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Ofsteds Early Years Safe and Sound Report Pre-school Learning Alliance Response

NEWS RELEASE

31 August 2006

Ofsteds Early Years Safe and Sound Report Pre-school Learning Alliance Response

Ofsted’s Early Years: Safe and Sound report revealed that 97% of the 25,000 childcare providers inspected between April 2005 and March 2006 were satisfactory or better in keeping children in their care safe from harm and that 98% were satisfactory or better at helping children to be healthy. Steve Alexander, Chief Executive of the Alliance said,

“As the leading voluntary sector provider of early years care and education, we welcome the news that the vast majority of registered childcare settings are meeting the national standards and we congratulate the tens of thousands of Alliance members who have been judged good and above by Ofsted.

The ultimate goal for all providers is to ensure that they deliver care and education that is outstanding in all outcomes for all children. However improving quality and raising standards comes at a cost. The Alliance is helping settings to improve and raise the quality of their services, but many nurseries in the voluntary and private sectors are currently facing issues, such as meeting rising costs, which threaten their long-term sustainability. We therefore take the opportunity presented by the findings in Ofsted’s Safe and Sound report to repeat our call to the Government to further invest in the supply side and make the vision outlined in the Childcare Bill a reality.”

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Kate Summerside
Pre-school Learning Alliance
T: 020 7697 2502
Out of hours press calls: 07956 499621
E: Kate Summerside

Notes for Editors:

  1. The Pre-school Learning Alliance links 15,000 pre-schools and 800,000 young children and their families in England. Established in 1961 and registered as an educational charity, the Alliance is involved in more Sure Start projects than any other organisation and operates a number of Neighbourhood Nurseries. For information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, visit our website: www.pre-school.org.uk
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