Ofsted registration for your nursery, made simple
A nursery, preschool or playgroup in England that looks after children from birth to the 31 August after their fifth birthday, anywhere other than a home, must be on Ofsted’s Early Years Register before the first child starts. For Ofsted nursery registration, we prepare your EYFS policies, your application and your registration visit preparation from £2,395, then stay with you until Ofsted makes its decision.
Who needs Ofsted registration for a nursery
Under section 34 of the Childcare Act 2006, no one may provide early years childcare on non-domestic premises in England without being registered, and for a nursery that means the Early Years Register. The early years run from birth until the 31 August after a child’s fifth birthday, and non-domestic premises are anywhere not used wholly or mainly as a private home, such as a purpose-built nursery, a church hall, an office building or an outdoor site. Providing it without registration is an offence, and you cannot look after children until you hold your certificate.
Ofsted’s registration policy sets the test: you register as a childcare on non-domestic premises provider if you look after children under 8 for more than 2 hours a day and more than 14 days a year, somewhere that is not a home. Children from the 1 September after their fifth birthday until they turn 8 go on the compulsory part of the General Childcare Register, and children aged 8 and over can go on its voluntary part.
Read the law (Childcare Act 2006, section 34)Children over 5 as well
If you also look after children from the 1 September after their fifth birthday until they turn 8, you must join the compulsory part of the General Childcare Register too. Once you are on the Early Years Register this costs nothing extra, and you can join both when you apply.
The EYFS changed on 1 September 2026
A new EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers came into force on 1 September 2026. It spells out safer sleep for children under 2, asks you to have regard to the DfE screen use guidance and bars banned dog breeds from the premises. Supervised volunteers aged 16 and over now need enhanced DBS and barred list checks too, unless they only help occasionally, such as parents on a trip. Your policies need to follow this edition.
Needs Ofsted registration
- Day nurseries in a purpose-built building, an office or converted premises
- Preschools and playgroups in a church or village hall
- Forest and other outdoor nurseries, as premises can be any area
- Workplace crèches where parents leave children while they work
- Before and after-school clubs and holiday clubs taking children of Reception age or younger
- Childcare a school runs for children under 2, or where none of the children are its pupils
Not registered as a nursery
- Childminders working with no more than 3 others, who register as childminders
- Care for each child of less than 2 hours a day, unless it is before or after-school care
- Crèches of up to 4 hours a day where parents stay close by, such as at a gym
- Childcare in one place on 14 days or fewer a year, which Ofsted must be told about if sessions run over 2 hours
- Nursery classes a school runs itself for children aged 2 and over, where the school exemption applies
Everything you need for Ofsted registration of a nursery
Written for your setting, not a template pack. Stage 1 gets your application in, then Stage 2 carries you through the registration visit and interview.
Your application pack
Your EYFS document pack
- Full early years policy suite aligned to the EYFS statutory framework in force from 1 September 2026: safeguarding and child protection, key person, SEND and inclusion, health and safety, medication, food and nutrition, intimate care, outings, complaints and more
- Operational plan, with a staffing and ratios plan
- Premises and activity risk assessments
Your Ofsted application
- Online application (EYO), an EYS form for each setting and an EY2 for each person who must join, such as each director, completed with you
Assessment, interview and follow-up
- Additional documents Ofsted may ask for while assessing your application
- Registration visit and interview question and answer pack for your nominated individual
- Two-hour mock interview with written feedback
- Follow-up with Ofsted on your behalf until a decision is made
- Appeal support if your application is challenged
Where Ofsted nursery registration goes wrong
The points Ofsted checks in its suitability checks and at the registration visit, so we make sure each one is in place before you submit.
Premises ready before the visit
Your premises must be ready to use the day registration is granted, so significant building work has to be finished. The inspector tours the whole premises, inside and out, and checks the space per child: 3.5 square metres for under 2s, 2.5 for 2 year olds and 2.3 for children aged 3 to 5, as well as how children will play outdoors every day.
A manager with a level 3 qualification
The EYFS says your manager must hold an approved level 3 qualification or above, and at least half of your other staff an approved level 2. Your manager should also have at least two years’ experience in an early years setting or similar, and you need a named deputy who can take charge when they are away.
A nominated individual ready for interview
For an organisation, the registration visit and interview take place with your nominated individual. The inspector checks they understand their legal responsibilities, how they will make sure the manager runs the setting properly, and the safer eating and safer sleeping rules.
DBS checks Ofsted will accept
Your nominated individual, and every director or committee member where the organisation exists mainly for childcare, needs an enhanced DBS check with the children’s barred list for the child workforce before applying. Ofsted accepts one from its own DBS service issued in the last 3 months, or one kept current on the DBS Update Service. Checks usually take about 6 weeks.
Paediatric first aid at all times
At least one person with a current paediatric first aid certificate from a full course must be on the premises whenever children are there, and go with them on outings. Staff who gained a level 2 or 3 qualification since 30 June 2016 need the certificate within three months to count in the ratios.
A trained designated safeguarding lead
Every setting needs a designated safeguarding lead who has done training that meets the EYFS criteria, renewed every two years. At the visit Ofsted also tests how you would recognise, respond to and refer concerns, including allegations about staff, which you must report to Ofsted within 14 days.
Five steps from first call to certificate
Our part is fast. Ofsted’s assessment sets the overall timescale, and we stay with you through it.
Onboarding
We collect your provider, nominated individual, manager, premises, age range and capacity details, then give you a checklist of what only you can get: DBS checks, the GP health declaration, qualification and first aid certificates, your lease and planning position, insurance and food business registration.
Stage 1 pack
Your EYFS policies, operational and staffing plan, risk assessments and Ofsted forms, written for your setting as soon as your requirements are met.
Submission
We check everything first, then support your online application, the form for each setting and each EY2, because Ofsted only starts its review once all of them are in.
Registration visit
Ofsted carries out its checks, then an inspector visits, tours the premises and interviews your nominated individual. Before that, we prepare them with a question pack and a two-hour mock interview.
Decision
You receive your certificate of registration, with any conditions Ofsted sets, and can then open your setting and take children.
One package, paid in two halves
Our fee covers both stages. The regulator’s fee and your set-up costs are separate, so budget for them too.
Ofsted registration package
Or pay in full and take 10% off.
Also budget for
Paid to others, not to us. Ofsted charges £220 to register childcare on non-domestic premises on the Early Years Register, then the same each year for each setting, or £35 if you will open for less than 3 hours a day, 5 days a week or 45 weeks a year. Ofsted cannot refund fees.
- Ofsted annual fee of £220 for each setting, from the first anniversary of registration
- Enhanced DBS checks with barred list for your directors or committee members, and for your staff
- Paediatric first aid and safeguarding training, including for your designated safeguarding lead
- Your GP’s fee for signing the health declaration, if they charge one
- Public liability insurance covering every premises
- ICO data protection fee
- Fitting out the premises, which must be ready before registration
If Ofsted rejects or returns your application before it reaches an inspector, we fix it and resubmit at no extra cost, as many times as it takes. Subject to our terms and conditions.
Buy single documents instead
EYFS nursery policy set
All 59 editable nursery policies, aligned to the EYFS in force from 1 September 2026, if you are writing the application yourself.
Consultation
Advice on Ofsted registration requirements, a review of your documents and clear next steps.
Keep your policies current
CuraFlow Policies keeps your full library up to date with law and Ofsted changes once you are registered.
Ofsted registration for a nursery: your questions
Do I need Ofsted registration to open a nursery?
How long does Ofsted nursery registration take?
How much does Ofsted registration for a nursery cost?
What staff ratios and qualifications does a nursery need?
Who is the nominated individual, and who else applies to Ofsted?
What happens if Ofsted sends my application back or refuses it?
Guides for nursery providers
Free Ofsted registration guide and checklist
A 10-page PDF for children’s homes, supported accommodation and nurseries. It shows which register you belong on, the documents each service needs and the checks to run before you apply.
Get the free guideReady to register your nursery?
No obligation. We confirm which registers your nursery needs and what you still have to get, as well as a realistic timeline for your Ofsted registration.