Ofsted to make 3,000 more surprise nursery visits a year to help boost safety
The Department for Education hopes that tripling the number of unannounced Ofsted visits compared to last year will help lead to safer nurseries.
Ofsted is set to carry out 3,000 more unannounced visits to nurseries each year as part of a government-backed effort to spot safety risks earlier and act faster on urgent problems.
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The number of surprise inspections will be tripled compared with 2025, and the Department for Education says the extra visits should help allow quicker intervention and make nurseries safer.
More than £8 million a year in funding is being allocated to support Ofsted’s work, including tougher checks before nurseries open, more face-to-face interviews with applicants, and a larger team of inspectors for bigger or more complex settings.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Nothing matters more than keeping children safe. Parents should be able to trust that when they leave their child at a nursery, they are in safe hands.
“This investment means more surprise Ofsted visits, stronger checks, and faster action where there are concerns – so risks are spotted early and dealt with quickly. Early education gives children the best start in life, and we are making sure it is backed by the high standards of care and protection families expect.”
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The funding will also strengthen the registration process to better assess whether applicants are suitable to run childcare settings, and upgrade Ofsted’s IT systems so risk assessments are supported by modern technology.
Those system upgrades are designed to give inspectors real-time data updates, helping them to intervene more quickly when problems are identified.
The announcement comes alongside stronger whistleblowing protections so staff and parents can report safeguarding concerns without fear, and an independent expert panel is examining the use of digital devices and CCTV in childcare settings.
Ministers have said they will publish the panel’s findings and consider all its recommendations once the review is complete.
The government and Ofsted are also reviewing how nursery chains are regulated, with a focus on tackling risks that could affect multiple providers across the same group.
The changes are expected to mean more frequent, unannounced inspections, tighter pre-registration checks, and faster follow-up action when settings are found to be failing children’s safety or care standards.