What Makes a Quality Childcare Setting?

Quality in childcare is not a single, simple attribute – it is a constellation of factors that together determine whether a setting genuinely supports children’s development and wellbeing. The evidence base on what makes childcare effective is substantial: decades of research, including the landmark Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) study in England and its successor the Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) study, have identified the factors most strongly associated with better outcomes for children. Understanding these factors empowers parents to look beyond surface appearances and evaluate provision more deeply.

The most important finding from decades of research is that it is the quality of human interaction (the warmth, responsiveness, intellectual engagement and genuine interest in individual children that characterises the best practitioners) that matters most. A beautiful environment and an impressive-sounding curriculum mean very little if the practitioners are not skilled at noticing, responding to and extending what individual children do, feel and know.

The Importance of Sustained Shared Thinking

The EPPE research identified a particular quality of adult-child interaction – termed sustained shared thinking: as one of the strongest predictors of children’s cognitive and social outcomes. Sustained shared thinking occurs when an adult and a child work together to solve a problem, clarify a concept, evaluate an activity or extend a narrative, with both parties making genuine intellectual contributions. It is characterised by open questions, genuine curiosity, careful listening and the adult building on what the child says rather than redirecting to a predetermined answer.

Settings where sustained shared thinking happens regularly are characterised by practitioners who get down to children’s level, who follow children’s leads, who resist the impulse to immediately “teach” or correct and who demonstrate genuine interest in what children are wondering. This quality of interaction is visible – it can be seen during a setting visit if you observe carefully and give it time to emerge naturally from the interactions you witness.

Staff Qualifications and Stability

The research evidence consistently shows that staff qualifications (particularly the presence of qualified teachers or Early Years Professionals (graduates with early years-specific qualifications) in the setting) are associated with better outcomes for children, particularly in language development and personal, social and emotional development. The EYFS requires at least half of all non-managerial staff to hold a relevant level 3 qualification. Settings where a higher proportion of staff hold level 3 or above, and particularly settings led by a graduate, typically demonstrate higher quality practice.

Staff stability is equally important. High staff turnover disrupts children’s key person relationships, which are fundamental to the attachment security that enables children to learn and explore confidently. Settings with a stable, long-serving team have higher collective knowledge of individual children, more consistent practice and stronger relationships with families. When visiting a setting, ask how long key staff have been in post – and note the answer carefully.

Staff-to-Child Ratios

Staff-to-child ratios determine the maximum number of children each adult can be responsible for, and are set in the EYFS as legal minimums. The current ratios are:

• Under 2s: 1:3 (one adult for every three children)
• 2-year-olds: 1:4
• 3 and 4-year-olds: 1:8 (or 1:13 in Reception classes with a qualified teacher)

These are minimums, not ideals. Many high-quality settings operate below these ratios, particularly for the youngest children, as part of their quality commitment. Better ratios mean more individual adult attention, faster responses to distress, more opportunities for sustained shared thinking and better supervision of physical activity. When comparing providers, asking about the actual working ratios (not just the legal minimum) is a worthwhile question.

The Environment: Learning Spaces That Work

The physical environment of a childcare setting sends immediate messages about what is valued there and how children spend their time. A high-quality environment is carefully considered rather than accidental:

• resources are organised and accessible to children
• different types of play are supported in different areas (a home corner for imaginative play, a construction area, a mark-making area, a book corner, a sensory area)
• displays are at children’s eye level and reflect their actual work and thinking
• there is adequate outdoor space that is used daily
• the environment is safe, clean and well-maintained

Settings that invest in a high-quality environment demonstrate that they understand how children learn. The best environments are not pristine showpieces – they show evidence of actual children exploring, creating and learning. Look for signs of current projects and investigations: displays that go beyond simple artwork to show children’s thinking and questions; documentation of ongoing explorations; and spaces that invite children to return and extend what they started.

Communication with Families

The EYFS recognises that parents are children’s first and most important educators. Quality settings treat this as a genuine principle, not a platitude. They communicate regularly with parents about their child’s development, share observations and learning stories, seek parents’ knowledge of their child to inform planning and create genuine two-way dialogue rather than one-way reporting. Digital platforms such as Tapestry allow settings to share photos, observations and learning journeys with parents in real time, enabling home-setting connections that enrich children’s experience in both contexts.

The quality of communication at transition points (arrival and departure, settling in, moving to a different room and especially the transition to school) is particularly revealing. Settings that invest in genuine transition practice understand the developmental importance of continuity and the anxiety that transitions generate for children and families alike.