Ofsted's annual report published last week revealed that more than half of childcare and nursery education settings were rated 'good' or 'outstanding'
between April 2005 and June 2006.
Childminders were singled out for acclaim by Ofsted, with 670 receiving outstanding grades, compared with 150 full daycare settings.
However, Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, pointed out, 'Headline figures may seem to show a higher number of "outstanding" childminders, but it is important to remember that this can be expected when there is a much higher number of childminders.'
(See Letters, page 30.) Ofsted received 7,300 complaints about childcare this year, compared with 7,800 in the previous year.
There were more complaints about group daycare settings (4,500) than about childminding (2,800). But there were twice as many complaints per 1,000 childcare places in childminding (8.8) as in daycare (3.7).
Liz Bayram, chief executive of the National Childminding Association, said that in 63 per cent of cases Ofsted took no further action. She said, 'Registered childminders have a unique one-to-one relationship with parents which can, on rare occasions, cause personal differences which may result in complaints. Some providers have had malicious and unfounded complaints made about their care which were not upheld by Ofsted, which may account for the higher ratio.'
Overview for early years education and childcare Number of inspections - Childcare, nursery education and maintained nursery schools, 1 April 2005 - 30 June 2006
Daycare 11,388
Childminder 23,187
Nursery schools 133
Nursery schools
* Fifty nursery schools were rated outstanding. For overall effectiveness, 39 per cent were rated outstanding, 50 per cent good and 11 satisfactory.
* The largest proportions of good and outstanding teaching and learning were found in nursery schools and special schools.
Foundation Stage
* 'Children generally make a good start in the Foundation Stage, which is often a strength in primary schools.'
* The quality of teaching is better overall in the Foundation Stage than in any other key stages in primary schools.
Every Child Matters
Inspectors made 80,400 recommendations for providers to enhance the five outcomes.
Being Healthy
* Healthy eating: Ofsted's report Food for thought: a survey of healthy eating, carried out in 110 settings, found that the majority of providers were at least satisfactory in providing a healthy and balanced diet for children.
* Physical health: In outstanding provision children enjoyed a variety of activities in an environment where risk was managed safely. 'They took part in regular exercise and learned how this affected their bodies; for example, they could discuss how the heart rate increases after jumping on the trampoline.'
Staying Safe
* Ofsted's Early years: Safe and sound report on the inspection of 25,000 early years settings found that in the 'vast majority of cases children were kept safe and cared for well'.
* Ofsted inspectors surveyed 45 nurseries focusing on the arrangements made as children arrived. 'Good nurseries made plans to have sufficient staff at the start of the day to cope with partings from parents. All the nurseries in this sample had risk assessments in place, but in the best, staff assessed potential hazards at the start of every day using a checklist.'
Enjoying and achieving
* Almost three-quarters of early years settings were judged good or outstanding in helping children to enjoy and achieve.
* 'Babies and toddlers enjoyed themselves and developed well when the people who cared for them offered reassurance and continuity with the care at home.'
* One example of high achievement in mathematics at a pre-school said staff illustrate the concept of time with the number ten by counting seconds in time with an alarm clock. Children are then asked to predict how long they think it will take a balloon to float up to the ceiling.
* Most childminders and staff in outstanding daycare settings have an excellent understanding of child development.
* In outstanding early education settings practitioners had an excellent knowledge of the Foundation Stage.
* In the 'very small minority of inadequate settings children did not have appropriate support'; practitioners lacked understanding of how children develop; there was insufficient planning and few resources.
Making a positive contribution
* The majority of early years settings were good or outstanding in helping children to make a positive contribution.
