Hunt for Ofsted top team begins

Early years organisations are giving Ofsted the benefit of the doubt over recruitment of the Early Years Directorate's senior management team - despite job advertisements which say 'a background within early years is not essential'. Their 'wait and see' reaction suggests they have been reassured by the appointment of Maggie Smith, a former director of children's services for the charity Barnardo's, as head of the Directorate. Before the appointment was announced, concerns were raised over the advertisement for the post, which did not state that early years experience was a requirement.