No single score tells you whether a nursery is good for your child, but a short set of checks gives you a lot of information. Start with the facts you can verify, then use a visit to test them.
Step 1: confirm the setting is registered
In England, most nurseries, pre-schools and childminders that look after children under 8 for payment must be registered with Ofsted (or with a childminder agency). Settings that care for children up to the 31 August after their fifth birthday are on the Early Years Register.
- Search the Ofsted reports website by name, postcode or Ofsted URN. Ask the setting for its URN if you are unsure.
- Check that the type of setting, address and number of places match what you were told.
- Do not rely on a logo. Ofsted says logos such as “Ofsted approved” and “Ofsted registered” are unofficial. Only the real Ofsted reports site and the setting’s registration certificate are reliable.
- Childminders should be able to show you their registration certificate. If a childminder is registered through an agency, the agency’s details are on the certificate.
Funded hours (free childcare) can only be used with registered providers, so registration also matters for money. Maintained nursery schools and school nursery classes are inspected as schools, not by the early years system, so look for the school’s Ofsted report instead.
Step 2: read the latest inspection result
Open the most recent report and note three things:
- The date. Under the old system, settings were inspected roughly every 6 years. Under the new one, the aim is every 4 years, phased in from April 2026.
- The format. A report card from November 2025 onwards shows six graded areas and safeguarding met or not met. An older report shows an overall grade of Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate. See Ofsted report cards and legacy grades.
- Safeguarding. On a report card, this should be ‘met’. If it says ‘not met’, find out what the setting has done since, and whether Ofsted has re-inspected.
Read the written summary, not just the grades. It describes strengths and areas for improvement in words that are specific to the setting. Be wary of ratings that do not give a date.
Step 3: check whether it takes funded children
If you plan to use funded hours, ask whether the setting takes funded places for your child’s age and in the pattern you need. Your council’s Family Information Service can confirm. Our borough pages link to each one.
Step 4: visit, and ask what you cannot see
On a visit, look at how adults and children interact: whether children seem settled and busy, whether staff get down to children’s level and listen, and whether the building and outdoor area are clean, safe and used. Then ask about the things a visit does not show:
- Staffing. How many adults are in my child’s room, and how does that compare to the legal ratio? See nursery ratios.
- Key person. Who is my child’s key person? Every child must be assigned one.
- First aid. At least one person with a current paediatric first aid certificate must be on site at all times.
- Information. Providers must tell parents how the EYFS is delivered, the daily routine, how they support children with SEND, what food is provided, how staff are organised, and who the key person is. They must also make their policies available on request.
- Complaints. Providers must have a written complaints procedure and respond to written complaints about the EYFS within 28 days.
More are in questions to ask a nursery.
Step 5: know how to raise a problem
If you have a concern, talk to the provider first. If you are not satisfied, you can complain to Ofsted. Ofsted may inspect or work with other agencies, will publish the result of an inspection, and will not reply to you directly about it. Ofsted cannot resolve individual disagreements between you and the provider. If you think a child is at risk, contact your council or call the police on 101, or 999 in an emergency. Nurseries attached to a state-funded primary school follow a different complaints route.
Questions
How do I check if a nursery is good?
Confirm it is registered on the Ofsted reports website, read the most recent report and check the date and safeguarding outcome, then visit and ask about staffing, the key person, first aid and complaints. No single grade can show how well a setting suits your child.
What is the 2-hour rule for Ofsted?
Under Ofsted’s guidance on who can register, you cannot register with Ofsted as a childcare provider if you look after each child for less than 2 hours a day, unless you are providing before or after-school care. This is why some short sessions or classes do not appear on the Ofsted register. Separate exemptions also apply to some tutoring, sports and arts clubs for children aged 3 and over, and to nannies and babysitters. Check what is registered before you assume a setting is inspected.
Can I trust a nursery’s “outstanding” claim?
Check the Ofsted reports site. Settings that were judged Outstanding or Good before November 2025 can keep using the official logos until their next graded inspection, after which they must be removed. A claim should match the latest report.
Are childminders inspected?
Yes, childminders on the Early Years Register are inspected using the same toolkit as nurseries, applied to a home or smaller setting. An inspection of a childminder normally takes about 3 hours.
