Indeed, 93 per cent of nurseries are rated as satisfactory, good, or outstanding by Ofsted, and with over 13,000 day nurseries in England alone you quickly see that poor quality care is in an absolute minority.
Ofsted sets stringent standards, with an unannounced inspection process, and those nurseries that are not up to scratch quickly have to raise the bar. The vast majority of nursery staff are highly committed to improving quality. With Early Years Professional Status and a drive for increased training and staff qualifications we will see quality rise even further and a sector that hopefully will start to get the recognition it deserves.
But quality does cost money. As the Daycare Trust's recent survey into childcare costs illustrates, private and voluntary nurseries face little choice but to pass the costs to parents as wages, business rates and overheads increase.
Many private and voluntary nurseries undertake quality assurance schemes at their own expense to achieve a culture of continuous improvement.
NDNA believes it is essential that the Government helps private and voluntary nurseries by providing additional direct investment in the sector. This would ensure that nurseries can continue to provide a quality service at a price parents can afford.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive, National Day Nurseries Association
