There seems to be a lot of talk at the moment about ‘resetting relationships’ with the sector. Children’s minister Stephen Morgan particularly mentions this in his interview on page 13.
Meanwhile, this is mirrored by Ofsted’s intention to ‘reset the relationship with those we regulate and inspect’. The inspectorate has voiced a renewed intention to work collaboratively to ‘put children and learners first’.
If the Government really wants to gain credibility in the eyes of early years providers, it has to ensure the Ofsted inspection process is fit for purpose. The two go together like the proverbial horse and carriage.
There is also the question of Ofsted’s relationship to Government, and how this desperately needs to change if the sector is to benefit. What has increasingly been seen since the death of head teacher Ruth Perry is a lack of trust between Ofsted and Government, compounding a general sense of malaise. With Ofsted’s reforms coming down the track (see Analysis, page 6), there now seems to be some hope that both can be on the same page and work together to improve conditions. Let’s hope that Ofsted will seal a better working relationship with the DfE by collaborating with it on the new report card.
There is a lot in the proposed reforms which could have a positive impact on the sector’s sustainability. Streamlining the registration process to support the demands for childcare places is to be welcomed. And on page 52, our regular columnist Leah Turner highlights what the benefits of moving away from a single word judgement could be to buying and selling.
On a different note, as I write we are very close to this year’s Nursery World Awards ceremony at The Brewery on Saturday (21 September). It promises to be a fantastic night and I’m looking forward to celebrating your amazing achievements in the last 12 months!
