Figures released this week show that the proportion of settings inspected where early education is 'good' or 'outstanding' is 6 per cent higher than last year. There was also a 2 per cent rise in good or outstanding daycare.
However, there has been a 6 per cent drop in the number of childminders judged good or outstanding. Ofsted said this could be attributed to a relatively large proportion of newly registered childminders.
Ofsted's report Getting On Well draws largely on evidence from 27,200 early years settings inspected between April 2006 and March 2007.
Michael Hart, Ofsted's director for children, said, 'The report is full of compelling examples that reflect good practice in all types of provision right across England. There are many areas where settings have improved in response to recommendations made at previous inspection. I would like providers to add this report to their resources and make good use of it to develop their practice further.'
As well as looking at the overall quality of childcare and early education, Getting On Well focuses on how well providers are meeting the outcomes of 'enjoying and achieving' and 'making a positive contribution' set out in Every Child Matters.
Ofsted found that 70 per cent of nurseries inspected were good or outstanding in supporting children to enjoy their learning and achieve well, and 60 per cent were good or outstanding at helping children to make a positive contribution.
When assessing the extent to which settings support children to enjoy and achieve, inspectors look for 'children's enthusiasm, sense of fun, and expressions of pleasure from meeting challenges and doing well'.
Examples of best practice include 'Children's natural curiosity as learners is very well promoted as they explore the garden and talk about the insects they see and how they live.' In settings where children are helped to make a positive contribution, remarks include 'Children are selected to be special helpers each day; they work with adults to help organise snacks, or lead the registration session.'
Following new regulations that require group daycare providers to give parents more information about making complaints, complaints about providers' partnerships with parents dropped from 460 to 330 last year.
The report and a questionnaire designed to help settings reflect on practice in the outcomes mentioned can be found at www.ofsted.gov.uk/gettingonwell.
