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The standards that school and childcare providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5.
Sign in, manage and use your online account to receive payments from parents.
Guidance for inspectors and providers on inspecting registered early years settings in England under the renewed education inspection framework.
For use on inspections from 10 November 2025. About this page This…
For use on inspections from 10 November 2025. About this page This page…
For use on inspections from 1 September 2026. About this page This…
For use on inspections from 1 September 2026. About this page This page…
September 2026 Early years inspection toolkit In this update, we have made…
Non-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage.
You might need to create a new Government Gateway account if you have forgotten both your user ID and password.
How to sign in and update your account details and nominate a delegate.
UK qualifications that meet Department for Education (DfE) criteria for counting in the early years foundation stage statutory framework staff:child ratios.
How managers and practitioners can check if an early years qualification is approved as full and relevant by DfE for working in staff:child ratios in England.
Find out how to sign up to Tax-Free Childcare and get a childcare provider account to receive payments from parents using Tax-Free Childcare.
Find out what information you will need to create and use a Government Gateway account so that you can use Ofsted's services.
Ofsted-registered childminders, nannies, nurseries and other daycare must use this service to report significant events affecting their childcare as soon as possible but always within 14 days.
This framework sets out Ofsted's inspection principles and the grades that inspectors give.
How to get a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if you want to look after children for a living: who needs a check, what it costs and how long it takes.
Health declaration forms for childminders and people who work in childcare or children's social care.
Guidance to provide support for early years practitioners when completing the early years foundation stage (EYFS) progress check at age 2.
You must apply to Ofsted if you want to take up a governance position in a daycare organisation, or if you start living or working in a home where daycare takes place.
Guidance for childcare providers on when you must register with Ofsted or a childminder agency, when you cannot register, and when you do not have to.
If you are a childminder, you must tell Ofsted within 14 days about new people aged 16 or over who live or work in the home where you look after children. This includes children who turn 16. If you are a childminder without …
Statutory guidance for local authorities on the provision of early education and childcare.
Information for childminders and providers of childcare on domestic premises wishing to register with a childminder agency.
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