News

Quality of provision rising in education and daycare

The latest Ofsted review has found steady improvements in the quality of early years education and childcare provision in daycare settings year-on-year.

The number of providers rated outstanding for early education has grown from 4 per cent in 2005-06 to 8 per cent in 2007-08, and outstanding childcare has risen from 2 per cent to 5 per cent in the same period.

However, the report highlights that among childminders the level of good childcare has fallen from 62 per cent to 54 per cent and the level of inadequate childminding has risen from 2 per cent to 6 per cent over the three-year cycle.

Ofsted said that key issues included being unable to identify or respond to child protection concerns, and lack of training and understanding in first aid.

Out-of-school childcare is also a problem area, with less than half of out-of-school providers rated good or outstanding (47 per cent), compared with 65 per cent of full daycare settings.

Issues included inadequate checks on staff, lack of well-qualified and experienced leaders, and insufficient staff levels to meet the needs of young children when older ones are present.

In early education settings, nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) are good or outstanding, with 8 per cent of settings rated outstanding for their teaching and learning.

The report also highlights strong partnership with parents, with 71 per cent good or outstanding.

Leadership and management, and teaching and learning were good or outstanding in 64 per cent of early education settings in the 2005-2008 inspection cycle.

In terms of meeting Every Child Matters outcomes, all types of settings did best at helping children to enjoy and achieve, with 73 per cent rated good or outstanding in the past three years.