Children's centre clusters failing under new inspection framework

The findings from Ofsted’s latest Children’s centre inspections and outcomes, based on inspections carried out in the first three months of the new inspection framework (1 April-30 June 2013), show that of the ten children’s centres operating as group providers that were inspected, 20 per cent were rated inadequate.

Just 10 per cent of children’s centre clusters or ‘hub and spoke’ models were rated good and none outstanding.

Under the new inspection framework introduced in April, a group of children’s centres sharing leadership and management are inspected together and receive a joint report.

Nursery World reported last month that three Greater Manchester children’s centres had been judged inadequate by Ofsted less than six months after they became a ‘cluster’.

In its first inspection since merging, Ofsted found the leadership and governance of Radcliffe Children’s Centre Cluster in Bury to be inadequate.

Despite the judgement, the Department for Education (DfE) defended the introduction of cluster inspections.

A spokesperson for the DfE said, ‘Ofsted introduced the new cluster inspection arrangements following a wide and open consultation process. Clusters can act as an incentive to drive up standards across the group, resulting in better outcomes for children and families in that area.’

The latest figures from Ofsted also show that while single centre providers fared slightly better, more than 30 per cent of the 29 inspected were judged as ‘requires improvement’ and seven per cent inadequate. Just ten per cent were rated as outstanding.

In the last quarter, 1 January to 31 March 2013, under the old inspection framework 11 per cent of children’s centres were rated outstanding and just three per cent inadequate.

Of the total number of inspections carried out between April and June this year, 39, just eight per cent were rated as outstanding, 41 per cent good and ‘requires improvement’ and ten per cent inadequate.

Commenting on the figures, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, said, ‘On the surface it would appear that children’s centres are faring as badly under Ofsted’s new inspection regime as nurseries, pre-schools and childminders. That more than half have been rated as being less than good is extremely worrying, particularly as this has grave implications for the Government’s expansion of the free early years entitlement to the 20 per cent most disadvantaged two year olds, many of whom will live in the vicinity of a children’s centre.

‘If this trend continues, Ofsted runs the risk of dismantling fundamental services where they are often needed most.

‘Although Ofsted says these latest statistics ‘may not be representative of the quality of all centres’, this apparent downgrading aligns with an overall concern across the sector that Ofsted is unfairly targeting the sector and has embarked on a campaign to see sector ratings fall.’

He added, ‘This sector is growing increasingly concerned about how Ofsted appears to automatically downgrade inspection ratings following a complaint or self-reported incident. While we do not know how many of these children’s centre inspections were triggered by these events, we would not be surprised to learn that some have, resulting in a lower rating.’