Nursery World - Ofsted: More details on early years assurance inspections set out

New guidance on the programme of ‘assurance’ inspections for early years providers, starting in January 2021 has been published by Ofsted.

Ofsted said that it will take the challenges providers have faced during the pandemic into account, when carrying out assurance inspections

Inspectors should have ‘due regard to the limitations the pandemic may have caused’ during an assurance inspection, as well as any EYFS disapplications that a provider may be relying on.

Ofsted states, ‘We are not going to be going out looking to find fault about how people have handled their approach to the pandemic. We will continue to be sensitive to the challenges presented by the pandemic; we will always take that context into account.’

The guidance also says that inspectors should continue to consider the usual inspection criteria when gathering and recording evidence.

Ofsted will take a ‘proportionate and risk-based approach’ to selecting providers for an assurance inspection. It will focus on early years settings where:

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