However, the quality of childcare in deprived areas is of a lower standard overall than in other parts of the country, with an higher proportion of nurseries and childminders inspected achieving lower grades than elsewhere.
Nurseries were found to offer higher quality than childminders in poorer areas, but in other areas they offered comparable levels of care.
Nine per cent of providers inspected between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009 were rated outstanding, compared with 4 per cent of providers awarded the grade during the 2007/08 inspection cycle.
There was no change in the proportion of nurseries found to be inadequate, which stayed at 5 per cent. In the last 12 months 1,300 settings inspected were found to be inadequate and of these, 150 have now closed.
Overall, 65 per cent of nurseries and childminders were found to be good or outstanding and 30 per cent were rated satisfactory.
Sixty per cent of nurseries were rated good or outstanding in deprived areas, compared with 68 per cent in other areas.
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