School inspectors have raised concerns that families in poorer areas of England do not have access to high quality childcare facilities.

The quality of childcare differs dramatically between areas, with provision worse in places with the most poverty and social deprivation, Ofsted said in a report.

It claimed children and families living in areas already experiencing relative deprivation "face further inequity because they have less access to high quality childcare provision".

In the 30 most deprived local authorities, 53 per cent of childminders provide good or better childcare compared with 60 per cent in the rest of England, and 54 per cent of day care groups provide good or better care compared with 63 per cent in the rest of the country.

The report, Leading to Excellence, was based on evidence from 90,000 inspections of 84,000 early years and childcare providers in the three years up until March this year.

It found that in Hackney, east London, 29 per cent of childminders were judged to be good or better, compared to Wokingham in Berkshire where the proportion is 81 per cent.

In 25 local authorities less than 50 per cent of childcare is good or better.

But Ofsted did heap praise on the majority of children's centres and childminders in England, with "significant" improvements made in the last three years.

In total, 97 per cent of nursery education is now rated at least "satisfactory" - the minimum national standard, up from less than 80 per cent three years ago.

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