Which part of the English school system is graded by Ofsted as being the most successful? And which sector is being closed down at the fastest rate? Strangely enough, the answer to both questions is the same: maintained nursery schools. Half have been graded as being outstanding by Ofsted since the new inspection framework was introduced. A tenth of them have been closed down since 1997.
A depressing story of muddle, of good intentions gone wrong, has led us here. Back in 1997, Britain had its first-ever Government with a strong commitment to developing services for children under five and their families. At that time, the nursery school sector was in a pretty bad way. Buildings were falling down. When it rained, great rows of buckets would be lined up to catch at least most of the water pouring through roofs. Even the most minor repair, like a small strip of linoleum in the toilets, would require several months of correspondence with the local authority before it could happen.
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