Ofsted’s New Early Years Inspection Framework: What You Need to Know
If you’ve been feeling a bit nervous (or even just curious!) about the upcoming changes to Ofsted inspections, you’re not alone. We understand that anything related to a “new framework” can feel overwhelming, so we wanted to make it simple.
That’s why we recently hosted our busiest ever webinar, The New Ofsted Inspection Framework: What This Means for Your Nursery, with the brilliant Jamie Victoria, Early Years specialist and founder of Everything Early Years.
Jamie has a gift for breaking down complex information into clear, practical advice, and she joined us to explain what’s changing, what’s staying the same, and how you can prepare with confidence.
If you missed it (or just want a refresher), here’s our friendly round-up of the key points, changes, and Jamie’s top tips.
What’s It Like to Be a Child in Your Setting?
Jamie began the webinar with one simple but powerful question:
“What’s it like to be a child in your setting?”
It’s such a great place to start because that’s exactly what inspectors want to understand. Are children happy, safe, and confidently learning? Are they developing, achieving, and feeling that sense of belonging?
Jamie encouraged leaders to take this question back to their teams. Honest reflection is where real improvement starts, and in the busy world of early years education, it’s all too easy to forget to pause and reflect.
New Ofsted Documents and Tools to Explore
From 10th November 2025, inspectors will start using three brand-new documents:
Early Years Inspection Information: This is a general guide (how inspections work, deferrals, roles, etc.).
Early Years Inspection Toolkit: this outlines the seven areas inspectors will focus on and how they’ll gather evidence.
Early Years Inspection Operating Guide: This is a step-by-step guide inspectors will follow.
Jamie advised us all to download the documents and resources to ensure we have plenty of time to get familiar with them. They’re fantastic reflection tools to help you and your team feel prepared long before inspection day.
Ofsted’s Seven Focus Areas and New Grading System
The framework now includes seven inspection areas instead of four. Don’t panic, Jamie explained that the change of focus is mostly a reshuffle to make things clearer.
The new areas are:
- Curriculum and Teaching
- Achievement
- Children’s Welfare & Wellbeing
- Behaviour, Attitudes & Routines
- Safeguarding
- Inclusion
- Leadership & Governance
Jamie reassured us that these are not brand-new expectations, just a clearer breakdown of what inspectors already look at.
Ofsted is also introducing a new grading system, which means we are saying goodbye to “Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate.”
The new system has five gradings:
- Exceptional
- Strong Standard
- Expected Standard
- Needs Attention
- Urgent Improvement
Safeguarding will be graded separately as Met or Not Met.
This change brings a more balanced and reflective approach, recognising strengths and identifying areas for development with greater clarity.
Understanding the New “Nominee” Role
A brand-new (optional!) role, the Nominee, can now support inspection planning, liaise with inspectors, and help things run smoothly.
Jamie stressed that it’s not compulsory and shouldn’t be confused with the Nominated Individual role. It’s simply there to make inspections feel more collaborative.
Ofsted Inspection Notice Changes
Good news! There will be no more early morning surprises. You should now get a call by 10 am the day before your inspection, followed by a video planning call later that day.
This replaces the old “learning walk” and gives you a chance to share who you are, your ethos, and what makes your nursery special.
Jamie described it perfectly:
“Think of it as your movie trailer, a chance to show off the highlights before the full film (your inspection day) begins!”
Jamie’s Top Tips for Early Years Managers and Leaders
Jamie ended the webinar with a confidence boost and some great practical advice:
- Reflect together by asking your team what makes your nursery special. It’s a lovely morale booster and useful for inspection prep.
- Know the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework inside out. Inspectors will expect you to meet those statutory standards confidently.
- Celebrate your impact! Don’t be shy, shout about what you do, inspectors can only see what you show them!
- Stay positive and collaborative. The new framework feels more supportive and transparent; it’s about celebrating strengths and not catching you out.
A Quick Recap of Key Dates
- On the 1st September 2025: New Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) came into force.
- From the 10th November 2025: The new inspection framework begins.
- From April 2026: Inspections move from a six-year to a four-year cycle.
Ending the webinar, Jamie reminded everyone that inspections are your chance to shine, to show how passionate, knowledgeable, and child-focused your team really is. And we couldn’t agree more!
Here at Connect Childcare, we’re proud to support nurseries across the UK with tools, webinars, and expert resources that make your daily work, and your inspections, a little easier.
Our next free webinar takes place on Thursday, 13th November, led by Alex from Marmalade Early Years Consultancy, focusing on:
Understanding Children’s Behaviour: Creating Calm and Connection in Early Years Settings.
Together, we’ll explore how behaviour communicates children’s needs and how calm, connected environments can help every child feel safe, seen, and understood.
Keep an eye on our blog and social channels for updates, and a big thank you again to Jamie Victoria for helping us all make sense of the new Ofsted inspection framework.
If you have any questions about the changes, drop us an email at marketing@connectchildcare.com, and we’ll work with Jamie to make sure you get the answers you need.
Next Webinar: Understanding Children’s Behaviour
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Content Marketing Executive at Connect Childcare