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Commenting, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said:

"It is incredibly positive to see that despite the challenges of recent years, early years providers are still achieving record highs when it comes to inspection outcomes. This is a testament not only to the professionalism of practitioners across the country, but their commitment to giving young children the best possible start to their educational journeys.

"At a time when the early years is all too often treated as the poor relation to schools and colleges, this report is a timely reminder that nurseries, pre-schools and childminders are not simply providers of 'childcare' - they are an integral part of the education system in this country.

"In the last week alone, the sector has been offered pennies per hour at a Spending Review which found over £2bn to spend on schools, and excluded from a vital new DfE workforce fund directly solely at schools and colleges.

"It's time the government stops undervaluing the early years sector and starts treating settings as the providers of quality education they are. These figures should act a stark reminder of what they stand to lose if they don't."