The Role of the Nominee:

Your Secret Weapon in the New Ofsted Early Years Inspection Framework
 

Ofsted’s new inspection approach puts dialogue, context and leadership right at the centre and the nominee role is one of the biggest changes nurseries need to understand. Yet most settings still underestimate it or, worse, think it’s just a bit of admin support.

It’s not.

Handled well, the nominee becomes the anchor ⚓ of the inspection, the person who keeps communication clear, reduces pressure on leaders, and ensures inspectors see a true, honest picture of the setting. Handled poorly, or picked in a panic the morning Ofsted calls, the role becomes a missed opportunity.

This blog cuts through the noise and shows exactly what this role is, why it matters, and how to get it right, using insights from real Ofsted inspectors, pilot inspections, and sector leaders.
 

Ofsted defines a nominee as “an individual who acts as a link between your team and inspectors during the inspection.”
Not mandatory, not a tick-box, and not a deputy manager by default.
It’s a strategic choice.
A nominee is the person who:

• joins the planning call 📞

• supports inspection arrangements

• provides contextual information

• coordinates documents and meetings

• attends reflective discussions

• and acts as the day-to-day point of contact during inspection

Think of them as the inspection facilitator. Not the leader, not the NI, but the person who keeps the process smooth, structured and grounded in evidence.

The new inspection model is built around three key principles:

1. Children achieve

2. Children belong

3. Children thrive

Inspectors are collecting evidence, context and impact from the moment they step through the door 🚪.
The nominee makes sure that nothing important gets lost in the chaos of the day.
A strong nominee:

✔ Shapes the inspector’s understanding

Your nominee can highlight key context: staffing changes, SEND complexities, community pressures, transitions, so inspectors evaluate fairly and accurately.

✔ Reduces pressure on the manager

Inspectors openly said during pilot briefings that the nominee removes the need for the manager to be in every meeting or conversation.

✔ Keeps things moving

The nominee ensures the right people are available at the right time with the right information which can be a huge win under the new timetable 🕒.

✔ Pre-empts issues

When inspectors ask for evidence, the nominee knows where it is, who created it and why it matters.
One inspector put it perfectly:

“A strong nominee ensures the right people are in the room at the right time, with the right evidence. This saves time and avoids missed opportunities that could influence judgements.”

Ofsted’s guidance is clear about what makes someone suitable.

They should be someone who:

• knows how the setting runs day to day

• understands your curriculum, routines and systems

• can maintain calm under pressure

• communicates clearly ✨

• has authority to make decisions

• is trusted by staff

This may be:

• A deputy manager

• An experienced room leader

• A senior practitioner with excellent organisational skills

• In smaller settings, the manager or owner themselves

It should not be:

• Someone too junior

• Someone who panics under pressure 😬

• Someone who doesn’t understand SEND, safeguarding or curriculum basics

• Someone who “only works mornings”

Your nominee needs to be able to manage conversations confidently, especially during shared observations, reflective discussions, and evidence reviews.

Here’s the real breakdown, based on the operating guide and what inspectors said in training.

Before the visit:

• Joins the planning call

• Helps clarify context

• Supports identifying case-sample children

• Ensures leaders have information for inspectors

• Briefs staff calmly and accurately

During the inspection:

• Coordinates logistics

• Supports shared observations 👀

• Retrieves or directs inspectors to key documents

• Updates the team throughout the day

• Joins reflective discussions

• Offers additional evidence if inspectors have missed something

• Keeps track of timing and supports the inspector’s timetable

End-of-day grading discussion:

The nominee attends, alongside leaders, to understand how provisional grades were reached and offer clarification if needed.

From pilot settings and inspector feedback, these were the top mistakes nurseries made:

❌ Choosing someone at the last minute

Being “voluntold” on the morning Ofsted calls is a recipe for stress and mistakes.
Choose a nominee now.

❌ Picking someone too junior

They must have authority, confidence and trust.

❌ Not rehearsing the role

Mock inspections, practice planning calls, scenario training - these matter.

❌ Using the nominee as an admin runner

Their role is strategic, not clerical.

❌ Not giving them context

Your nominee must understand:

• SEND

• Safeguarding

• Behaviour and routines

• Curriculum intent and impact

• Staff roles

• Transitions

• EYPP

• Current leadership priorities

They don’t need to know everything, but they must understand enough to support a fair judgement.

In the new framework, the nominee helps inspectors evaluate:

• leadership and governance

• inclusivity

• safeguarding culture 🛡️

• how well disadvantaged children are supported

• curriculum intent and implementation

• ratios, routines and oversight

• staff confidence and professional trust

• whether leaders’ self-evaluation reflects reality

Inspectors use ongoing dialogue all day and the nominee is the stabiliser that keeps everything connected.

Ofsted says training isn’t mandatory.
But let’s be honest, neither is eating breakfast on the day of your inspection, and yet it helps.
Successful settings who took part in pilot inspections said:

“We treated it like a leadership position, not an admin one.”

“We practised the planning call - it made a huge difference.”

“Our nominee kept the whole process calm.”

Nominee training can include:

• practice planning calls

• mock inspection flow

• evidence gathering

• safeguarding Q&A

• SEND case sampling

• understanding the toolkit

• communication under pressure

It’s a role worth investing in.

No, it’s not compulsory.
But settings with a strong nominee have smoother inspections, better dialogue, and fewer misunderstandings.
It’s not about gaming the system.
It’s about making sure your setting is understood.
And that matters.

If Ofsted’s new framework is built on dialogue, context and impact, the nominee is the person who protects that dialogue, anchors that context and ensures inspectors see the real picture and not the rushed, chaotic version of your nursery on a random Tuesday.

Choose the right person.
Prepare them.
Empower them.
It will transform your next inspection.

Join our Ofsted Ready Webinar on the 26th of January, 2026 for a practical, no-nonsense session for managers and leaders who want to feel prepared, calm and in control.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/get-ofsted-ready-mastering-the-achieve-belong-thrive-strategy-tickets-1973077457790?aff=oddtdtcreator