A lot has changed with Ofsted in 2025. There’s a renewed framework and a whole suite of supporting documents to get familiar with.
It’s left plenty of nursery managers wondering what happens to the parts of inspection we understood, and found useful, like the 3 I’s of intent, implementation and impact.
In this article, we’ll explain where the 3 I’s fit into the updated Ofsted framework for early years, helping your nursery team to confidently prepare for your upcoming inspection.
Do the 3 I’s still show up in Ofsted inspections for nurseries in 2026?
In short, yes. The 3 I’s are still there, but they’re not presented in the same way as before.
Under the previous Education Inspection Framework (EIF), intent, implementation and impact were clearly linked to the quality of education judgement.
They became a familiar way to talk about curriculum quality, and many Ofsted research reports and sector discussions used the same 3 I’s structure to explore what an effective curriculum looks like in practice.
In the renewed Ofsted framework, you won’t see the 3 I’s neatly arranged as subheadings within the new evaluation areas.
Instead, the same thinking sits underneath how inspectors gather evidence about your setting.
- What are you trying to achieve for children?
- How is it delivered day to day?
- What difference is it making over time?
So, the 3 I’s still matter for nurseries. Ofsted is still looking at intent, implementation and impact, just through updated language and a more contextual lens.
Intent, implementation and impact explained for nurseries
The Early Years Inspection Toolkit is clear that inspections focus on the impact of the systems and processes leaders use, and that inspectors mainly gather evidence through professional conversations and observing day-to-day practice.
That’s why the 3 I’s still help. They give you a simple way to frame your answers around what you intended, what happened in practice, and what changed for children.
On the day of your Ofsted inspection, your job is to help the inspector gather first-hand evidence that backs up the self-reflection you shared during the Planning Call.
Many of the new Ofsted inspection activities are designed to highlight everyday practice that evidences your intent, implementation and impact within the new evaluation areas.
Let’s break down what intent, implementation, and impact look like in a nursery setting in 2026.
Intent in a nursery setting
What Ofsted means by intent in early years
Intent is the thinking behind your decisions. It’s the why. Why you’ve chosen a particular approach, routine, or curriculum focus, and why it’s right for your children.
In the Early Years Inspection Toolkit, the word ‘intent’ appears most clearly in curriculum and teaching. Still, inspectors will also look for the intent behind wider leadership decisions because those choices shape what practitioners do every day.
What inspectors will look for
They’ll consider whether your EYFS curriculum meets the needs of the children who attend, including disadvantaged children, children with SEND, and children who are known or were previously known to children’s social care.
At the same time, they’ll explore how leaders use child development knowledge to set ambitious goals for all children, including preparing children for their next stage.
Reflecting the Giving Every Child the Best Start Strategy, which highlights school readiness as a key priority for early education improvement.
The key is that intent is not something leaders hold in isolation. It filters into the day-to-day, through routines, expectations, and interactions.
What effective intent looks like in early years
- Explaining your curriculum priorities based on your children’s starting points and need
- Being clear on what you want children to know and be able to do over time, and the order in which you choose to build learning
- Being specific about your intent for communication and language or PSED, and how routines and interactions are designed to support it
Implementation in early years
What Ofsted means by implementation in early years
Implementation is the doing. It’s how your intent shows up in everyday practice, through routines, environments, and the way adults interact with children.
In the Early Years Toolkit, teaching is defined broadly. It includes interactions in:
- Planned and child-initiated play
- Modelling language
- Exploring ideas and patterns
- Questioning and curiosity for learning
- Providing individual challenges
It also includes the environment, routines, and how EYFS tracking is used to plan next steps and monitor progress.
What inspectors will look for
Inspectors will pay attention to what practice looks like across the setting, not just in one room, or with one practitioner.
They’ll want to see that what you’ve planned is being delivered consistently, and that adults adapt their teaching to children’s starting points and needs.
What effective implementation looks like in early years
- Practitioners adapting teaching to children’s different starting points, needs and stages of development
- High-quality interactions that help children practise key knowledge and remember it over time
- Leaders and practitioners spot what is not working and adapt their support accordingly
- A consistent approach across the team, while recognising that every child develops differently
Impact in early years
What Ofsted means by impact in early years
The impact of leaders’ decisions on children’s progress and development is the central message running through Ofsted’s latest framework.
Impact is the difference your provision makes for children over time. It’s what changes because of your leadership decisions, your curriculum choices, and the way the team delivers practice day to day.
In early years, impact includes what children know, remember and can do, and the progress they make from their starting points across the seven areas of learning and development.
It also factors in how well children are being prepared for their next stage (school readiness), focusing on what is important for their development.
What inspectors will look for
This is where the conversation often takes the structure of ‘show me’ evidence.
Inspectors are not looking for perfection. They’re looking for an honest picture of progress, especially focusing on children who face barriers to learning and wellbeing:
- What did you notice?
- What did you do?
- What difference did it make?
What effective impact looks like in early years
- Talking through children’s progress, aims and achievements naturally, without relying on a script
- Showing how gaps are identified early, and action is taken
- Being clear on the impact on children who face barriers to learning and wellbeing
- Explaining what has improved for children because of leadership decisions
- Knowing where children started, where they are now, and what the next steps are
How to use the 3 I’s in an Ofsted conversation
Even though the 3 I’s aren’t spelt out as a set of headings in the renewed framework, the structure can still help your team organise their answers to common questions during inspection.
Not many people can recall everything they’d like to say on the spot, especially in the middle of a busy nursery day.
Ofsted uses discussions with leaders and nursery staff as one of their main follow-up activities, alongside first-hand observations.
So, if a practitioner is asked, “How do you know safeguarding is effective here?”, the 3 I’s gives them a clear way to answer without panicking.
Here’s an example answer structure for an Ofsted safeguarding question:
Intent
A simple explanation of your safeguarding culture. That children’s safety and wellbeing are protected, and everyone understands their role.
Implementation
What that looks like day-to-day, they might mention:
- The systems and processes staff follow
- The training and refreshers staff complete
- How staff share information and raise concerns
- The role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead
- When and how external agencies are involved, where needed
Impact
How they know those systems work. This could include what changes occur when concerns are raised, how children are supported, and how leaders ensure actions are taken. Keep examples anonymous and only use an example when it’s appropriate.
The 3 I’s are still a solid way to think, plan and talk, but they work best when they are lived in practice rather than written up for inspection purposes only.
The renewed inspection approach is designed to examine the real experiences of children and the everyday systems and routines that leadership choices create.
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