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Around eight in ten (79%) nurseries, pre-schools and childminders said they were stressed about Ofsted inspections ‘fairly’ or ‘very often’, according to a new survey from the Early Years Alliance. 

The survey, which received 1,910 responses and was carried out online between 29 March and 27 April asked explored the mental health challenges facing the sector and what  impact the current Ofsted inspection regime is having. 

Complaints and impact on provision 

Nearly half of respondents (45%) have had a negative Ofsted experience, as one in five (21%) have filed a formal complaint, and most believed that inspections failed to have a positive impact on the provision of quality care and education. Only 14% of respondents said the current Ofsted inspection regime had a positive impact on the provision of quality care and education while more than a third (37%) strongly disagreed and a quarter (26%) ‘somewhat disagreed’ with the statement. 

An overwhelming majority (77%) support the removal of the single-word Ofsted grade, with almost three in five (58%) ‘strongly’ supporting this.  

Recently, questions have been raised over the impact of Ofsted inspections, especially on workforce wellbeing and mental health, following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry. In April, “Beyond Ofsted”, an inquiry into the inspection system, was launched. However, the inquiry does not currently include early years settings within its scope.    

Stress, anxiety and sleepless nights  

The survey also revealed that most respondents (81%) have regularly been stressed about a work-related issue in the past month, with sector-specific government policy and pay were listed as the most common causes of stress behind Ofsted inspections.  

For most, this has had a significant impact on their physical health. In the past year, nearly seven in ten (67%) suffered with anxiety, fatigue (67%) and loss of motivation (64%). In addition more than one in ten (14%) have experienced panic attacks, while 3% said they have had thoughts of taking their own life.  

Overall, nearly six in 10 (59%) educators said they felt negatively about working in the sector. A third (35%) said they were considering leaving the sector due to stress and mental health difficulties. 

“Deeply worrying and completely unacceptable” 

Commenting, Neil Leitch CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said:  

“The fact that working in the early years has left educators facing sleepless nights and suffering from anxiety and stress is not only deeply worrying; it’s completely unacceptable.  

"It’s clear that the early years is in the midst of a mental health and wellbeing crisis, and that Ofsted inspections are a key source of this stress for many in the sector.   

“If inspections are to achieve their aim of supporting and improving the provision of education, they must be a collaborative, supportive and positive experience. Instead, they are increasingly seen as something to dread, leaving educators stressed, exhausted and questioning their future in the sector – and while recent discussions on this issue have largely focused on the experiences of schools, this is just as true in the early years.  

“On top of this, years of severe underfunding and limited government support have taken its toll on early educators and – as our survey shows – contributed to the fact that so many in the sector are facing a range of mental health challenges.   

“Day after day, early years providers are forced to juggle wholly inadequate funding, overwhelming workloads and severe staffing shortages while continuing to deliver high-quality early education and care. Add to that the fact that, in the rare instance that the sector is included in government policy – such as the newly-announced 30-hour expansion – it often ends up heaping even more pressure on a sector that is already close to buckling, and it’s no surprise that so many are struggling.  

“Going forward, the mental health and wellbeing of early educators must be a key focus both when it comes to reforming the inspection system and in developing government policy. With a third of providers actively considering leaving the workforce, this is not an issue that can be ignored. The way the sector is treated must change, not only to protect the mental health of the workforce, but the future of the entire sector.”