Nursery World - News Analysis: First centres in deprived areas have more outstanding inspections

The first Sure Start children's centres to have been set up in the most deprived areas of England were found this week to have a higher proportion of outstanding Ofsted grades than those set up later in the programme.

Figures from Ofsted's annual report show that of the 463 phase 1 centresinspected last year, 17 per cent were outstanding and 62 per cent weregood. Just one per cent were judged inadequate.

A much lower rate of outstanding and good provision was found in phasetwo centres - 9 per cent were outstanding, 54 per cent were good, and 3per cent were deemed inadequate.

One example of an outstanding centre is Bowthorpe, West Earlham andCostessey Children's Centre in Norwich. It is run by Norfolk CommunityHealth and Care NHS Trust and all staff, including the nursery (ratedgood with outstanding elements), are employed by the Trust.

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