Ofsted's two new grading scales for assessing quality among childcare providers fail to score top honours and only merit a mark of 'could do better' according to leading professional associations in the early years sector.
From next month, Ofsted's inspectors will report on the quality and standards of childminding or daycare on a three-point scale of 'good', 'satisfactory' and 'unsatisfactory'. Under the combined inspection regime they will also evaluate on a four-point scale of 'high quality', 'good', 'acceptable' and 'unacceptable' the quality of funded nursery education provision for three-and/or four-year-olds in promoting the early learning goals (see box).
Two early years professional associations, which have devoted much effort to quality issues, express deep reservations about the new rankings.
Rosemary Murphy, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, says, 'Given that the present system for registration and inspection has not yet fully bedded down, it is hard to feel confident about the addition of yet another tier of inspection.
'We feel that our members are quite vocal. This has not hit them yet but when this starts and settings begin to get gradings with which they are unhappy, I think Ofsted will feel the wrath of the sector.'
Gill Haynes, chief executive of the National Childminding Association, argues that the timescale for introducing the changes is 'unrealistic and unreasonable'. She says, 'We are concerned about the impact of further changes on the childminding sector following a period of intense activity in the past 18 months and in the certain knowledge that there will be a wide-reaching review of the National Standards in the next 18 months. I have concerns about the impact of these changes on the recruitment and retention of childminders.'
The Care Standards Act 2000 requires Ofsted's inspectors to report on the quality and standards of childminding or daycare to the chief inspector.
Each year Ofsted publishes the chief inspector's report, which will now include a section on the quality of childcare in England drawn from the evidence of the individual grades in each inspection report.
An Ofsted spokesman says it is fulfilling its statutory duty by introducing a 'straightforward grading scale, which will be clear to parents'.
But Ms Haynes says, 'If the rationale is to provide information to parents, we cannot understand why the limited categories of "good", "satisfactory" and "unsatisfactory" have been chosen - with the rider that most providers fall into the "satisfactory" band. We are unclear as to how this will help parents choose a childcarer.
'If "satisfactory" means meeting the national standards for childminding then we would question why a more accurate terminology has not been adopted.'
There is also concern about how the gradings will sit with quality assurance schemes, which settings are increasingly signing up to. Ms Murphy says, 'It will be confusing for parents and there are going to be mixed messages going out over quality assurance schemes. My concern is that Ofsted inspectors may be marking settings as being good which may not meet the quality assurance standards.'
Providers are also concerned that parents will not readily appreciate that the term 'good' denotes the top of one scale and second tier in the other.
The Ofsted spokesman insists, 'Ofsted is producing leaflets for childminders and daycare providers which will explain the quality gradings.
'The leaflets also aim to reassure providers and parents about the satisfactory grade. The leaflets will be sent to all registered providers, they will be available from local Children's Information Services and published on the Ofsted website. The leaflet for daycare providers will also refer to combined inspections, and will explain the quality gradings for both aspects of a combined inspection.'
A major concern for childminders is that they feel their businesses are going to be graded on the basis of a visit which, at only two hours long, can provide no more than a snapshot of their work.
Ms Haynes says, 'As our president Dr Penelope Leach has pointed out, every research instrument used to assess quality of care shows that relationships, and especially the carers' responsiveness to the children and sensitivity to them, is the key variable.
'In her considerable experience, trained and experienced researchers cannot do a quality assessment in two hours. Ofsted, however, is claiming that it will be able to carry out an input inspection, covering all the documentation required under the National Standards, and a process and outcome inspection in this time.'
Ms Murphy adds, 'Nurseries are concerned about the proposal that Ofsted grades them for quality. In the light of their past experiences, many are worried that inspections will not always be purely objective. NDNA believes it is essential that the scheme is transparent and monitored for consistency and that inspectors are appropriately qualified to make judgements about quality. A major problem is their subjective way of judging things. It almost seems the better the setting, the more picky they tend to be.'
Providers who are unhappy about an inspector's judgements or any aspect of their work will be able to contact their Ofsted regional centre and ask to discuss their concern with the inspector. If they do not wish to discuss the matter with the inspector concerned, providers can write to the regional manager. Where the concerns are not resolved through these means, providers can also refer their concerns to the independent complaints adjudicator (see box).
All Ofsted childcare inspectors are undergoing extra training to enable them to carry out inspections from April. Ofsted aims to assure the quality of inspectors' work by regular moderation and review of their work, and through regular training.
However, Ms Haynes queries the purpose of the new inspection reports. 'If it is to raise the quality of care provided by childminders, then we are concerned that there are no explicit links to EYDCPs or other agencies to enable providers who are rated as "unsatisfactory" or "satisfactory" to access support, training and development opportunities to help them develop their practice.'
HOW OFSTED'S NEW GRADING SCHEMES WILL WORK
There are two grading schemes being introduced. Each grading will run until the next inspection.
Care
Ofsted says the quality of care will be judged:
* Good - all actions raised at the transition inspections have been completed and no further ones are needed. Providers should be proud to get this grade. The children are judged likely to be kept safe, free from harm, enjoy attending, are settled and have warm relationships with the staff and relate well to each other.
* Satisfactory - most actions raised at the transition inspection have been completed and very few further ones are likely to be needed. Providers should be pleased to get this grade. It means that the care is good enough for registration under the Children Act to continue. Ofsted's message to parents is that they should be satisfied with this childcare provision. The children are judged likely to be kept safe, free from harm, be settled and have positive relationships with others.
* Unsatisfactory - many of the actions raised at the transition inspection have not been completed. Because of this lack of action, Ofsted will issue a notice giving a specific time to comply with requirements. If action is not taken as a result of the notice, the registration may be cancelled. In this category it is judged that the children may be exposed to danger and be unsettled.
Education
The DfES requires providers, as a condition of receiving nursery education funding, to be judged by Ofsted as acceptable in promoting the early learning goals (ELGs). Ofsted has combined the care and nursery education inspections and there is a four-point scale for judging the quality of the funded nursery education provision for three-and/or four-year-olds in promoting the ELGs.
* Provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards ELGs.
* Provision is acceptable and is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress.
* Provision is acceptable but there are some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress is limited by some significant weaknesses.
* Provision is unacceptable. Children are making poor progress.
Management
The combined inspections evaluate the quality of leadership and management and its effect on the progress of these using the following criteria:
* Leadership of the setting
* The setting's ability to assess its strengths and weaknesses
* Effectiveness of the setting in monitoring and evaluating the provision for nursery education
* Extent to which the setting is committed to improving care and education for all children.
FURTHER INFORMATION
* The final version of Ofsted's guidance for inspectors, Inspecting Quality, will be given to EYDCPs and will be posted on Ofsted's website.
Ofsted is also producing a leaflet explaining how providers can complain about their gradings and it will be sent to all providers, and will also be available from local Children's Information Services, and on the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk