The 5 Critical Mistakes Nurseries Are Still Making Under the New Framework

The landscape of Early Years inspections has undergone a seismic shift. While the framework has evolved, the grading language has changed, and the very way evidence is gathered has been transformed. However, in many nurseries, the day-to-day practice hasn’t changed at all.

Under the new framework, old habits aren’t just outdated, they are far more visible to inspectors than they used to be. The reality is that the worst time to realise your practice needs an upgrade is during the inspection itself.

Based on observations from Curtly Ania across the UK, here are the five biggest mistakes nurseries are still making and, more importantly, the strategic shifts required to fix them before the inspector calls.

1. Prioritising Paperwork Over Practice

For years, many settings operated as if the “gold standard” was the thickness of a planning folder or the complexity of a tracking spreadsheet. However, the new framework has flipped this script. One of the most common mistakes is still focusing on high-volume documentation rather than high-impact practice.

The Risk: Inspectors are now far more focused on impact than volume. If practitioners are spending more time writing about learning than they are actually interacting meaningfully with children, it triggers a red flag. Beautiful learning journals are a weakness if staff cannot explain how they inform daily practice.

The Correction:

• Simplify: Reduce unnecessary paperwork and focus on what truly matters.

• Professional Dialogue: The new inspection approach leans heavily on conversations with staff.

• Focus on Impact: Ensure your team can explain clearly and confidently how planning and assessment actually change what happens in the room.

In the eyes of an inspector, impact will always outweigh paperwork.

2. Weak Curriculum Articulation

There is a massive difference between “delivering activities” and “delivering a curriculum”. Many settings are incredibly busy they follow children’s interests, celebrate festivals, and plan themes but they stumble when asked to articulate the why behind it.

The Risk: When an inspector asks, “What are children learning here?” or “How does this build over time?” and meets hesitation, that hesitation is where risk sits. A curriculum is about progression and sequencing. Without clarity, a setting is likely to be capped at “Expected” rather than reaching for “Strong” or “Exceptional”.

The Correction: Staff must move beyond understanding the activity to understanding the purpose and progression. Build confidence by making curriculum talk part of your daily reflection. Encourage staff to use “link language,” such as:

• Last week we introduced this…”
• “This builds on their previous understanding of…”

• “For this specific child, we’ve adapted by…”

3. Behaviour That Looks Controlled, Not Supported

This is a sensitive but vital area. On the surface, a room might look perfect: children are sitting quietly and being compliant. However, if that calm is built on a fear of sanctions or an over-reliance on reward charts, it is considered “fragile”.

The Risk: The new framework places a much heavier weight on emotional tone, inclusion, and wellbeing. Inspectors are looking to see if regulation is co-created or simply demanded. Public corrections, adult frustration, and compliance-based language (like “because I said so”) are all signs of a setting that values suppression over support.

The Correction: Exceptional practice isn’t about control; it’s about regulation. This requires adults to model calm and understand child development recognising that a three-year-old’s impulse control is not the same as a six-year-old’s. Train your team to ask: “What need is underneath this behaviour?”.

4. Misunderstanding the New 5-Point Scale

Many nursery leaders are still operating mentally under the old “Good” and “Outstanding” binary. The shift to a scale consisting of Expected, Strong, and Exceptional isn’t just a rebranding exercise; it’s a sharpening of expectations.

The Risk: There is a frequent “calibration issue” where settings believe they are “Strong,” but when examined against articulation and leadership clarity, they are actually sitting at “Expected”. Expected means you meet the standard, but Strong means practice is consistent and embedded.

The Correction: Honest self-evaluation is essential. Leadership teams must re-evaluate their practice against the new language. You must be able to answer:

• How do you know this is strong?

• How does this go beyond what is expected?

• What makes your practice exceptional or transformative for children?

5. Leadership Not Driving Improvement

The final mistake is one that often reveals itself during the initial planning call or leadership conversations. It occurs when leadership is not actively driving the improvement journey.

The Risk: If supervisions only focus on the rota, or if there is no documented quality assurance cycle, leadership is not driving the setting forward. When an inspector asks, “What are your current priorities?” or “What has improved recently?”, a lack of clarity weakens the inspection narrative immediately.

The Correction: Strong settings do not claim to be perfect; they are clear about what they are improving.

• Define Priorities: Have clear, documented improvement goals.

• Quality Assurance: Make QA a cycle, not a one-off event.

• Map CPD: Ensure training (CPD) is mapped to real needs and identified gaps.

Conclusion: The Shift Toward Reflection

Moving from “Expected” to “Exceptional” doesn’t require perfection it requires clarity and intention. The strongest settings under the new framework are those that have fostered a reflective culture. When something isn’t working, they don’t defend it; they adjust it.

Identifying these gaps now, rather than during your inspection, is the healthiest place to be. Before the inspection starts, you are in a position to improve; once it begins, you are simply reacting.

Are you ready to audit your setting against these five points? Identifying your blind spots today is the first step toward a confident inspection tomorrow.