the lowest mean sub-scale score for all 7 sub-scales; private day nurseries had the second
lowest mean sub-scale scores for all sub-scales except language and reasoning in which they
were rated slightly higher than local authority day nurseries. Nursery classes, nursery schools
and combined centres were rated consistently high on all the sub-scales. The results show that,
for ECERS-R, the Local Education Authority (LEA) provision generally scored highest followed
by local authority day care, then private day nurseries, and finally playgroups. In the box and
whisker plots below the horizontal line inside the box represents the median score on each sub-
scale and the length of the box shows the range in which 75% of the centres fall. The lines
reaching up and down (the ‘whiskers’) show the location of higher and lower scores in that
particular distribution.
Figure 5.2 . Box plot of mean ECERS-R score by pre-school type
The focus on curriculum in ECERS-E
The results for total ECERS-E scores were almost identical to those found for the ECERS-R:
LEA nursery classes, nursery schools and integrated centres (that combining care and
education) scored most highly, significantly higher than playgroups and private day nurseries.
Local authority day nurseries scored significantly higher than playgroups, but not private day
nurseries; local authority day nurseries also scored significantly lower than both nursery schools
and integrated (combined centres). Additionally, private day nurseries scored significantly higher
than playgroups, and integrated (combined) centre scored significantly higher than nursery
classes.
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