Childminders, day nurseries, pre-schools and nursery schools in the Bristol area are well placed for the next stage of their development.

That's the verdict of Joy Rodwell, regional divisional manager for education watchdog Ofsted on the eve of the national launch of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

From next month, all daycare providers and schools will have to follow the framework.

The Government says it will "ensure a high quality experience that supports the child's development in whichever childcare setting parents choose".

The framework replaces the non-statutory Birth to Three Matters guidance, the Foundation Stage curriculum for children aged three and four, and the national standards for daycare.

The Government says: "The framework builds a coherent and flexible approach that removes the artificial divide between learning and care, and creates seamless support for children's development from birth to five.

"It is underpinned by the key principles of treating every child as unique and creating loving and secure relationships and environments in which children can learn and develop at their own pace, and with enjoyment."

Over the past three years, as services for children have become more integrated, schools watchdog Ofsted has been inspecting daycare facilities.

Yesterday it launched a report, Leading to Excellence, based on evidence from 90,000 inspections of 84,000 early years and childcare settings during the three years to March 2008 and analysing how well they are organised.

Its findings have been presented online at www.ofsted.gov.uk/leadingtoexcellence to allow people working in the sector to learn how to make their setting even better.

Inspectors say they have seen considerable improvements since 2005.

Ms Rodwell said: "I was delighted to attend the Downs Park Day Nursery to launch Ofsted's Leading to Excellence report and website.

"This report focuses on how providers organise, lead and manage their settings to promote positive outcomes for children.

"Overall, providers are doing really well, with 60 per cent being good or outstanding.

"There is still some work to do to move more provision from satisfactory to good and we hope that the report and website, which both contain examples of good practice, will support improvement across the sector.

"Downs Park Day Nursery is a wonderful example of an outstanding provision where children are at the centre of everything they do. This mirrors our inspection methodology which asks the question, 'What is it like to be a child here?'."

Debbie Munk, head of Downs Park Day Nursery, said: "Our outstanding inspection was wonderful recognition of the consistent hard work and commitment of the whole team to provide a rich, caring and learning environment for the children in our care, while embracing all the principles of good quality early years provision."