Ofsted, Mathers, La Valle, Nutbrown
Committee questions Ofsted on Affordable Childcare
15 October 2014
Ofsted’s Deputy Director for Early Childhood and the author of an influential report on qualifications in the childcare sector were questioned by the House of Lords Committee on Affordable Childcare on Wednesday 15 October.
Witnesses
In the first session, at 10.35 am, the Committee heard from:
- Gill Jones, Deputy Director for Early Education, Ofsted;
- Sandra Mathers, Senior Researcher, University of Oxford; and
- Ivana La Valle, Research Consultant, University of East London
In the second session, at 11.35 am, the Committee heard from:
- Professor Cathy Nutbrown, Head of the School of Education at the University of Sheffield and author of 'Foundations for Quality: The independent review of early education and childcare qualifications', published in June 2012.
About these sessions
The Commttee heard evidence covering subjects including:
- the characteristics of good quality childcare, and what is required to deliver it;
- the role of regulation and inspection in ensuring quality is maintained;
- variations in quality between different types of providers;
- the impact of the current levels of funding for free early education on the sector’s ability to deliver high quality places.
- the qualifications and status of the childcare workforce