The report shows an increase in the number of providers offering good-quality care compared with a year ago. More than half of full-day care and sessional care was judged as good quality care. Almost all childcare was at least satisfactory.
Ofsted found that 64 per cent of full-day care providers were good, compared with 59 per cent of those providing sessional daycare and 47 per cent of childminders.
Of those daycare settings that were found to be satisfactory or unsatisfactory, the report found that there were 'commonly shortfalls in how they organise their provision. Problems relate to insufficient or inadequately trained staff which, in the worst cases, lead to poor management of children's behaviour or to very young children receiving poor levels of care'.
Health, safety and documentation were the areas in which unsatisfactory providers tended to have shortcomings.
The quality of early education has also improved. Ofsted inspected nearly 9,000 funded settings during 2003-2004 and found that overall, 34 per cent were 'very good' and 59 per cent 'generally good' in the private, voluntary and independent sectors.
Chief Inspector of Schools David Bell said, 'I'm delighted to see an increase in the quality of care and education that children are receiving.
In my annual report I outline some of the outstanding practice that my inspectors have seen over the last year. These childcarers are often innovative and creative in the activities they organise and they ensure that the children they look after receive the best possible care and opportunities, in a safe and stable environment.'
Examples of outstanding practice cited by inspectors include a daycare provider in Essex where children are encouraged to contribute to the running of the after-school club through a children's council. A childminder in Leicestershire was also praised for outstanding practice, which includes giving new children a welcome pack with their own beaker or bottle, and a comfort toy for them to use when they are at the childminder's house.
The quality of care by type of provider included, as 'Good', childminders 47 per cent, full day care 64 per cent, sessional daycare 59 per cent, out-of-school 43 per cent; and as 'satisfactory', childminders 52 per cent, full day care 35 per cent, sessional daycare 40 per cent, out-of-school 55 per cent.
Copies of the report can be downloaded at the website www.ofsted.gov.uk.