How to read a nursery Ofsted report

Check which format you’re reading

Ofsted began using its renewed early years inspection framework on 10 November 2025. New report cards give separate findings for areas such as inclusion, curriculum and teaching, children’s wellbeing and leadership. Safeguarding is shown separately as met or not met when it is assessed.

An older report can still be the most recent one for a setting. Its overall grade used the four categories outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate. The newer area grades use a five-point scale from urgent improvement to exceptional. Compare the dates and the findings under each framework in their original format.

Ofsted’s guide to report cards and grades

Check what inspectors visited to assess

A full early years inspection and a visit when no early years children are present can cover different things. Some report-card fields will be marked as not applicable or may be unavailable in the dataset. Open the report to see why a field was left out and what the visit actually covered.

The date shown on Nursery Checker is the date of the inspection in the extract. Ofsted’s own setting page may also show the date it published the report, and can have newer visits.

Turn the findings into questions for your visit

• Settling in. How do you help a child get used to the setting, and who will be their key person?
• Inclusion. How would staff work with your family if your child needs extra support?
• Follow-up. What has changed since the visit, especially in any area the report asked the nursery to improve?
• Practical fit. Which sessions have space, and what will you pay once funded hours, meals or other charges are included?