NDNA Event Reveals that Ofsted Registration Fees a Concern but Nurseries Positive about Move to Self-Evaluation

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) today revealed some of the key messages emerging from nurseries in response to the current three consultations proposing changes to Ofsted inspections, registration fees and the amount of information published by the regulatory body. Yesterday NDNA hosted a National Member Forum so that nurseries could discover more about the individual consultations and share their views to feed into NDNA’s consultation responses. Following presentations from Sharon Russell, Childcare Act Regulatory and Inspection Project Manager, Ofsted and Andy Davey and Amber Longstaff from the Inspection and Safeguarding Team at the DCSF who revealed how the proposals could impact upon day nurseries, attendees raised questions and shared their reaction to the changes.  With a key theme of sustainability throughout, many nurseries said that whilst they realised that the Ofsted registration subsidy money would not end, they had concerns about how guidance about its use would be translated by local authorities as part of the sufficiency duty. Suggestions ranged from stringent guidance to ensure the money was spent as intended and a banding structure according to size or occupancy so the funding could be targeted where it was needed the most.  On the whole, delegates were positive about the move to self-evaluation but raised concerns about their capability to complete online forms, and questioned if nurseries who were using the tool properly to  identify issues could then trigger an Ofsted inspection. Many agreed with reduced inspections for better performing settings, but highlighted that there needed to be consistency on timings between inspections, and a definition of what is an ‘acceptable’ level of consistent good performance before a setting can move to a reduced inspection tariff.  A range of additional interesting points were also raised, such as how with the move to EYFS all inspectors should be required to have relevant early years experience or spend time in a daycare setting, and how it could be possible for inspectors to carry out unannounced inspections upon childminders by providing localised lists so that visits could be conducted randomly.  

Date: 28 January 2008
Credits: National Day Nurseries Association