Nursery World - Ofsted: Early years assurance inspections cancelled, ahead of return to full inspection

Ofsted has cancelled plans to restart early years assurance inspections next month.

Ofsted is aiming to return to full inspections during the summer term

Previously Ofsted had intended to resume these from 8 March, after suspending them in January at the start of the third national lockdown.

However, the inspectorate has now said that routine full inspections will resume as soon as possible in the summer term, with the decision kept under review.

Ofsted will continue with regulatory work, such as:

This will sometimes require on-site visits to early years settings.

‘We are planning to return to full graded inspections as soon as we can in the summer term,' Ofsted said in an update to its coronavirus guidance. ‘Therefore, we have decided not to restart assurance inspections this term as restrictions ease, but we will keep these plans under review.

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