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Ofsted privatises childcare inspections

The inspection of childcare providers in England is to be outsourced to private companies, Ofsted has confirmed.

While the inspectorate for education and children's services has so far refused to name any of the companies involved in negotiations over the outsourcing, one educational consultancy has published a statement confirming that it is to take over up to 45 per cent of childcare inspections in England.

The Tribal Group, which offers consultancy services to a wide range of public sector organisations, including local authority children's services departments, the Department of Health and the DCSF, has announced that it has signed a £64m, five-year contract with Ofsted, scheduled to begin on 1 September, which will see it inspect nurseries and childminders based in the south of the country.

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