Inspection day checklist

For the day you get the call. Stick it inside a cupboard door now, not when the phone rings.

Check the current framework yourself.

Ofsted’s early years inspection framework changed from September 2026 — see our guide to what replaced the old grades. This checklist is a practical aid, not official guidance. Ofsted’s own toolkit and operating guide are definitive.

All printables

When the call comes

Get a pen before you start talkingYou will not remember it otherwise
Note the date, the start time and the inspector’s name
Ask what they would like available
Tell them honestly which children you have that dayDo not rearrange your week to look busier
Then plan a completely normal dayA performed routine is more obvious than people think

Have accessible — not reformatted

Your certificate of registrationAnd your public liability insurance
Attendance record for the children you care for
Accident, incident and medication records
Emergency contacts and parental consents
Your safeguarding policy and any recorded concerns
Complaints record
Details and checks for anyone living or working on the premises
Paediatric first aid certificateAnd any recent training certificates
Evidence of risk assessmentNot a written one per activity - just be able to explain it

Rehearse these out loud

Tell me about one of the children here todayWhere they are, what you have noticed, what is next
What would you do if a child disclosed something to you?Step by step. Safeguarding is met or not met - there is no middle grade
Who do you contact about a safeguarding concern, and what is the number?
How have you supported a child with additional needs?Inclusion is now its own evaluation area - have a real story ready
What have you changed recently, and why?
How do you work with parents when you are worried about something?

What they will NOT ask for

Internal tracking or assessment dataOfsted says explicitly that inspectors will not ask to see this
A particular format for anything - filing is up to you
Documents produced specially for the inspection
A perfect dayThey want to see your normal one

On the day itself

Normal routine, normal activities, normal snack
Talk while you workNarrate what you are doing and why - that is the evidence
Say so if you do not know something“I would look that up” is a better answer than a guess
Have somewhere for them to sit and workAnd offer them a drink
BreatheYou do this job every day. Today someone is watching, that is all

Written by a practising, registered childminder who runs The Kids Hub — Childcare of Kings Langley.

Independent review: this sheet has not yet been checked by an early years adviser. It was written by a practising, registered childminder and fact-checked against the sources named on it. If you spot an error, tell us — we would rather know.

Last checked: August 2026.

Rule changes

We’ll tell you when the rules change

Two statutory frameworks changed on 1 September 2026 — the EYFS and the Ofsted inspection framework. Most childminders found out from a Facebook post weeks later. Leave your email and we’ll tell you the next time something changes, in plain English, with what you actually need to do.

Only when something genuinely changes. Not a newsletter. Stop any time.