to formally register with Ofsted. This includes:

• home-based care in the home of the child (nannies)
• activity-based settings such as sports coaching or tuition
• short-term care such as crèches
• care that is only for children aged eight to their 18th birthday.

Providers who are on the early years register and/or the compulsory part of the childcare register can apply to have their conditions of registration varied or removed at any time.

Inspections

Ofsted has appointed Tribal Group Plc to undertake day to day inspection and registration visits of providers in the South region from September 2010. There will not be any difference to the way inspections are carried out, and many Ofsted inspectors will be transferring to work for Tribal Group Plc.

Ofsted have stated that the transfer of day to day inspection and registration visits will enable them to focus on the quality of provision in the early year’s sector.

Providers registered on the early years register will be inspected every three or four years. Inspections are carried out with little or no notice to the early years provider. Following inspection, the provider will be given one of four grades: outstanding, good, satisfactory or inadequate.

Inspectors consider the question "What is it like for a child here?" and make four key judgements:

• How well does the setting meet the needs of children in the early years foundation stage (EYFS)?
• The effectiveness of leadership and management in the EYFS
• The quality of provision in the EYFS
• Outcomes for children in the EYFS

Inspectors consider how early years providers organise their service, including how they evaluate their service and use this to promote continuous improvement. This is the key to delivering high quality care and learning, ensuring each child’s individual needs are met to enable them to reach their full potential.

Ofsted inspect a random selection of all those on the childcare register to see if they comply with the requirements for registration. They inspect all childcare providers on the childcare register where they receive a complaint that relates to the requirements of registration or any conditions that may have been imposed on a registration.

Ofsted will inspect all childcare providers with little or no notice. The inspector will visit the premises to check compliance against the requirements and judge whether a provider meets these requirements or not. Inspectors will judge these groups either compliant or non compliant with the regulations of the childcare register.

Where a childcare provider is also on the early years register, Ofsted inspect compliance with the childcare register requirements at the same time as the early years inspection.

Registration not required with Ofsted [56KB]

[Back to top]