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.
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