Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire Early years summary

Local area: Ross-on-Wye

Local authority: Herefordshire

Summary

Ross-on-Wye (E02002926) is part of Herefordshire local authority (view on map). Ross-on-Wye has an approximate population of 11,000 people, of which 4.7% are children 5 years old and under. It is classified as "urban: further from a major town or city".

Ross-on-Wye neighbours Penyard, Llangarron & Goodrich.

Headlines for early years in Herefordshire

The data below is only available at local authority level

  • In Herefordshire, 100% of the funded places for 4-year-olds have been taken up, which is higher than the national at 92%. This places it among the top 10% of areas
Guidance and data sources

Local area pages are based on the middle-layer super output areas (MSOAs) distributed across the country. MSOAs comprise between 2,000 and 6,000 households and have a resident population of, generally, between 5,000 and 15,000 people. MSOAs fit within local authorities. For each area, descriptive statistics are compared with local authority and national averages. For more information about MSOAs, please visit the Office for National Statistics website.

The data displayed is sourced from:

Deprivation

Ross-on-Wye is the 17th least deprived area in Herefordshire (out of 23) with 34% of children living in low-income families, compared to 32% across Herefordshire and 38% nationally.

Data source

Provider information

Registered childcare providers

Ross-on-Wye has 10 registered childcare providers.

Type Number in Ross-on-Wye
All childcare providers 10
Childminders 6
Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care 4

In Ross-on-Wye, there have been 2 full inspections of childcare providers since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.

Achievement: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 2).

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 2).

Children's welfare and wellbeing: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 2).

Curriculum and teaching: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 2).

Inclusion: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 2).

Leadership and governance: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 2).

The tables below show the outcomes of inspections of childcare providers in Ross-on-Wye. The tables are split by provider type, and show the number of inspections that have taken place for each area, and the outcomes of those inspections.

Contents

All childcare

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 2 0 0 1 1 0
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines 2 0 0 1 1 0
Children's welfare and wellbeing 2 0 0 1 1 0
Curriculum and teaching 2 0 0 1 1 0
Inclusion 2 0 0 1 1 0
Leadership and governance 2 0 0 1 1 0

Childminders

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 1 0 0 1 0 0
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines 1 0 0 1 0 0
Children's welfare and wellbeing 1 0 0 1 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 1 0 0 1 0 0
Inclusion 1 0 0 1 0 0
Leadership and governance 1 0 0 1 0 0

Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 1 0 0 0 1 0
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines 1 0 0 0 1 0
Children's welfare and wellbeing 1 0 0 0 1 0
Curriculum and teaching 1 0 0 0 1 0
Inclusion 1 0 0 0 1 0
Leadership and governance 1 0 0 0 1 0

Data source

Summary of Ofsted findings

Summary of Ofsted findings

Inspection of Herefordshire’s local authority children’s services

These inspections focus on the effectiveness of local authority services and arrangements:

  • to help and protect children, and enable families to stay together and get the help they need
  • the experiences and progress of children in care wherever they live, including those children who return home
  • the arrangements for permanence for children who are looked after, in stable, loving homes, including adoption
  • the experiences and progress of care leavers.
Inspection type Inspection start date Overall effectiveness Impact of leaders Help and protection Children in care Care leavers
ILACS Standard Inspection 10 November 2025 Good Outstanding Good Good Good

Data source

Area SEND inspection of Herefordshire Local Area Partnership

The purpose of an area SEND inspection is to:

  • provide an independent, external evaluation of the effectiveness of the local area partnership’s arrangements for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)
  • where appropriate, recommend what the local area partnership should do to improve the arrangements.
Inspection outcome

Herefordshire was last inspected on 2 December 2024.

The local area partnership's arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The local area partnership must work jointly to make improvements.

They were given no areas for priority action.

The next full area SEND inspection will be within approximately 3 years.

Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) ask that the local area partnership updates and publishes its strategic plan based on the recommendations set out in this report.

Data source

Joint targeted area inspection of Herefordshire local authority

The agencies for these inspections can include the police, children’s social care, probation services, education and relevant health services. Inspectors will also evaluate how local agencies work with education and childcare providers. The focus of these inspections is how effectively the local safeguarding partners work together at the practice and strategic levels.

Theme Inspection start date Link
There have been no JTAI inspections for this local authority.

Data source

Early years population

Contents

Percentage of Ross-on-Wye population by age group

Table showing percentage of Ross-on-Wye population by age group

% in Ross-on-Wye % in Herefordshire % National
Age 5 and under 4.7% 5.3% 6.4%
Under 1 year 0.7% 0.8% 1.0%
1 year 0.7% 0.8% 1.0%
2 years 0.8% 0.9% 1.1%
3 years 0.7% 0.9% 1.1%
4 years 1.0% 0.9% 1.1%
5 years 0.8% 1.0% 1.1%

Data source

Local authority context

Early years pupil premium

In Herefordshire, 6.0% of children are receiving the early years pupil premium, compared to 5.1% nationally.

Contents

Percentage of children in receipt of early years pupil premium

Table showing the percentage of children in receipt of early years pupil premium

Number in Herefordshire % in Herefordshire % National
Receiving pupil premium 610 6.0% 5.1%

Data source

Children looked after

The percentage of 'children looked after' in Herefordshire is suppressed to protect confidentiality for under 1 year olds and suppressed to protect confidentiality for 1 to 4 year olds. The national average is 0.6% for under 1 year olds and 0.4% for 1 to 4 year olds.

Contents

Table showing percentage of children looked after in Herefordshire

Number in Herefordshire % in Herefordshire % National
Children looked after (under 1 year) – – 0.6%
Children looked after (aged 1 to 4 years) – – 0.4%

Percentage of children looked after in Herefordshire

Data source

Special educational needs and disabilities in state-funded schools

This data is taken from the school census data for children aged 5 and under with special educational needs and disabilities in state-funded settings.

In Herefordshire, 4.5% of children aged 5 and under receive SEN support in state-funded settings and 1.7% have an EHC plan, compared to 4.5% and 1.4% nationally.

Contents

Percentage of children with SEND in state-funded settings by age group

Table showing percentage of children with SEND in state-funded settings by age group

Number in Herefordshire % in Herefordshire % National
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (age 5 and under) 451 4.5% 4.5%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (under 2 years) 11 0.2% 0.3%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (3 years) 59 3.5% 3.7%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (4 years) 160 9.2% 9.2%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (5 years) 221 12% 12%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (age 5 and under) 170 1.7% 1.4%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (under 2 years) 3 0.1% 0%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (3 years) 6 0.4% 0.3%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (4 years) 85 4.9% 3.1%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (5 years) 76 4.1% 4.8%

Data source

Education, health and care plans

This data is taken from the local authority level data for children aged 5 and under issued with an education, health and care (EHC) plan in Herefordshire.

In Herefordshire, 1.8% of children aged 5 and under have an EHC plan, compared to 1.6% nationally.

Contents

Percentage of children with an EHCP in Herefordshire by age group

Table showing percentage of children with an EHCP in Herefordshire by age group

Number in Herefordshire % in Herefordshire % National
Total: Children with an EHCP (age 5 and under) 185 1.8% 1.6%
Total: Children with an EHCP (under 2 years) 2 0% 0%
Total: Children with an EHCP (3 years) 14 0.8% 0.8%
Total: Children with an EHCP (4 years) 86 4.9% 3.4%
Total: Children with an EHCP (5 years) 83 4.5% 5.0%

Data source

Early years funded takeup

In Herefordshire, take-up of funded early years places is 59% for 2-year-olds, 96% for 3-year-olds, and 100% for 4-year-olds, compared to 72%, 88%, and 93% nationally.

In Herefordshire, 100% of the funded places for 4-year-olds have been taken up, which is higher than the national at 92%. This places it among the top 10% of areas.

Contents

Percentage of eligible children taking up funded early years places

Table showing percentage of eligible children taking up funded early years places

Funded early years places for 2-year-olds Number of eligible 2-year-olds % of population aged 2 % take-up of funded places
Herefordshire 299 18% 59%
National 119,598 19% 72%
Funded early years places for 3-year-olds Number of eligible 3-year-olds % of population aged 3 % take-up of funded places
Herefordshire All 3-year olds are eligible 96%
National 88%
Funded early years places for 4-year-olds Number of eligible 4-year-olds % of population aged 4 % take-up of funded places
Herefordshire All 4-year olds are eligible 100%
National 93%
The 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old funded places tables look different because they measure different things; funded places for 2-year-olds are only for children considered to be disadvantaged, while for 3- and 4-year-olds everyone is entitled to a funded place.

Data source

Children's overweight and obesity

In Herefordshire, 27% of reception-age children are overweight or obese, compared to 24% nationally.

Contents

Percentage of reception-age children overweight or obese

Table showing percentage of reception-age children overweight or obese

Number in Herefordshire % in Herefordshire % National
Children's overweight and obesity (reception-age children) 435 27% 24%

Data source

Oral health

In Herefordshire, 31% of children aged 5 have visible tooth decay (oral health issues) compared to 22% nationally.

Contents

Percentage of 5-year-olds with visible tooth decay

Table showing percentage of 5-year-olds with visible tooth decay

Number examined in Herefordshire % examined in Herefordshire % in Herefordshire % National
Oral health (visible tooth decay in 5-year-olds) 311 17% 31% 22%

Data source