Ofsted and Inspection

came into force 19 January 2024 - This handbook describes the main activities carried out during graded, ungraded and urgent inspections of maintained schools and academies in England under sections 5 and 8 of the Education Act 2005, respectively. It sets out the grade descriptors that inspectors use to make their judgements and on which they report. It applies to school inspections under the education inspection framework (EIF)

came into effect 19 January 2024.  This handbook describes the main activities that inspectors undertake when they carry out inspections of early years providers in England registered under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006. The handbook includes specific information about applying the EIF to inspections of childminders. The handbook also sets out the judgements that inspectors will make and on which they will 

This guidance sets out the main points that inspectors need to consider when inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills settings. It needs to be read alongside the education inspection framework (EIF) and the individual remit inspection handbooks.  

Ofsted's policy on how they regulate childcare providers and explains what Ofsted may do if a provider is not following the regulations

This guidance covers:

• the legislative requirements that apply to individuals, organisations and agencies 
• A framework for the three local safeguarding partners [the local authority, and ICB foreign area, any part of which falls within the local authority area and the chief constable for police for a policing area, any part of which falls within the local authority area] to make arrangements to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of local children, including identifying and responding to their needs
• The framework for the two child death review partners [the local authority and any ICB for an area, any part of which falls within the local authority area] to make arrangements to review all deaths of children normally resident in the local area, and if they consider it appropriate, for those not normally resident in the area