Early years providers sceptical Ofsted's new complaints process will be fairer

Under the changes announced last week, Ofsted will still review any complaints, but will now send a sample of closed complaints to a panel for review. Providers can now also escalate complaints to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted if they are dissatisfied with Ofsted’s formal response.

One provider accused Ofsted of ‘empty words’, while another, Birmingham nursery owner, who made a complaint due to their inspector’s poor conduct during a complaint-driven inspection, said Ofsted was just paying ‘lip service’.

She added, ‘The proof will be a year or two down the line. Nothing will change, I guarantee. Early years providers will still be traumatised by inspectors who wield their power in such a negative and life-changing way.’

Commenting on social media, many providers revealed they had got to Stage 3 (internal review) of the previous complaints system and either got nowhere or had given up. They shared their experiences of inspection with some accusing inspectors of incomplete inspections, while others said their inspector was rude to staff members and/or not experienced enough.

Sharing her own experience, the Birmingham nursery owner, said, ‘As a provider who received an unfair inadequate rating after 22 years in business and felt like crawling under a stone for the last six months, this cannot be allowed to continue, Ofsted are ruining lives and businesses.’

The setting was subject to a complaint-driven inspection which saw the setting downgraded to inadequate.

The owner accused the inspector of ‘telling lies’ and said the report was very ‘destructive’, but Ofsted refused to listen when she complained.

She said that their inadequate grade led to parents walking away and cancelling places.

Nursery World understands the nursery has recently been re-inspected.