Inspection arrangements

Early years settings in the non-maintained sector

The inspection of non-maintained nursery education by providers included in the local authorities' Early Years Development and Childcare Plans is governed by the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998. The Act requires the Chief Inspector to keep the Welsh Assembly Government informed about:

• the quality and standards of nursery education; and

• the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of children for whom nursery education is provided.

Currently, these settings are inspected within a six-year cycle which started in 1999. In undertaking the inspections, registered nursery education inspectors are required to comply with Estyn's Framework for the Inspection of Educational Provision for Children Before Compulsory School Age.

Estyn is responsible for:

• training and registering nursery education inspectors;

• monitoring the quality of inspections and inspection reports; and

• corroborating judgements where the quality of educational provision is considered to be substantially below that required.

• Notification of developments in early years provision and the foundation phase, including training of inspectors will be published later in 2004.

Click for:

Post-Inspection Questionnaire

Inspection guidance

General Evaluation Form (GEF)

General Evaluation Form (GEF)

Lesson Evaluation Form (LEF)

Lesson Evaluation Form (LEF)

Lesson Evaluation Form for Short Inspections and lessons where standards in subjects are not being evaluated

Lesson Evaluation Form for Short Inspections and lessons where standards in subjects are not being evaluated

One of two suggested templates for recording pre-inspection commentaries

One of two suggested templates for recording pre-inspection commentaries

Early years inspection reports

Relevant publications for early years education

Early years inspection schedule

Estyn’s arrangements for assuring the quality of contracted out work in relation to school inspections