Nursery World - Early years inspections disrupted by pay freeze dispute

Ofsted inspectors in early years and social care are locked in a dispute over a three-year pay freeze, which is disrupting nursery and childminding inspections.

Unions have warned that the crisis is also hitting preparations for thenew inspection framework for the EYFS, which starts in September.

Inspectors are currently working a 36-hour week to rule, refusing to doovertime or use their personal cars for business, which means that manyare unable to complete work allotted to them.

The below-inflation three-year pay offer is part of a move to a new paystructure and affects 1,000 Ofsted workers represented by Unison and thePublic and Commercial Services unions.

In May, members of both unions took part in a one-day strike after paytalks broke down (News, 21 May).

Unions claim that the new pay structure is divisive because it favourshigher paid grades and means that school inspectors will get nearlydouble the salary of nursery inspectors.

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