There is no room for complacency, however. Nearly half the settings were judged satisfactory rather than good, and these providers, in common with the few deemed unsatisfactory, tended to have shortfalls in how provision was organised, with inadequately trained staff in the worst cases giving poor levels of care. Health and safety, hygiene and record-keeping were also commonly-found problems.
It's important to bear in mind that we shouldn't be satisfied with 'satisfactory', of course. Young children spending many hours in full daycare or childminding provision need and deserve the best care and education, and that means greater investment in time and money.
As always, there's plenty in this week's Nursery World to help you with good practice. The second in our series of traditional tales posters features The Ugly Duckling, with a lovely illustration to go with the retold story. Inspiration for your setting's environment and resources can be found in Nursery Equipment, free with this issue. Plus, behaviour expert Andrea Clifford Poston begins a new column answering your questions about common dilemmas.
