Being inspected as a childminder or childcare provider
How and when you’ll be inspected by Ofsted depends on whether you’re on the Childcare Register or the Early Years Register.
Childcare Register
Ofsted will make sure you’re meeting the requirements for the part of the register that applies to you.
You could be inspected at any time if you’re only on the Childcare Register.
After the inspection, you’ll get a letter to tell you whether you’ve met the requirements.
The inspection letter will be published online by Ofsted for one year.
If you do not meet the requirements, you’ll be told what you need to do to improve and when you need to improve by.
Read more about how inspections are done.
Early Years Register
Ofsted will make sure you’re meeting the requirements for both:
- safeguarding and welfare
- learning and development
You’ll usually be inspected within the first 30 months of registering as a childminder or childcare provider, and at least once every 6 years after that.
You may also be inspected if someone reports concerns about the childcare you’re providing.
Getting notice of an inspection
If you’re an organisation (like a nursery or pre-school), you’ll get a call by 10am on the working day before the start of the inspection. You’ll still be inspected even if the inspector has not been able to speak to anyone.
Childminders or providers that do not operate regularly will get a call up to 5 days before an inspection to check what days they work. The inspector will find the most suitable day and time for the inspection.
You can be inspected without being given any notice. This is usually if Ofsted are concerned about the childcare you provide.
Before the inspection
You must tell parents and carers an inspection is going to take place.
During the inspection
The inspector will:
- observe the children at play
- talk to you and the children
- observe how you and the children interact
- check the children’s levels of understanding and if they take part in learning
- talk to you about the children’s knowledge, skills and abilities
- evaluate your knowledge of the early years foundation stage
After the inspection
You’ll be sent a report card which covers the following 7 evaluation areas:
- safeguarding
- inclusion
- curriculum and teaching
- achievement
- behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines
- children’s welfare and well-being
- leadership and governance
You will not be graded for ‘curriculum and teaching’ or ‘achievement’ if you provide out-of-school care.
‘Safeguarding’ will either be graded as ‘met’ or ‘not met’. Each of the other evaluation areas will be graded as one of the following:
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
You’ll be told how to do better, if there’s anything that can be improved.
Read the early years inspection toolkit to find out what these grades mean.
Your inspection report will be published online by Ofsted within 5 working days of you being sent it.
You must give a copy of the report to the parents and carers of the children you look after and to anyone else who asks for one.
If you were graded ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’ before November 2025
You can use the Ofsted outstanding or good provider logo on your stationery and website until you’re next inspected. You must remove these logos after your next inspection.
When you’ll be inspected again
If all 7 evaluation areas are graded ‘expected standard’, ‘strong standard’ or ‘exceptional’, you’ll be inspected again within 6 years.
If any evaluation area is graded as ‘needs attention’, you’ll be inspected again within 12 months.
If any evaluation area is graded as needing ‘urgent improvement’ or if you were graded as ‘inadequate’ before November 2025, you’ll be inspected again within 6 months.
Ofsted will tell you what you must do to remain registered, and the date by which it must be done. Your local authority will also be told, which may affect your eligibility for funding.
In some cases, you’ll also get a monitoring visit before the inspection. This will happen if Ofsted has decided extra steps need to be taken (‘enforcement action’).
Ofsted may take further action if there’s no improvement.
If you have 2 inspections in a row where you’re graded as needing ‘urgent improvement’, Ofsted can cancel your registration.
Complain about an inspection
You can make a complaint during or after an inspection.