Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that early-years providers have an opportunity to demonstrate rapid improvement following an Ofsted inspection.

Ofsted report cards provide much greater transparency and insight, offering education professionals the information needed to drive improvement across the education system. Ofsted’s renewed Education Inspection Framework will clearly identify areas of strength and where a setting needs to improve.

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​Where Ofsted identifies that a setting or childminder has areas to improve, Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs provide targeted, diagnostic-led support through Early Years Stronger Practice Advisers. These Advisers offer bespoke, one-to-one coaching and professional guidance, including observing practice, supporting self-evaluation, developing clear and actionable improvement plans and advising on evidence-informed approaches to strengthen quality and sustain long-term improvement.

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​Early years providers receiving a below-expected-standard judgement will be reinspected on an accelerated timetable to ensure providers are given the opportunity to demonstrate rapid improvement to Ofsted, typically within 12 months for ‘needs attention’ and 6 months for ‘urgent improvement’.