Ofsted Inspection Framework starting 10th November 2025

Ofsted have today released a new inspection framework which will be used from 10th November 2025.

There are 3 documents:

• Inspection toolkit.
• Operating guide.
• Inspection information.

You can read Ofsted's press release: Ofsted confirms changes to education inspection and unveils new-look report cards

Before inspection

The toolkit sets out what inspectors will do before inspection.

It also states that there will be a 2-part phone call, and the second longer call (approximately 30 minutes) will be arranged during the first call.

Details of what Ofsted will discuss are in the operating guide.

Inspection toolkit

Ofsted has announced that there will be 7 inspection areas:

1. Safeguarding – a stand-alone met or not met judgement.
2. Inclusion – embedded across all the other inspection areas.
3. Curriculum and teaching.
4. Achievement.
5. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines – including attendance.
6. Children’s welfare and wellbeing.
7. Leadership and governance.

The grading outcomes are in the inspection toolkit and there is some more information, including myth busting, in the operating guide.

The key focus areas during inspection will be:

• Safeguarding.
• Inclusion – described as a ‘golden thread’ running through all the inspection areas.
• Leadership and governance – to drive sustained improvement.

Operating guide

The operating guide sets out the way inspections will be managed by Ofsted from November 2025.

There will be 5 inspection grades, in a report card which has been designed to provide more information about the provider’s strengths and weaknesses for parents:

• Urgent improvement – red.
• Needs attention – amber.
• Expected standard – green – this is the starting point for inspection.
• Strong standard – dark green.
• Exceptional – blue.

Instead of an overall grade, it is likely that providers will receive a range of grades across the 6 inspection areas and a ‘met’ or ‘not met’ grade for safeguarding.

Inspection information

Inspectors will aim to find out how well children:

• Achieve – their knowledge, skills and confidence.
• Belong – feel safe, welcome and valued.
• Thrive – flourish whatever their background or needs.

The foundations of inspection will be based on the Ofsted code of conduct:

• Children come first. Ofsted will look at wat children are doing in the setting and whether they are making the best progress.
• Ofsted seek to ensure the care and wellbeing of childminders.
• Inspectors will take into account the context of the setting.
• The toolkit will be used as the evaluation focus.
• Inspectors want to find out about quality and impact.

Notes:

• There are comments for childminder only inspections – for example, grades will not be limited because childminders work on their own or don’t care for children with SEND.
• There is guidance for no children on roll inspection in the operating guide.
• There are links to other documents – for example, the Ofsted inspector’s code of conduct.
• Ofsted have yet to inform providers at what grade or combination of grades they will lose their Local Authority funding.
• There is a link to more information about Childcare Register compliance inspections.
• The ‘Giving children the best start in life’ (07.25) publication from DfE confirms that Ofsted will be moving to 4 yearly early years inspections from April 2025. New registration first inspections will reduce from 30 months to within 12-18 months.

Ofsted are presenting a webinar on the changes for childminders which will be recorded and released on their YouTube channel.

Childcare.co.uk will also release guidance for practitioners and webinars will be available in October 2025.

Register for our free webinars