Ofsted recommendations for group-based settings
Key person
- Ensure that the key person system is effective to support children to build settled relationships and provide care and learning that is tailored to meet their individual needs (October 2025).
Links to further information:
Attachment and the role of the key person – Birth To 5 Matters
Help for early years providers : Relationships
Partnership working with parent carers
- Improve the consistency of information shared with parents so that they are fully engaged with their children's care and learning (October 2025).
Link to further information:
What-to-expect-in-the-EYFS-complete-FINAL-16.09-compressed.pdf
Planning
- Develop the planning for activities so that children receive high-quality experiences that build on their learning (October 2025).
Link to further information:
Help for early years providers : Curriculum planning
Professional development
- Enhance professional development opportunities further to identify precise training needs and build on staff knowledge and skills (June 2025).
- Support staff to extend children's learning even further as they play with an aim to raise outcomes for children (July 2025).
- Consistently implement behaviour management strategies with an aim to ensure all children start to learn right from wrong and how their actions can impact on others (July 2025).
Link to further information:
Early Years CPD schedule and booking details | Shropshire Learning Gateway
SEND
- Strengthen professional relationships with outside agencies to seek swift guidance for children who may have SEND to further enhance their plans of support (July 2025).
- Support staff to enhance their planning and delivery of the curriculum during group activities, so that it meets the differing needs of the children (July 2025).
Early Years Inclusion Advice and Funding | Shropshire Learning Gateway
The SEND local offer | Shropshire Council
Supervision
- Improve the arrangements for supporting and monitoring staff practice further, so that all aspects of the curriculum are implemented consistently (September 2025).
- Monitor staff and evaluate their practice more precisely to strengthen their teaching skills (October 2025).
Links to further information:
- Help for early years providers : Early years practitioner wellbeing support
- Maintaining quality early years provision in the face of workforce challenges – Ofsted: early years
Transitions
- Strengthen the transition arrangements in place with an aim to support staff to better meet the needs of children, particularly as they transition into a new room (July 2025).
Links to further information: