§ Living Ofsted tracker
Where is Ofsted inspecting this week?
Last updated
Ofsted does not publish a forward schedule, so nobody outside Ofsted can reliably tell you which settings will get the call next. What we can track is where early years reports have just been published, how publication activity is changing and how the inspection cycle works.
Important: this is publication activity, not a live map of inspections. Reports are published after the visit and the location count therefore lags the inspection itself.
Newly published early years reports
How early years settings are selected
There is no public queue, but Ofsted has set out the main routes to inspection:
- Routine cycle. From April 2026, providers on the Early Years Register are due to be inspected at least once by March 2030, followed by a four-year inspection window.
- New registrations. Ofsted says new providers registered from April 2026 should normally receive their first inspection within about 18 months.
- Concerns. Complaints, notifications and safeguarding information can result in an earlier or unannounced visit.
That does not make an individual date predictable. It does mean that settings should treat readiness as an ongoing job, especially when their last visit is receding into history.
How much notice will we get?
Group childcare providers are normally contacted on the working day before the inspection. Notification is followed by a planning conversation about practical arrangements, the provider's context, strengths and areas for development. Notice can work differently for childminders and providers that operate only on certain days. Ofsted can inspect without notice where it considers that appropriate.
That first call is also when most settings receive the inspector's name. Record it accurately rather than relying on memory.
Check the current official guidance on being inspected for the notice rules that apply to your provider type.
Is Ofsted behind on early years inspections?
A national publication count cannot answer that on its own. It shows the flow of final reports, while delay or backlog would need data about each provider's registration, risk and last inspection date. The move from the previous six-year arrangements to a four-year window does, however, require a higher inspection cadence across the cycle.
Use the tracker as a view of recent report publication, not as a countdown for your own setting.
Prepare before and after the call
Frequently asked questions
Can we find out our inspection date in advance?
No. Ofsted does not publish a forward schedule. Group providers are normally notified on the working day before the inspection, while notice can differ for childminders and providers operating only on certain days.
Does a recent complaint mean an inspection is coming?
Not automatically. Ofsted assesses concerns and can inspect outside the routine cycle or without notice when it considers that necessary.
We were inspected in 2023. When are we due?
There is no public appointment date to look up. Ofsted says providers on the Early Years Register will be inspected at least once between April 2026 and March 2030, then within a four-year window. Concerns can bring a visit forward.
Are these figures inspections happening this week?
No. They count reports published by Ofsted. Publication happens after the visit, so the data shows recent publication activity rather than a live or forward inspection map.
When the call comes, you will get a name
Search it free and see the verified attributed-report coverage before choosing a one-off Inspector Briefing.