Any proposal to increase Ofsted registration fees must not jeopardise nurseries’ sustainability, National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) says.
Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah has written to sector organisations regarding Government plans to consult about a potential increase.
Ofsted’s fees are currently subsidised by the Government, but Treasury guidance determines that regulators recover the economic costs of their operations through the fees they charge.
Purnima Tanuku OBE, NDNA’s Chief Executive, said: “We understand that there is a cost to Ofsted’s registration and inspection service, but it’s paramount that nurseries don’t have to endure a heavy burden of additional costs at this sensitive time. This year, many nurseries will be piloting the new scheme to provide 30 free hours of childcare to three and four year olds, ahead of it being rolled out across the country next year.