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Press release: Vast majority of childcare providers help children to achieve well and enjoy their learning

Getting on well: enjoying, achieving and contributing found that 99% of the 27,200 childcare providers inspected between April 2006 and March 2007 are satisfactory or better at supporting children to achieve well and enjoy their learning and development. Fewer than 1% were inadequate. Almost all (99%) providers help children to make a positive contribution to their childcare setting, feel valued and have good relationships with other children and adults. Just over 1% were inadequate. 'Enjoying and achieving' and 'making a positive contribution' are two of the five outcomes which the Children Act 2004 identified as vital for every child and the focus of today's report.

Overall, childcare was at least satisfactory in 96% of the providers inspected in 2006/07 and 57% were good or outstanding. This means that of around 500,000 children being cared for in the settings inspected this year around 285,000 are receiving good or outstanding childcare . The proportion of providers found to be inadequate was 4%, the same as 2005-06. Seventy per cent of childcarers were good or outstanding at helping children enjoy and achieve and 60% were good or outstanding at helping children to make a positive contribution.

There has been some improvement across the day-care sector as a whole this year. There has been a 6% rise in the proportion of providers offering good and outstanding early education and a 2% rise in those providing good and outstanding day-care. However the proportion of childminders judged to be good or better is 6% lower than last year. While we cannot be certain of all the factors contributing to this lower proportion we do know that in 2006-07 Ofsted inspected a relatively large proportion of childminders who were newly registered and so had less experience.

Christine Gilbert, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector for Education, Children's Services and Skills, said:

"Nearly all the childcare providers inspected this year are maintaining a high standard which is good news for parents and carers and a credit to those working in the childcare sector.

"The vast majority of providers are committed to ensuring that children achieve well, enjoy their learning and development, contribute to their own achievements and have good relationships with other children and adults."The report shows that Ofsted inspections are an important catalyst for improvement. Providers made a wide range of improvements between inspections in response to recommendations and actions set by Ofsted and the vast majority of inadequate providers have improved by the time of their re-inspection.

Ofsted re-inspects inadequate providers within one year. Of the 1,200 re-inspected this year 86% had improved by their re-inspection. However 14% (169) remained inadequate. Seventy-two of these had a third inspection and of these, sixty two are now at least satisfactory. We have set stringent actions for the remaining 10 to bring about improvement and will continue to monitor them closely.

Ofsted also inspected almost 300 providers previously judged inadequate in providing government funded early education. Upon re-inspection 85% of these had improved. Forty four providers (15%) remained inadequate. Of these 44, 21 have so far received a third inspection which showed that 17 have improved and are now satisfactory or better. The remaining providers will be inspected shortly.

This year it was necessary for Ofsted to set actions to meet the National Standards relating to enjoying and achieving in 190 (0.7%) inspections. Ofsted also set actions relating to making a positive contribution in 360 (1.3%) inspections. Where actions are set, most providers improve quickly to ensure children's development is sufficiently promoted. Ofsted monitors outcomes in each case and takes further steps when necessary. Ofsted also recommended ways providers could further improve their support of children's play, learning and development in 34% of inspections and ways providers could better support children to make a positive contribution in 40% of inspections.

Childcare provision where government funded early education is provided for children aged three and four was judged to be at least satisfactory in 98% of inspections. Sixty per cent of providers were judged to be providing good or outstanding early education. The partnership early education providers had with parents was judged good or outstanding in 68% of inspections.

When providers were outstanding at helping children to enjoy and achieve inspectors found that adults understood how children learn and develop, and children were growing in confidence and engaging enthusiastically in challenging activities that promoted their learning. When providers were outstanding at helping children to make a positive contribution, inspectors found that adults attended closely to children's individual needs, had close and caring relationships with the children and very effective partnerships with parents. Children learnt to understand and appreciate similarities and differences in others very well, showed respect for each other and behaved very well.

Ofsted received relatively few complaints in relation to the two outcomes. Complaints about providers' partnership with parents declined from 460 to 330. This followed the introduction of new regulations which require group day-care providers to give parents more information about making complaints and to investigate parents' complaints themselves.

Christine Gilbert added:

"It is important to highlight that there have been many improvements across the sector this year but where provision is inadequate we will continue to monitor those providers and take enforcement action where necessary."

Related Links

• Read the report
• Read the news article

Notes For Editors

1. The report, Early years: Getting on Well: enjoying, achieving and contributing is published on a special mini-website, www.ofsted.gov.uk/gettingonwell, which includes a PowerPoint presentation and a series of questions to help providers examine their own practice. The report gives examples of good practice that inspectors have seen.

2. The evidence in today's report is based mainly on results of 27,200 settings inspected between April 2006 and March 2007. Other evidence comes from Ofsted's compliance and enforcement activities, and from small scale surveys, which looked in more detail at children's relationships, their personal, social and emotional development and diversity.

3. Ofsted inspectors assess what it is like for a child in the setting. They look for how well the provision promotes the Every Child Matters outcomes. Inspectors refer to three frameworks: the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding and the Guidance to the National Standards; the curriculum guidance for the foundation stage; and Birth to Three matters. From September 2008, these frameworks will be replaced by the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage: setting the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five.

4. From 1 April 2007 a new single inspectorate for children and learners came into being. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) has the responsibility for the inspection of adult learning and training - work formerly undertaken by the Adult Learning Inspectorate; the regulation and inspection of children's social care - work formerly undertaken by the Commission for Social Care Inspection; the inspection of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service - work formerly undertaken by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Court Administration; and the existing regulatory and inspection activities of Ofsted.

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