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Ofsted for early years and childcare providers
Find out about Ofsted, how to register and useful links to Ofsted guidance.
About Ofsted
Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. They inspect and regulate services that care for children and young people, and services providing education and skills for learners of all ages.
Registering as a childminder or childcare provider
You must register with Ofsted if you want to be paid to look after children under 8 years old, for more than 2 hours a day in England.
Read:
- more about registering as a childminder or childcare provider
- our guidance about the Ofsted process if you're becoming a childminder
Ofsted links
Inspection guidance, handbook and frameworks
You can read documents relating to Ofsted's inspection of early years and childcare providers.
Find an Ofsted inspection report
Search for an Ofsted inspection report.
Using the Ofsted logos
The Ofsted logos are protected under Crown Copyright. Logos can only be used by providers that are judged the relevant grade overall at their last inspection.
These Ofsted logo guidelines must be followed if you want to use them.