What happens on an early years Ofsted inspection day, in order

Inspectors follow a published script. The early years inspection operating guide for use from 1 September 2026 sets out what they do from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave, and knowing the sequence takes most of the dread out of the day. This guide walks through it in order, for a nursery or pre-school and for a childminder, and explains what each step is for.

Before the day

By the time the inspector arrives you have had the notification call and a planning call of around 30 minutes, you have told parents, and you have the two documents you must provide ready: your paediatric first aid arrangements and, for group settings, DBS and vetting records for staff and volunteers. Childminders do not need to show DBS checks because Ofsted saw them at registration. Our guide to how much notice Ofsted gives covers the calls.

Arrival

The inspector arrives at the time agreed with you, not normally before 8am. They ask for the notice of inspection to be displayed for parents, confirm the timetable for the day and confirm which children will be case-sampled. Since June 2026 the operating guide asks inspectors to ask whether anyone needs reasonable adjustments, and to follow your mobile phone policy while on site.

The first hour: suitability, first aid and the safeguarding lead

The guide tells inspectors to review DBS records as a priority and to discuss safer recruitment and paediatric first aid arrangements early. They will meet the designated safeguarding lead. In a childminder setting that is you, and the DBS review does not apply. This is also when the inspector familiarises themselves with the building and greets staff and children. There is no separately named learning walk in the current guide; the familiarisation and the first shared observations do that job.

Shared observations

Most of the evidence comes from watching. The guide says observations should be carried out with leaders where possible, each with a focus: inclusion, welfare and wellbeing, curriculum and teaching, behaviour and routines, or leadership. Observing alongside you is deliberate. It lets the inspector ask what they are seeing and why, and it lets you explain what a practitioner is doing and what the children are learning. If you notice something worth pointing out, point it out.

For babies and under-twos, expect the inspector to watch sleep arrangements and mealtimes closely. The June 2026 changes added a specific standard on safe sleeping, weaning and safer eating, and inspectors are instructed to check that the statutory guidance is understood and implemented.

Case sampling

The inspector picks a representative sample of children and follows them through the evidence. The guide says the sample should always include, where relevant, children with an education, health and care plan and a disabled child, children known or previously known to children's social care including a looked-after child where possible, and children receiving the early years pupil premium. For children aged two, the evidence refers to the progress check.

For each sampled child the inspector wants to understand what you intend them to learn, where they are now, how you know, and what you are doing about it. This is a conversation about a child, not a review of a file. Our guide to what Ofsted asks about observations sets out what that conversation sounds like, and our guide to the progress check at age two covers the one document that will come up for two-year-olds.

Talking to practitioners, parents and children

Inspectors talk to practitioners about what children are learning and about their assessment of what children know and can do. They do not expect staff to bring documents to those conversations. They talk to children informally and sometimes in a planned way. They talk to parents without leaders or staff present, usually at drop-off or pick-up; for childminders the inspector may telephone parents instead. Inspectors will also speak to whoever acts as SENCo and, where relevant, to committee members or the nominated individual.

The midday reflective discussion

About halfway through, the inspector meets leaders and the nominee, if there is one, to review the emerging evidence. This is the most useful meeting of the day for you. You hear where the evidence is pointing, you can correct misunderstandings while there is still time to show something, and you can suggest where the inspector should look next. Treat it as a working conversation, not a verdict.

The afternoon: following up

The second half of the day is focused leadership discussions, further observations and more case sampling, directed at the gaps in the evidence. If the morning raised a question about inclusion, the afternoon will be spent on inclusion. If a safeguarding point came up that can be fixed before the end of the day, such as a policy update or a training booking, the guide gives leaders the chance to fix it. Our guide to safeguarding met and not met explains how far that goes.

The grading discussion and final feedback

At the end of the day the inspector holds a grading discussion, to which leaders are invited, and reviews the provisional grades for each evaluation area. Final feedback covers the provisional grades, strengths, improvement priorities, and any actions or enforcement. The two meetings can be combined. Attendance at feedback is voluntary, but go. Grades remain provisional until the final report card. Inspectors leave by 5pm unless there are exceptional circumstances.

How a childminder's day differs

The shape is the same but compressed into around three hours. There is no nominee, no DBS review, and the inspector will often phone parents rather than catch them at the door. Both the toolkit and the operating guide tell inspectors to be sensitive to someone working alone and to work flexibly so that you can keep meeting the children's needs. That means the inspector expects you to break off to change a nappy or settle a child, and it means your evidence is mostly what they watch you do and what you tell them about each child. Co-childminders are normally inspected together. Our guide to what inspectors ask childminders goes further.

What you can do to make the day go well

• Carry on as normal. Inspectors want to see a typical day, and the guide says they collect evidence of how the setting typically operates.
• Have the two required documents to hand so the first hour is quick.
• Narrate as you observe together. Say what the child is learning and why you set things up that way.
• Use the midday meeting to redirect attention to things the inspector has not yet seen.
• Make sure every key person can talk about their children without a folder.
• If a document is asked for, be able to find it in seconds. That is the whole value of keeping records in one system rather than several. Taylormade Care holds attendance, accidents, medication, risk assessments, policies and staff records together for exactly this moment.

Common questions

How long does an Ofsted inspection take in a nursery?

Around six hours for full day care and around four for settings with restricted daily hours, within a window of 8am to 5pm.

Does Ofsted do a learning walk in early years?

The current operating guide does not use that term. Inspectors familiarise themselves with the setting on arrival and then carry out shared observations with leaders, each with a specific focus.

Will the inspector talk to parents?

Yes, without leaders or staff present, usually at drop-off or pick-up. For childminders the inspector may telephone parents instead.

Can I challenge something during the inspection?

Yes. Raise it with the inspector first. If it is not resolved, you can contact a senior Ofsted leader on the number given during the notification call. Raising a concern does not affect your grades.