Research published today cautions against decisions about quality based on using Ofsted grades alone, and said this was particularly important for local authorities making decisions about funding and commissioning providers.
Parents should also be given extra guidance to help them understand early years practice so that they know what to look for when visiting settings, and understand the role and remit of Ofsted.
The study by the Daycare Trust, the University of Oxford and A+ Education found that there can be a large difference between Ofsted grades and how other measures rate settings.
It said that Ofsted grades are too broad to give parents a detailed measure of the quality of childcare and recommends that other quality assurance schemes should be taken into account by parents to help them choose nurseries and childminders.
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