Lewis Normoyle

02-06-2025

Do you know how CQC and Ofsted define compliance differently?

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Understanding the key differences between CQC and Ofsted compliance - and how to align your organisation for confident dual inspection readiness

In today’s highly regulated environment, organisations that operate across health, social care, and education face an increasingly complex web of compliance requirements. Two of the UK’s most prominent regulatory bodies, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted), set distinct frameworks that shape how services are governed, delivered, and evaluated.

On the surface, these regulators share common goals: improving service quality, safeguarding vulnerable people, and ensuring strong leadership. But their scopes, methodologies, and definitions of compliance differ in fundamental ways. For organisations straddling these regulatory boundaries - such as care providers with training arms, supported living services offering educational programmes, or specialist settings for children and young people - understanding these differences isn’t optional. It’s essential.

In this blog, Lewis Normoyle breaks down how CQC and Ofsted define and approach compliance, explores what these distinctions mean in practice, and shares practical strategies for organisations aiming for inspection readiness in a digital-first world.

What is the CQC?

The CQC is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. Its remit covers a broad spectrum of services, including:

• Care homes (residential and nursing)
• Supported living services
• Domiciliary care providers
• GP practices, NHS trusts, and other healthcare providers.

The CQC’s mission is to ensure that people receive safe, effective, and high-quality care. To achieve this, it inspects services using five core questions:

• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• Is it caring?
• Is it responsive to people’s needs?
• Is it well-led?

Services are rated on a four-point scale (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate) with results published to promote transparency and accountability.

Key areas of CQC compliance

To achieve and maintain CQC compliance, providers must align with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and ensure operational excellence in areas such as:

• Regulated activities - Ensuring registration and delivery are within the scope of approved services.
• Workforce development - Ongoing staff training, competency assessments, and robust recruitment practices.
• Safeguarding - Protecting service users from abuse or neglect and ensuring robust incident reporting.
• Care planning - Person-centred plans with regular risk assessments and reviews.
• Leadership and governance - Strong management oversight with clear accountability structures.

Digital tools like ComplyPlus™ make this easier by automating evidence collection, aligning training to CQC requirements, and generating inspection-ready reports.

What is Ofsted?

Ofsted regulates and inspects services that educate, care for, and support children and young people. Its remit spans:

• Early years providers and nurseries
• Schools and academies 
• Further education colleges
• Independent training providers (including apprenticeships)
• Children’s homes and secure settings.

Ofsted inspections are conducted under the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) and assess performance against the following criteria: 

• Quality of education
• Behaviour and attitudes
• Personal development
• Leadership and management.

Like CQC, Ofsted also uses a four-point scale (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate), but with a stronger emphasis on educational outcomes, teaching quality, and learner development.

Key areas of Ofsted compliance

Ofsted’s expectations require a tailored focus on:

• Curriculum planning - Ensuring programmes meet learner needs and lead to positive progression.
• Teaching and assessment - Evaluating pedagogical approaches and learner outcomes.
• Safeguarding - Protecting children and young people in education and care environments.
• Staff qualifications - Supporting teacher development and ongoing CPD.
• Governance and leadership - Strengthening accountability and embedding a culture of improvement.

CQC vs Ofsted - Key compliance differences

While both regulators share a commitment to quality and safeguarding, their frameworks reflect distinct legislative foundations and sector priorities:

• CQC - Operates under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, focusing on safety, person-centred care, and leadership through Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs). Evidence includes care plans, training logs, and audit records.
• Ofsted - Works under the Education Act 2005 and Children Act 1989, prioritising educational quality, safeguarding, and learner development. Evidence includes lesson plans, curriculum reviews, and CPD records.

Both regulators use a risk-based approach, but they require different types of evidence, contextualised for their respective domains.

Why these differences matter in practice

Many organisations fall into the trap of preparing for inspections as if compliance were a “one size fits all” approach. This is a costly mistake.

For example, a supported living service inspected by the CQC will focus on care documentation, safeguarding protocols, and clinical governance. But if the same service also provides training or therapeutic education for young people, Ofsted’s requirements for teaching quality, learner outcomes, and curriculum design also apply.

Digital transformation has made it easier to track and present evidence across multiple frameworks, but it has also made these differences more visible to inspectors. ComplyPlus™ helps organisations tailor evidence collation for each regulator, ensuring that what you present aligns with the proper inspection criteria.

Practical implications for dual-regulated services

Navigating dual regulatory environments requires a precise and proactive strategy. Here’s what organisations need to consider:

• Training management - Safeguarding requirements differ between sectors; training programmes must be tailored accordingly.
• Governance oversight - Boards and senior leaders must ensure that both care and education compliance are accounted for within their structures.
• Inspection readiness - Evidence must be prepared using regulator-specific formats. Presenting the wrong templates signals poor compliance.
• Technology integration - Use digital systems that separate and track compliance requirements by service type, ensuring clarity and accuracy during inspections.

Compliance in the age of integration

The lines between care and education are blurring, especially in integrated care models, therapeutic education, and neurodiverse support settings. This convergence requires providers to become proficient in both CQC and Ofsted requirements.

The solution isn’t duplicating work. It’s digitally enabled differentiation.

With ComplyPlus™, providers can:

• Assign compliance tasks by role and service line
• Customise training programmes for sector-specific needs
• Build role-based dashboards to monitor progress
• Use real-time analytics to track inspection readiness.

This ensures that each area of your organisation meets the right standards, in the right way, at the right time.

Final thoughts - From confusion to confidence

CQC and Ofsted are not competing forces - they are partners in safeguarding quality across health, social care, and education. Understanding their differences and aligning your systems accordingly allows you to transform compliance from a stressful tick-box exercise into a continuous improvement journey.

By leveraging digital governance tools like ComplyPlus™, organisations can confidently prepare for inspections, strengthen their governance, and embed a culture of excellence across every service line.

Ready to simplify dual compliance with one system?

At The Mandatory Training Group, we know navigating the distinct demands of CQC and Ofsted doesn’t have to be overwhelming. ComplyPlus™ gives you one powerful platform to manage both frameworks with confidence.

From mapping evidence across different inspection criteria to tailoring training for multiple roles and service lines, ComplyPlus™ transforms fragmented compliance into a streamlined, inspection-ready process.

Whether you’re preparing for your next CQC inspection, aligning with Ofsted’s expectations, or operating across both sectors, ComplyPlus™ helps you:

• Automate compliance tracking across CQC and Ofsted frameworks.
• Customise training to meet sector-specific requirements.
• Generate inspection-ready reports at the click of a button.
• Embed continuous improvement with real-time governance insights.