Last updated: April 2026
What is a QA visit?
Your Quality Assessment (QA) visit is tiney's annual review of your setting. It's a really positive opportunity to showcase your practice, get meaningful feedback on how you're doing, and celebrate your strengths as an early years professional.
Your QA visit is carried out by one of tiney's trained consultants, so you can feel confident the process is rigorous and professionally recognised.
When will my QA visit happen?
QA visits happen annually. Your visit will be scheduled within 12 months of your last QA (or your registration date, if it's your first visit). In practice, this usually means your visit will take place somewhere between 10 and 12 months from your last visit, so we can make sure you don't go overdue. You'll receive advance notice from us when your QA is coming up, so you'll have time to prepare.
How should I prepare?
You don't need to do anything out of the ordinary for your QA. The visit is designed to see your everyday practice in action, not a performance. That said, a little preparation can help you feel more confident.
Things worth thinking about ahead of your visit:
Make sure your risk assessments are up to date
Check that your policies are uploaded and shared with parents on the tiney app
Ensure your CPD is logged — even if you've been doing it, make sure it's recorded
Think about how you reflect on your practice and your professional development
Good to know: tiney runs regular CPD sessions to help you prepare, including a dedicated event called 'Preparing for your Quality Assessment Visit with Confidence'. Keep an eye on the tiney Community Hub for upcoming dates. |
What happens on the day?
Your consultant will visit your setting and observe your practice across the key areas of tiney's quality framework. They'll want to see children engaged and happy, and get a feel for the warmth and care you bring to your setting every day.
The visit is a two-way conversation. Your consultant is there to understand your setting, not just tick boxes. Feel free to share what you're proud of, talk through anything you've been working on, and ask questions along the way.
How does the grading work?
After your visit, your consultant will assess your practice against tiney's quality framework and give you an overall grading. The gradings are:
Outstanding
Good
Support Required
Your report will cover both your strengths and any areas for development, with clear links to the relevant EYFS standards. Actions are colour-coded so you know which are the most important to prioritise.
When will I receive my report?
Your QA report will be sent to you within 3 weeks of your visit. Once you've received it, you'll have 5 working days to read through it and raise any queries or flag any factual inaccuracies. After that, the report will be published and you'll be able to share it with families if you'd like to.
Your report is written personally about you and your setting. It should reflect what your consultant observed on the day, with specific examples from your practice.
What if I'm not happy with something in my report?
We want your report to feel fair, accurate, and personal to you. If anything doesn't look right (whether it's a factual error or something you'd like to query) please get in touch with us within your 5-working-day review window and we'll look into it.
What happens after my report?
If you're graded Outstanding or Good, congratulations. You should feel really proud. You're welcome to share your report with the families in your setting. Your next QA will be due within 12 months.
If you're graded Support Required, you'll be placed on a Supported Growth Plan (SGP). This is your personalised roadmap for improvement, and you'll have access to training, group coaching, and regular check-ins to help you get there. You can find out more in the Supported Growth Plan help article.
Does my Local Authority see my QA report?
Yes. tiney shares your QA report with your Local Authority (LA) as part of our responsibilities as a Childminder Agency. This helps LAs understand the quality of provision in their area. If you have questions about this, please get in touch with us at quality@tiney.co.
Questions?
If you have any questions about your QA visit, your report, or the process, the Quality team is here to help. You can reach us at quality@tiney.co or visit the tiney Community Hub to connect with other childminders and your community coach.