View in EDS

'I Know We Need to Be Regulated, but I Don't Think This Is the Right Way': Early Education Managers' Experiences of Group Setting Inspections in England

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: 'I Know We Need to Be Regulated, but I Don't Think This Is the Right Way': Early Education Managers' Experiences of Group Setting Inspections in England
Language: English
Authors: Susana Castro-Kemp (ORCID 0000-0002-9838-7316), Åsa Melander (ORCID 0000-0003-1321-5089)
Source: Journal of Early Childhood Research. 2025 23(3):280-293.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Early Childhood Education, Inspection, Educational Quality, Administrators, Administrator Attitudes, Educational Environment, Child Development, Administrative Organization, School Administration, Futures (of Society)
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
DOI: 10.1177/1476718X251326000
ISSN: 1476-718X
1741-2927
Abstract: Early childhood education is regarded as key to help ensure long-term positive outcomes for children, and high-quality provision crucial for long-term developmental outcomes. However, how settings are inspected for the quality of their services varies substantially across countries. In England, the inspection body Ofsted has been heavily criticised for its high-stakes sanction-oriented approach to inspections. This study aimed to understand what makes a high-quality setting from the point of view of early years managers, and how they experience the inspection procedure, including any challenges faced, and ideas for a different inspection framework. Interviews with 21 managers resulted in three main themes: (a) key elements of the learning environment and resources for child development, (b) key organizational aspects, and (c) moving forward. Managers recognize the need for an inspection system but are dissatisfied with the current approach. They suggest a model where more advice and more prolonged engagement with the setting results in a supportive relationship that develops staff, in line with a low stakes, advisory-oriented model.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1481602
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1481602
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: 'I Know We Need to Be Regulated, but I Don't Think This Is the Right Way': Early Education Managers' Experiences of Group Setting Inspections in England
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Susana+Castro-Kemp%22">Susana Castro-Kemp</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9838-7316">0000-0002-9838-7316</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Åsa+Melander%22">Åsa Melander</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1321-5089">0000-0003-1321-5089</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Early+Childhood+Research%22"><i>Journal of Early Childhood Research</i></searchLink>. 2025 23(3):280-293.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 14
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inspection%22">Inspection</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Quality%22">Educational Quality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrators%22">Administrators</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrator+Attitudes%22">Administrator Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Environment%22">Educational Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Development%22">Child Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrative+Organization%22">Administrative Organization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Administration%22">School Administration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Futures+%28of+Society%29%22">Futures (of Society)</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom+%28England%29%22">United Kingdom (England)</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1177/1476718X251326000
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1476-718X<br />1741-2927
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Early childhood education is regarded as key to help ensure long-term positive outcomes for children, and high-quality provision crucial for long-term developmental outcomes. However, how settings are inspected for the quality of their services varies substantially across countries. In England, the inspection body Ofsted has been heavily criticised for its high-stakes sanction-oriented approach to inspections. This study aimed to understand what makes a high-quality setting from the point of view of early years managers, and how they experience the inspection procedure, including any challenges faced, and ideas for a different inspection framework. Interviews with 21 managers resulted in three main themes: (a) key elements of the learning environment and resources for child development, (b) key organizational aspects, and (c) moving forward. Managers recognize the need for an inspection system but are dissatisfied with the current approach. They suggest a model where more advice and more prolonged engagement with the setting results in a supportive relationship that develops staff, in line with a low stakes, advisory-oriented model.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1481602
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1481602
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/1476718X251326000
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 14
        StartPage: 280
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Inspection
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Quality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrators
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrator Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrative Organization
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Administration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Futures (of Society)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom (England)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: 'I Know We Need to Be Regulated, but I Don't Think This Is the Right Way': Early Education Managers' Experiences of Group Setting Inspections in England
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Susana Castro-Kemp
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Åsa Melander
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 09
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1476-718X
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1741-2927
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 23
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Early Childhood Research
              Type: main
ResultId 1