Embracing Risk: Why OFSTED Shouldn't Hold You Back From Innovating in Education

Turning Risk into Reward: Why Your Pedagogical Choices Shouldn't Be Limited by OFSTED Inspections

Breaking Free from the Ofsted Fear

When I first began my career in early years education over 13 years ago, I’d heard the whispers of the dreaded Ofsted, but I never truly understood the impact it would have until I became the lead of an early years department in my second year of teaching. Suddenly, I found myself sitting in meetings with the senior leadership team (SLT), and everything we discussed was centered around the upcoming Ofsted inspection. We were apparently "in the window" for a visit, which meant the pressure was on.

Every decision seemed to be made with the Ofsted inspection in mind, all with the goal of securing a good result and being seen as a top-tier provider. At first, I tried to embrace the process, but I soon found it draining. It sucked the joy out of being a leader and an educator. Rather than following my instincts and doing what I knew was right for my children, I began second-guessing every decision, wondering, "What would Ofsted think?"

But something didn’t sit right with me. Ofsted inspectors don’t know my children or the day-to-day challenges I face to support them, so why was I allowing them to influence my choices? That was when I decided enough was enough.

Taking Back Control

I made the conscious decision to stop making choices based on what I thought Ofsted wanted to see. Instead, I started following my gut and taking the risks I had always wanted to take. I introduced history and geography into the curriculum, embraced a fully open-ended pedagogical approach to play, and removed all adult-created displays, replacing them with only children’s work. No more twinkle displays!

It was liberating. As a lead practitioner within my trust, I began implementing these ideas across other settings, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The staff loved the freedom to take risks and follow their own professional instincts. It was a new way of thinking, and it felt empowering to be leading by example.

The Reality of Ofsted Expectations

As always, Ofsted releases guidelines that tell schools what they can and cannot do. One of the biggest misconceptions in their guidance for the EYFS is that specific subjects should not be taught. If you've read my previous blog, you’ll know how I feel about incorporating subjects like history and geography into the EYFS curriculum. When I first heard this advice, it made my heart sink. But I wasn’t going to let it derail something I was passionate about—something that my children loved. So, I stood my ground and kept expanding on the curriculum I had created, knowing in my heart that this was the right approach for my setting.

When Ofsted finally arrived, I was ready to defend the curriculum I had built. After observing the children and having conversations with them, the inspectors acknowledged that our curriculum was unique, but in a positive way. They understood our intent—to provide our children with a rich cultural capital, rather than removing the foundations of early years education. In fact, they recognized that our setting was actually more play-based than many others they had seen.

The Takeaway

So, what’s the takeaway from this experience? Don’t get bogged down by Ofsted’s do’s and don’ts. Show them something new and let your passion for teaching and learning speak for itself. After all, someone has to be the first to push boundaries, right?