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There has been a clear shift since the introduction of the Ofsted Early Years inspection toolkit.
What is coming through in inspections now is not that settings are getting everything wrong, but that practice is not always secure across all areas. It is entirely possible to demonstrate a strong standard in one area, meet expectations in others, and still receive “needs attention” or “urgent improvement” in other aspects of practice.
There is no longer an overall judgement. Each area is considered in its own right, which means strengths in one area do not balance out weaker areas elsewhere.
One of the main areas where this is becoming evident is curriculum.
For many years, it has been common to rely on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), alongside documents such as Development Matters and Birth to Five Matters, and to view these as the curriculum. On their own, they are not. They are guidance and support thinking, but they do not create a curriculum. That needs to be developed within the setting.
Where curriculum is not clearly defined and understood, it becomes difficult for practitioners to explain what they are teaching, why they are teaching it, and how learning builds over time. It is easy to fall back on describing activities rather than the skills the children are developing , and this is often where practice starts to weaken.
Curriculum is also much broader than what is planned. It runs through the environment, the routines, behaviour, expectations, and the overall culture of the setting. It is everything children experience across the day. When that is not aligned, it becomes difficult to demonstrate a clear and coherent approach.
Alongside curriculum sits teaching, which is another area where practice is not always secure.
There is still value in the language of intent, implementation and impact. However, the expectations around implementation have changed. It is not just about what is provided. It is about teaching.
This means being clear about the skill that is being taught, how that skill is introduced, and how it is supported and developed. It is not about delivering the same experience in the same way for every child. Teaching requires adaptation, responsiveness and an understanding of how learning differs between children.
Where teaching is not strong, even a well-thought-out curriculum can lose its impact, and this is reflected in children’s achievement.
Having a copy of the toolkit printed off is not enough. During the planning call, there is an expectation that leaders can accurately evaluate their provision. That is difficult to do if the toolkit is only referred to occasionally.
The settings that are more secure are using it as part of their everyday thinking. They are using it to reflect on different parts of the day, to consider routines and behaviour, to look at inclusion, and to review children’s welfare and wellbeing. It becomes part of ongoing reflection, rather than something that is revisited at the point of inspection.
Leadership and governance is also being considered in a more connected way.
It is not about time spent in the office or formal meetings. It is about oversight. Many of the statements within the toolkit begin with leaders and managers, and this is intentional.
Leaders do not need to do everything themselves, but they do need to know what is happening. They need to understand the curriculum, know how it is being delivered, and have confidence in the quality of teaching. They also need to be assured that safeguarding systems are secure and consistently followed.
A “not met” judgement in safeguarding or leadership and governance carries significant implications, including funding, and cannot sit separately from the rest of practice.
Safer recruitment is also part of this picture. Expectations around references are clearly set out within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), and these need to be followed carefully. Recruitment is challenging across the sector, but this is not an area where processes can be reduced or rushed.
What sits behind all of this is time and consistency.
Too often, support is sought very close to inspection, when there is limited time to embed change. Developing a curriculum, strengthening teaching, and building a shared understanding across the team cannot be done quickly.
Where approaches are introduced without involving the team, they are difficult to sustain. Practitioners are less confident in articulating practice because it is not fully embedded in what they do every day.
The settings that are holding strong are those where there is clarity, consistency and a shared understanding across the team of what they are doing and why.
If this reflects where you are currently, it is worth taking the time to step back and look at what is genuinely embedded in practice, not just what is written down.
MBK Early Years consultants support settings through training, consultancy and Ofsted experience days. If you are preparing for inspection or reviewing your practice, book a call to discuss how we can support you and your team.
With over 25 years experience in the sector, Kelly is our Early Years Consultant Lead at MBK Group.
Kelly enjoys meeting new teams, celebrating their strengths and supporting them in overcoming their challenges with hands-on support and training. Helping a team to turn an undesirable inspection outcome around is her favourite part of the job.
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