Ofsted Publishes New Five Year Strategy, Including Simplified Regime for Childminders

Ofsted Publishes New Five Year Strategy, Including Simplified Regime for Childminders 

Early years takes centre stage in Ofsted’s new five year strategy. The inspectorate, which celebrates its 30th birthday this year, has set out its plans for 2022-27 in a document published late last month. Reflecting on the impact Covid has had on children’s lives, it commits Ofsted to helping make sure every child’s earliest experience of education is as good as it can be, supporting positive change through research and insight, as well as improving training for its inspection workforce.

Ofsted has a complicated relationship with the early years sector. While the vast majority of providers greatly value the professionalism that being a regulated sector engenders, inspections and ratings themselves can be the cause of significant stress and worry. While this is true for everyone, it is perhaps smaller settings who can feel the greatest burden of regulation. Childminders in particular have been identified by Ofsted as struggling. The overall number of individuals going into childminding has been dropping for some time. The reasons are multifaceted, but meeting regulatory requirements is oft-cited as a critical factor. In response, Ofsted have indicated they intend to simplify the requirements Childminders are expected to meet.

The challenge for Ofsted has always been focusing on quality, but doing so in partnership with the sector, ensuring the insights and experiences of those who spend every day delivering childcare services are at the foundation of their decision-making. Changing the way childminders are regulated, without compromising on quality, will be a difficult balance, but if it is successful, it will pay real dividends for the childcare sector.