How much notice does Ofsted give childminders and nurseries?

The amount of notice depends on what kind of provider you are. Regular group settings such as nurseries and pre-schools are called on the working day before the inspection. Childminders and settings that do not run every day, such as holiday schemes, are called up to five working days before so the inspector can confirm when you are working and have children present. Ofsted also keeps the right to inspect without notice where it judges that necessary. This guide sets out the rules in the operating guide for inspectors from September 2026, what the calls cover, and how long the inspection itself takes.

The notification call

The lead inspector telephones the setting, usually by 10am on the notification day. For a nursery or pre-school that operates regularly, that call comes on the working day before the inspection. For childminders and irregular group settings, the call comes no more than five working days before, and the inspector uses it to confirm your operating days and whether children are on roll and will be present. For childminders, the inspector must speak to the childminder directly rather than leave a message with someone else.

The call covers the type and length of the inspection, who the manager or childminder is, and any conflicts of interest. Since June 2026 inspectors must also remind you during this call that you can contact a senior Ofsted leader on the number provided if you need to raise an issue or seek clarification.

Shortly afterwards you receive an email with guidance, links to the EYFS framework and the inspection toolkit, and a request for factual details: children on roll, operating times, staffing, funded children and children with SEND.

You must tell parents that an inspection is taking place and allow the inspector to display a poster at the setting explaining it.

The planning call

Later the same day there is a planning call of about 30 minutes. Its purpose is to understand your context and sort out practicalities: the shape of the day, who will be available, which children might be case-sampled, and any adjustments needed. You decide who attends from your side. Group settings may name a nominee to support planning and communication; this is optional and the guidance says there is no disadvantage in not having one. Childminders do not have a nominee and deal with the inspector directly throughout.

The planning call is also your opportunity to mention anything the inspector should know: a staff member off sick, a child with a difficult morning routine, a sleep room arrangement that is not obvious, a second address you work from. Inspectors are instructed to work flexibly around the realities of the setting, but they can only do that for what they know about.

If Ofsted cannot reach you

If the inspector cannot contact the setting, the inspection will normally go ahead the following day without notice, or as soon as practicable. For a childminder that means a missed call is not a cancelled inspection. Keep your registered contact number current with Ofsted and answer calls from unfamiliar numbers in the week you might be due.

If you are a childminder with no children expected within the next five working days, the inspector will check when children are next due. If that is within a month, the inspection is rearranged for then. The operating guide was updated in August 2026 to clarify exactly when the notification call may happen, so the days-before rule above is current.

Inspections without notice

Ofsted reserves the right to inspect without notice where it judges that necessary, typically in response to concerns about compliance with the EYFS or risk to children. This is the exception, and the ordinary rules above apply to routine inspections.

How long the inspection lasts

• Childminders: around three hours on site.
• Group settings with restricted daily hours, such as a sessional pre-school: around four hours.
• Group settings operating a full day: around six hours.

Inspectors arrive at the time agreed with you, not normally before 8am, and should leave by 5pm unless something exceptional happens. Most settings have one inspector; larger settings and those spread across several buildings may have more. Our guide to what happens on the inspection day walks through the day in order.

How often you will be inspected

Newly registered providers are prioritised and are normally inspected within 18 months of registration. After that, Ofsted is moving to a four-year window for routine inspections, phased in from April 2026 with full implementation expected by March 2030. The timing of your next inspection also depends on your last outcome: if any area was graded needs attention, expect a return normally within 12 months; if any area was urgent improvement, or safeguarding was not met, normally within six months. Concerns about compliance or risk can bring an inspection forward at any time.

What to do with the notice you get

The honest answer is: not much, and that is the point. The inspection information page says settings "are not required to do any additional work or set up any activities specifically for the inspection." The toolkit says the same about documents. What the notice is for is practical: tell parents, display the poster, make sure the two documents you must provide are to hand, and arrange for the right people to be available for the planning call and the day. Our inspection checklist covers those practicalities in a page.

For the documents, the ones you must have available are your paediatric first aid arrangements and, for group settings, DBS and other vetting records for all staff and volunteers in regulated activity. If those live in a system rather than a drawer, finding them takes seconds. Taylormade Care keeps staff suitability and training records alongside everything else, so the first thing the inspector asks for on arrival is the easiest thing to show.

Common questions

How much notice does Ofsted give a childminder?

Up to five working days. The inspector calls no more than five working days before the inspection to confirm when you are working and have children present. The call must be with you directly.

How much notice does Ofsted give a nursery?

One working day. For regular group provision the inspector calls on the working day before the inspection, usually by 10am.

Can Ofsted turn up with no notice?

Yes, where it judges that necessary, usually because of concerns about compliance or children's safety. Routine inspections follow the notice rules above. If Ofsted cannot reach you on the notification call, the inspection normally proceeds the next day without notice.

What is the planning call?

A phone conversation of about 30 minutes later on the notification day, in which the inspector learns about your context and agrees the practical arrangements for the inspection day. You choose who takes part.