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Open letter to Ofsted raises concern over claims of 'harrowing' and 'confusing' early years inspections

Provision Inspection Policy & Politics
Nearly 600 people have signed an open letter to Ofsted raising concerns about the negative inspection experiences of early years settings, maintained nursery schools, and schools, amid claims they are leading to a severe impact on the confidence, morale and wellbeing of practitioners.
Schools and early years settings have raised concerns about the way early years inspections are being carried out
Schools and early years settings have raised concerns about the way early years inspections are being carried out

The claims are set against the background of the introduction this term of the revised EYFS, the new Reception Baseline Assessment in Reception classes, and the ongoing Covid pandemic.

Signatories including leading early years experts, organisations, teaching unions and a growing number of individual settings.

According to the letter, providers say they are being inspected on aspects of pedagogy which are not a statutory duty, such as creating curriculum maps and schemes of work.

Claims also include that some inspectors have expected to see particular approaches to teaching, such as requiring young children to sit still for long periods of time with an adult delivering a lesson.

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