Childminders top quality scale over nurseries

The report, which for the first time lists England's 'outstanding'

childcare providers, found that of the 32,000 childcare and early education settings inspected from April 2005 to June 2006, 2 per cent were rated 'outstanding' and 58 per cent 'good'. However, the number of outstanding childcarers has failed to outnumber the 3 per cent rated 'inadequate'.

Childminders fared significantly better than nurseries for providing the best quality of care and education, with 671 childminders receiving an 'outstanding' vote, compared with 151 full daycare settings.

The report says the 'overwhelming majority' of childcare and nursery education settings inspected are 'at least satisfactory and over half are good or outstanding'. It also says good quality childcare is seen 'most often in childminding and least often in out-of-school provision'.

Among the daycare providers rated 'outstanding' are the Kate Greenaway Nursery School in Islington, London; Asquith Nursery in Richmond-upon-Thames; Sure Start Creche in Southampton; Busy Bees Nursery in Woodborough, Wiltshire; Kids 1st in Rake Lane, North Tyneside; and Buffer Bear Nursery in South- ampton. The list has not been broken down into private, voluntary and maintained sector providers.