Ofsted
This guidance is for the following childcare providers:
- childcare on domestic premises
- childcare on non-domestic premises
There is separate guidance if you are not yet registered and want to include a setting for an application to register a nursery or other daycare with Ofsted.
If you are a nursery or other daycare provider and you intend to move your setting or operate from additional premises, you must apply to register your new premises. This is because each daycare setting must be approved by Ofsted.
Your new setting must be approved by Ofsted before it can legally begin operating. To do so without approval will result in you providing unregistered childcare, which is an offence.
You will need to pay an approval and annual fee for each setting where childcare is provided.
Who should apply
You should be one of the following:
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the individual owner of a daycare organisation
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the nominated individual of a daycare organisation owned by a company or group
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the nominated individual of a school which does any of the following:
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admits children to their register who are not yet 2 years old
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provides care for children under 2 years old where at least 1 child attends for more than 2 hours a day
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provides care for children who are not pupils at the school
The nominated individual is one of those who will be the registered individuals of a daycare organisation or school. The nominated individual is chosen to represent them and the daycare with Ofsted.
Information you will need
To complete the form, you will need to know the details of:
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your current childcare setting
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your proposed childcare setting
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who will manage the daycare and any person to contact
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who will look after the children
You will also need to tell Ofsted:
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when you will be providing the childcare
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any additional relevant information you think we should know in relation to carrying out an inspection
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the register you want your daycare to join, or why it is exempt from registering
Schools
If you are providing daycare in a school, you will also need:
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the schools unique reference number
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to know whether you are applying to provide daycare as part of a childrens centre
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the number of children and their ages
Add a setting
You must use the online form to give Ofsted the necessary information on your new setting.
Last updated 10 May 2023 +show all updates
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Clarified what you need to do when moving to or operating from additional premises.
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First published.