Growth in PVI nurseries but a drop in childminders – latest Ofsted statistics
The latest Ofsted statistics have revealed that 98% of early years and childcare settings have been judged as good or outstanding at their last inspection.
But while the PVI sector has grown by 2% in the last year, numbers of childminders have shrunk by 5%.
Group-based providers (childcare on non domestic premises) which is mostly made up of private, voluntary and independent (PVI) nurseries now deliver 1.13 million childcare places which is 88% of the total 1.29 million places. This doesn’t include any school nurseries apart from those few who care for children under the age of two. See the report here.
Looking at settings who have been inspected in the last year, 91% were judged as being good or outstanding – this has increased since the last statistics came out in December 2024 when it was 88%.
Of those settings inspected in the last year who were previously judged as requires improvement or inadequate, 81% were found to now be good or outstanding. This is an increase since the last report when it was 78%.
Ofsted has also reported that 97% of settings inspected were effective in safeguarding, compared with 95% in the same period last year.
NDNA has praised childcare providers for continuing to drive up quality but has warned Ofsted that they need time and resources to be able to implement the new inspection system once it is launched in September. It’s currently to be implemented from November.
Purnima Tanuku CBE, Executive Chair of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said: “These figures from Ofsted show how well private, voluntary and independent nurseries are delivering the vast majority of early education and care places. The report shows that a higher number of nurseries this year are being judged as good or outstanding compared with last year.
“These nurseries work in a way that suit the needs of working families and to a high standard that helps improve children’s outcomes. This is despite all the challenges they are currently facing.
“Parents can have the confidence that early years settings are working hard to support their child’s development and wellbeing, particularly as 97% were judged to be effective in safeguarding.
“With the grading and inspection system due to change radically this year, it’s vital that providers and parents fully understand the new regime. Nurseries are already dealing with lots of significant changes this year so will need time and resources to get to grips with the new system before it commences.”
Read the full report here https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-providers-and-inspections-as-at-31-march-2025/main-findings-childcare-providers-and-inspections-as-at-31-march-2025
- England
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