Alliance voices concerns over early years inspection changes

26th September 2014

The Pre-school Learning Alliance has criticised newly-announced changes to the early years inspection system.

Writing for early years trade magazine Nursery World, аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± director of early years Nick Hudson announced that, going forward, inspections of early years providers judged to ‘require improvement’ will be carried out by аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± inspectors, rather than third-party contractors Tribal and Prospects as is currently the case. The same will also apply to providers judged ‘inadequate’ where аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± is taking enforcement action.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance said.

“While the decision to bring inspections for providers judged to ‘require improvement’, and for some of those judged ‘inadequate’, back in-house is a good first step, it clearly doesn’t go far enough.

“аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± argues that this change will help ‘make the journey to good or better swifter’. This is a clear acknowledgement of the fact that the service provided by third-party contractors is of a lower standard than that of аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± inspectors. Sir Michael Wilshaw explicitly acknowledged this in May, saying ‘Inspection, as far as I’m concerned, is just too important for аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± to simply have oversight of third-party arrangements’.

“We are unclear, therefore, why аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± considers it acceptable that the majority of the early years sector will continue to be subject to inspections carried out by contracted inspectors of questionable quality. As such, we would urge аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± to extend this change to all early years providers.â€

Neil also voiced concerns about newly-announced plans to carry out post-registration inspections within 30 months, rather than seven as is currently the case.

He said:

“This is an extremely concerning proposal. It’s vital that new providers are inspected sooner rather than later to ensure that any issues within the provision are promptly addressed and good practice is embedded as early as possible. Under these plans, a child could spend their entire early years experience in a provision that hasn’t been inspected by аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½±. This is simply unacceptable.

“It’s clear that аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± needs to find a way to tackle the current backlog in early years inspections, but this is not the answer.â€

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Notes for editorsM/p>

  • The
  • On bringing some inspections in-house, аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± director of early years Nick Hudson said:

“аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± inspectors, rather than our contractors, will re-inspect nurseries judged to require improvement. Coupled with our improvement seminars for these providers, we hope this will make the journey to good or better swifter. Starting from October, аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± inspectors will also complete all re-inspections of providers judged as inadequate where we are taking enforcement action.â€

  • On the change to post-registration inspection time-scales, he said:

“From now on, we will give more time for post-registration inspection. Rather than an inspection within seven months of registration, we will now undertake an inspection within 30 months.

“This will free up a great deal of time - we estimate up to 10,000 days - and allow us to prioritise those nurseries, childminders and other early years providers that are not yet good or outstanding. It will also give new providers longer to embed their practice so that at their first inspection they will have every chance to show that they are good or better.

“Of course, if we hear of a safeguarding concern then we will take appropriate action, and that may well include an early inspection. But new early years providers can no longer expect an аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± visit within seven months."

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE

  1. The Pre-school Learning Alliance is the largest voluntary sector provider of quality affordable childcare and education in England.
  2. Through direct provision and its membership of 14,000 nurseries, sessional pre-schools and parent and toddler groups, the Alliance supports over 800,000 children and their families in England. The Alliance also develops and runs family learning programmes, offers information and advice, runs acclaimed training and accreditation programmes and campaigns to influence early years policy and practice.
  3. For information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, visit our website:

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