Nursery inspectors inspect services that provide Government funded free part time places. Then regular inspections are carried out to ensure the quality of the education being provided. Information on the kinds of things your child will learn is provided in separate leaflets, Choosing early education for your three and four year old, Choosing a nursery class or a nursery school or Choosing a pre-school (playgroup).

Which types of childcare are not registered and inspected?

The following types of childcare are not registered or inspected:

• Nannies (working for no more than two families).

• Au Pairs (in the family home). Au pairs are regulated by the Home Office
  but the work they do is not registered or inspected

• Daycare services operating for 2 hours or less per day or under 6 days per year

• Services which cater only for children aged eight or over. A new accreditation
  system started to operate for childcare for children over eight in April 2000

How do I check whether services are registered?

You can ask to see their registration certificate. You can also request to read a copy of their latest Inspection Report. Your local Children's Information Service (CIS) will help if you need to know more about registration and inspection of services. The ChildcareLink freephone service will provide details of your local CIS on 08000 960296.

Education Acts
Government funded early or Pre-School education services

A series of Education Acts apply to state nursery schools, state nursery classes
and maintained schools.

They cover

• what children are taught
• inspection regimes
• staff training and qualifications

Each local authority works to improve the quality of the childcare services provided
in their area by providing training and promoting the use of Quality Assurance schemes.

What about private schools?

Independent schools with nursery classes are registered with the Department for
Education and Skills. An independent school is any private school with at least five
pupils of compulsory school age or at least one child of that age for whom a statement
is maintained by the local education authority or who is looked after by a local authority. Government guidance is available on staff ratios in nursery classes in independent schools.

A sample is inspected each year by the relevant HMI (Her Majesty's Inspectorate
of Schools).

Education law for three and four year olds

Some early education and childcare services offer free part-time early or pre-school education to four year olds and three year olds. This is paid for by the Government.

All services which provide free part-time early or pre-school education services for
three year olds or four year olds are checked by inspectors for Ofsted.

You are the expert on your child and you are the person who knows best what kind of childcare service will suit your child. Knowing what to expect from the regulation framework can help you have confidence in the service you choose. The regulation framework sets out standards for most kinds of childcare, early education and pre-school service.

The Children Act 1989 – for provision for children under eight

This is the legal framework which sets quality standards in most private and voluntary sector children's services. It aims to make sure that children's interests come first.

The Children Act, as amended by the Care Standards Act, provides for Ofsted to operate
a registration and inspection system for the following services:

• Day Nurseries
• Playgroups
• Private Nursery Schools
• After School Clubs / Holiday Playschemes
• Childminders
• Crèches (open for 6 or more days per year)

Registration and inspection

The Children Act gives Ofsted a duty to register and inspect the childcare services listed above. This means:

• People running daycare services for children up to eight years old must register
  with Ofsted. This includes childminders. It also includes nannies. working for more than two families in the family home of one of the children being cared for.

• Inspections must be carried out to ensure the childcare continues to be safe
  and suitable.

• Ofsted must ensure people running childcare services are suitable to do so. Checks cover the person applying to run a childcare service, childminders
  and members of childminders' families who will be in contact with the children.

• Staff:Child ratios are laid out in the national standards for daycare
  and childminding under the Children Act.

• People running childcare services must plan children's activities to help
  them enjoy learning and playing.