Ofsted to publish response to inspection consultation in September 2025

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Ofsted to publish response to inspection consultation in September 2025

Ofsted has confirmed it will publish the outcome of its Early Years Grading Consultation in September 2025, ahead of introducing a new inspection framework in November.

The consultation, which closed in April, explored a major shift away from single-word judgments in favour of a more detailed, multi-category grading system. Over 6,500 responses were received from early years professionals, parents and sector representatives.

Under the proposed new system, providers will be rated across eight specific areas:

leadership and governance
curriculum
developing teaching
achievement
behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines
children’s welfare and well-being
inclusion
safeguarding

These results will be published as report cards, providing parents and settings with a clearer view of strengths and development areas.

To support this, Ofsted will also introduce new early years-specific inspection toolkits aimed at making inspections more consistent and relevant to the sector.

While the original plan was to publish results in summer, Ofsted extended the timeline to allow more time to review and respond to feedback. Sector voices had raised concerns about clarity, consistency and the practical implications of grading eight separate domains.

An independent assessment on the impact of inspections on provider wellbeing will also be published alongside the final decision.

These changes are set to reshape how early years settings are assessed and understood by families. Providers may wish to:

Review internal policies around safeguarding, curriculum, and inclusion.
Prepare for more granular inspections with tailored report outcomes.
Consider how staff training, leadership structures and governance are documented and evidenced.

As always, Morton Michel is here to support you in understanding how these changes may affect your setting—especially around compliance, regulatory risk and insurance needs.