Choosing a nursery
How to read a nursery's Ofsted report
What Ofsted's grades mean, how report cards changed in November 2025 and what to look for in a nursery's report.
The short version
- Reports before 10 November 2025 have one overall word; newer ones have separate grades.
- Check safeguarding first.
- Check the date, and ask what's changed since.
Two kinds of report are in use
| Inspected before 10 Nov 2025 | Inspected since | |
|---|---|---|
| Result | One overall judgement | A report card, with no overall grade |
| Grades | Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement, Inadequate | A grade for each area, on a five-point scale |
| Safeguarding | Covered in the report | Shown separately: met or not met |
The new report card grades
- ExceptionalThe highest grade
- Strong standardAbove what's expected
- Expected standardMeets what's expected
- Needs attentionSome things need to improve
- Urgent improvementSerious problems to fix
Check safeguarding first
Safeguarding means keeping children safe from harm. On a report card, look for 'met'. On an older report, read what inspectors say about staff knowledge and how concerns are handled.
Check the date
Ofsted plans to inspect early years settings about every four years, rather than every six, so a report can still be a few years old.
Ask them
- Has the manager or owner changed since this inspection?
- What have you done about the recommended improvements?
Read the words, not just the grade
Questions to ask on a visitIf a nursery has no grade
A new nursery may not have been inspected yet, and some have had a visit that didn't produce a grade. That isn't a bad sign in itself. Ask when it registered, then rely on your own visit.
Keep reading
Choosing a nursery, 6 min readWhat to look for in a nurseryHow to compare nurseries before you visit, what to watch for when you're there, and the questions worth asking.
Choosing a nursery, 3 min readNursery schools and day nurseries: what's the difference?How day nurseries, nursery schools, school nursery classes and pre-schools differ on hours, ages and staffing.
Choosing a nursery, 3 min readQuestions to ask on a nursery visitA down-to-earth checklist for a first nursery visit. Tick things off as you go.