Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills) is a government department that inspects and regulates institutions in England providing education to learners of all ages and providers of care for children and young people.
Ofsted inspect or regulate the following services:
- Childminders
- Full and sessional daycare providers (such as day nurseries and pre-school playgroups)
- Out-of-school care. For example, breakfast clubs and after-school clubs and holiday playschemes
- Ofsted voluntary childcare (such as crèches or a home child carer)
- All state-maintained schools
- Some independent schools
- The overall level of services for children in local authority areas. These inspections are called Joint Area Reviews.
Inspection reports
After carrying out their inspection, Ofsted produce a report of their findings. These inspection reports can give you an impartial view of a childcare provider. They also provide information on how well the provider meets the standards set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage. But be aware that an Ofsted inspection only reflects a snapshot in time.
You can search for inspection reports on the Ofsted web page: reports.ofsted.gov.uk.
If a provider is newly registered, their report may not have been uploaded to the Osted website yet. If the report is not online, contact the provider who may be able to show you a copy of the report.
Making a complaint about childcare
If you have a complaint or concern about your childcare, you can contact Ofsted.
- call the Ofsted helpline on 0300 123 1231
- email Ofsted at enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk