Nursery leadership and governance: your Ofsted summary guide

Everything inspectors see during your nursery visit is a reflection of your leadership. The culture in your rooms, the confidence of your practitioners, the consistency of your routines – all of it traces back to thoughtful decisions leaders make.

In this blog, we break down the ‘leadership and governance’ evaluation area under the updated EYFS Ofsted inspection framework. We cover what inspectors are looking for, and what it means for every level of your nursery team.

A change from the old framework

Under the previous EIF, this area was called ‘leadership and management’, and both safeguarding and inclusion sat within it. Both are now standalone evaluation areas – Ofsted inspects safeguarding separately, and inclusion has its own grade, leaving leadership and governance as a sharper, more focused lens on how leaders run and improve their setting.

What does governance cover in private nurseries?

The addition of “governance” to the title also reflects a broader scope. In a private nursery, this doesn’t mean a governing body. It refers to the nominated individual (NI) – the person registered with Ofsted who holds legal responsibility for the provision, often the owner or director.

Where the owner and manager are the same person, Ofsted will still look at how both functions are fulfilled, because oversight, accountability and challenge shouldn’t rest entirely on one set of shoulders.

• The manager leads and improves the setting day to day
• The nominated individual provides oversight, holds the manager to account and carries statutory responsibility

What this evaluation area tells Ofsted about your nursery

Leadership and governance underpin every other evaluation area. Without it, the intent, implementation and impact of your nursery provision can be inconsistent at best.

Your nursery inspector will start by looking at two main strands from the Early Years Inspection Toolkit:

• Whether leaders and those responsible for governance understand and meet the statutory requirements of the EYFS.
• The commitment to providing high standards of education and care that improve the lives of all children, with a specific focus on those who need it most.

Strong leadership is felt by every child and family in your setting. But Ofsted is particularly interested in your provision for disadvantaged children, those with SEND, those known to children’s social care and those facing other barriers to learning and wellbeing.

Every setting will have a disadvantaged group, even if none of your current children receives EYPP

Inspectors will consider the context of your setting and community, and your leaders should be able to explain how they identify and respond to disadvantage in your specific context.

What the strongest nursery leadership looks like

The Early Years Inspection Toolkit identifies the factors that research and inspection evidence show contribute most strongly to effective leadership and governance – this is what your nursery inspector will be particularly looking out for:

High expectations that can be seen via ‘first-hand experience’

Leaders set high expectations for all children, and those expectations are visible in day-to-day interactions.

It’s not enough for high expectations to be spoken about during your Ofsted planning call. Inspectors will look for them in how your team talks to children, responds to challenges and promotes effective inclusive practice.

An honest and accurate understanding of your setting

Strong leaders know their strengths and areas for development clearly – and the actions they take as a result are effective.

Nursery leadership self-evaluation is an ongoing process. Your provision isn’t expected to be perfect, but your leadership team should know where the gaps are and be actively working to close them.

Leaders and governance understand their distinct roles

This is one of the clearest changes from the old framework. Leaders strategically lead a nursery that is compliant and impactful, following clear action plans and ambitious goal setting.

Those responsible for governance – whether that’s a nominated individual, or a group-level oversight structure – provide challenge, support and accountability. Inspectors will look at whether both roles are understood and performed well.

Thoughtful engagement with parents

Parents are partners in their children’s education, they’re essential in building positive behaviours and attitudes to learning and establishing healthy learning routines.

Inspectors will look for evidence that parent engagement is purposeful and supports children’s learning (and gives parents additional advice on how to implement good learning habits at home).

Staff workload and wellbeing are a priority

Leaders prioritise and support staff mental health and wellbeing, ensuring workloads are manageable.

Inspectors will consider whether unnecessary burdens are created and whether staff feel valued and supported to do their jobs well. This includes creating CPD plans that improve the provision for children and upskill practitioners.

Decisions made in children’s best interests

This runs through every leadership decision. Inspectors will consider whether the choices leaders make – about curriculum, staff planning, professional development, resources – are grounded in what’s best for children, particularly those who are most vulnerable.

How inspectors gather evidence

Inspectors use a range of activities during your visit to build their picture of leadership and governance. Evidence in this area is gathered across five main areas:

1. Strategic leadership

• Can leaders articulate a clear, ambitious vision for their setting that goes beyond meeting the minimum requirements?
• Is improvement planning focused on the right priorities and having a visible impact on children’s outcomes?
• Do leaders demonstrate that they know, understand and act within the EYFS statutory framework?
• Is the ethos of the setting consistent and shaped in partnership with governance and the wider community?

2. Nursery governance

• Does the nominated individual understand their statutory duties and carry them out effectively?
• Can they provide an accurate picture of the setting’s quality and impact, including for children receiving EYPP funding?
• Do they provide challenge and support to leaders?
• Are resources, including funding for disadvantaged children, managed well and effectively monitored?

3. Staff wellbeing and workload

• Are there clear systems in place to protect staff from bullying, harassment or discrimination, and are these acted on?
• Is staff time used effectively, with steps taken to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens?
• Do staff feel valued, supported and confident in their roles?
• Is morale and effective nursery culture a leadership priority?

4. Professional learning and expertise

• Is there a culture of continuous improvement where everyone is motivated to develop their practice?
• Does the professional learning programme equip practitioners to deliver the curriculum, support behaviour and meet the needs of vulnerable children?
• Do nursery leaders model their own professional development?
• Is training targeted and evaluated for impact?

5. Parental and community engagement

• Does the setting work effectively in partnership with parents to support children’s education and care?
• Are parents supported to extend their child’s learning at home, including through the progress check at age 2?
• Do leaders collaborate with other settings, agencies and organisations to strengthen their local early years offer?
• Is information shared with other professionals and parents in an accessible and meaningful way?

Preparing for your nursery Ofsted inspection

The strongest message running through this evaluation area is that leadership and governance are a team effort. Room leaders, the nominated individual and your whole staff team all contribute to the picture inspectors build.

The more widely leadership responsibility is understood across your setting, the stronger your provision will be.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive starting point, our Complete Guide to Nursery Management in 2026 covers everything from compliance and finances to Ofsted readiness – and it’s free to download.

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