The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) report found that Ofsted ratings failed to provide an accurate assessment of the care given to children, and that the regulator’s scoring system doesn’t give enough credit to nurseries and childminders for the quality of care they deliver.
The IPPR report says the inconsistencies are due to the fact some Ofsted inspectors do not have a good enough understanding of early years care, and that better training in care for the under-fives is needed.
The report found evidence that centres graded as “outstanding” by Ofsted often receive the lowest scores on scales designed specifically for infants and toddlers. It calls for the Ofsted scoring system to be amended to incorporate measures that include the needs of infants.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association, said: “Early years provision is distinctly different from the later stages of education and it is extremely important the people inspecting it have a wealth of experience to call on when deciding an inspection grading.”
Tanuku backed the report's call for better training of inspectors in early years care.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
