Ofsted confirm that:
- Footnote 5 of the EYFS relates to settings which only provide before and after school care.
- Requirement 3.40 of the EYFS relates to settings which only provide before and after school care.
- Annex A of the Early Years Inspection handbook relates to settings which only provide before and after school care.
Settings (childminders, pre-schools, nurseries etc) which provide care for both early years and reception children must comply with the EYFS for all the early years children – this includes reception children.
Recognising the part schools play
Ofsted agree that –
- There are no expectations of a curriculum for a reception child in an early years setting because reception children are receiving their main learning at school
- There are no expectations for learning and development record keeping for a reception child because schools are recording their learning
- What is provided for reception children in an early years setting will be different to what is being provided for early years, because reception children spend most of their time in school.
- Reception children might need to relax after a busy day at school.
How do Ofsted inspect providers who care for reception children?
Ofsted inspect providers who care for both early years and reception children in line with the using the Safeguarding and Welfare requirements of the EYFS – this includes specifically EYFS requirement 3.1 which states:
‘Children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure, when their individual needs are met, and when they have positive relationships with the adults caring for them. The safeguarding and welfare requirements, specified in this section, are designed to help providers create high quality settings which are welcoming, safe and stimulating, and where children are able to enjoy learning and grow in confidence.’
Ofsted inspect the quality of the setting and will comment on the experiences of the children. Their final judgement focuses on ‘what is it like to be a child here?’
Self-reflection questions to ask yourself ‘what is it like to be a child here?’ in relation to reception children:
- Do reception children feel healthy, safe and secure in your setting – how do you know?
- How well do you meet the individual needs of your reception children?
- Does each reception child have a named key person, to promote positive relationships?
- Is your setting welcoming and safe for your reception children?
- Does your setting provide a stimulating environment for your reception children?
- Do reception children ‘enjoy learning and grow in confidence’ in your setting?
Important notes -
**If an inspector feels that the needs of any of the children are not being met – including the needs of reception children – Ofsted will report on it. at the end of the inspection.
**If older children in the setting impact on care for the early years children, Ofsted will report on it because the EYFS states in requirement 3.41: ‘Any care provided for older children must not adversely affect the care of children receiving early years provision’.
**If an Ofsted inspector asks you about your ‘curriculum’ for reception children, explain about the playful experiences you have available / provide for them, which ensures their needs are met and supports them on their journey towards the Early Learning Goals.
If you have any questions, please email me and ask.
Sarah.