The number of childcare places in England rose by 2,086 in the first three months of 2011 compared with the previous quarter, according to the latest Ofsted statistics. The total number of registered places is 1,300,929.
The Registered Childcare Providers and Places report shows that the increase was driven largely by a surprise boost to the number of childminders, by 318 from January to March. There are now 1,404 more childminding places than at the end of 2010, with each childminder offering an average of 4.4 places.
It is the second quarter in a row that childminder numbers have increased after being in decline for several years. In the last quarter of December 2010 the number of childminders grew by 173.
The number of nurseries fell by 80, while nursery places increased slightly by 466, a rise that has been driven by the expansion of existing nurseries. According to Ofsted figures, there are now 26,243 group settings offering a total of 1,023,602 places. During the previous quarter there was an overall loss of 90 settings.
Catherine Farrell, joint chief executive at the National Childminding Association, said, ‘The rise in the number of registered childminders, nannies and childcare on domestic premises is very encouraging and shows a slow but steady rise.'
However, there are now 494 fewer nurseries than this time last year and 3,818 fewer places.
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, said, 'Although we are pleased that more childcare places have been created in the past three months, the Alliance remains concerned that in the past year just under 500 childcare settings have ceased trading and there are just over 3,800 fewer places than a year ago, despite the recent small increase.'
- More nurseries and childminders than ever before are now judged good or outstanding by Ofsted, separate statistics for inspection outcomes show. Figures to the end of March show that 10 per cent of providers have been rated outstanding, 60 per cent are good, 28 per cent are satisfactory and one per cent are inadequate.