Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton in Norfolk Early years summary

Local area: Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton

Local authority: Norfolk

Summary

Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton (E02005598) is part of Norfolk local authority (view on map). Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton has an approximate population of 10,000 people, of which 6.8% are children 5 years old and under. It is classified as "urban: nearer to a major town or city".

Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton neighbours Hockering, Mattishall & Cranworth, Reepham, Cawston & Lenwade, Bowthorpe & West Earlham, University & Avenues, Eaton, Lakenham & Tuckswood, Hethersett, Hingham, Morley & Barnham Broom, Wymondham West, Trowse, Poringland & Stoke Holy Cross, Wymondham East & Spooner Row, Mulbarton, Tasburgh & Saxlingham Nethergate, Old Costessey & Queens Hills, and New Costessey.

Headlines for early years in Norfolk

The data below is only available at local authority level

  • 2.3% of pupils in Norfolk have been issued an EHC plan from their local authority compared to 1.6% nationally. This places it among the top 10% of areas with pupils that have an EHC plan
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

Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton is the 27th least deprived area in Norfolk (out of 113) with 23% of children living in low-income families, compared to 34% across Norfolk and 38% nationally.

Data source

Provider information

Registered childcare providers

Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton has 17 registered childcare providers.

Type Number in Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton
All childcare providers 17
Childminders 7
Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care 10

In Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton, 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 'strong standard' (of 1).

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

Children's welfare and wellbeing: 2 were graded 'strong standard' (of 2).

Curriculum and teaching: 1 was graded 'strong standard' (of 1).

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

Leadership and governance: 2 were graded 'strong standard' (of 2).

The tables below show the outcomes of inspections of childcare providers in Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton. 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 1 0 1 0 0 0
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines 2 0 1 1 0 0
Children's welfare and wellbeing 2 0 2 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 1 0 1 0 0 0
Inclusion 2 0 1 1 0 0
Leadership and governance 2 0 2 0 0 0

Childminders

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

Data source

Summary of Ofsted findings

Summary of Ofsted findings

Inspection of Norfolk’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 Short Inspection 23 February 2026 Outstanding Outstanding Outstanding Outstanding Outstanding
ILACS Standard Inspection 7 November 2022 Good Good Good Good No outcome

Data source

Area SEND inspection of Norfolk 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

Norfolk local area partnership has not yet been inspected under the current area SEND framework.

Data source

Joint targeted area inspection of Norfolk 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
Domestic abuse 9 December 2024 Link

Data source

Early years population

Contents

Percentage of Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton population by age group

Table showing percentage of Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton population by age group

% in Cringleford, Little Melton & Easton % in Norfolk % National
Age 5 and under 6.8% 5.3% 6.4%
Under 1 year 1.0% 0.8% 1.0%
1 year 1.0% 0.8% 1.0%
2 years 1.0% 0.9% 1.1%
3 years 1.2% 0.9% 1.1%
4 years 1.3% 0.9% 1.1%
5 years 1.3% 1.0% 1.1%

Data source

Local authority context

Early years pupil premium

In Norfolk, 4.2% 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 Norfolk % in Norfolk % National
Receiving pupil premium 2,092 4.2% 5.1%

Data source

Children looked after

The percentage of 'children looked after' in Norfolk is 0.7% for under 1 year olds and 0.3% 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 Norfolk

Number in Norfolk % in Norfolk % National
Children looked after (under 1 year) 54 0.7% 0.6%
Children looked after (aged 1 to 4 years) 116 0.3% 0.4%

Percentage of children looked after in Norfolk

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 Norfolk, 4.4% 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 Norfolk % in Norfolk % National
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (age 5 and under) 2,217 4.4% 4.5%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (under 2 years) 45 0.2% 0.3%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (3 years) 189 2.3% 3.7%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (4 years) 861 10% 9.2%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (5 years) 1,122 12% 12%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (age 5 and under) 855 1.7% 1.4%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (under 2 years) 0 0% 0%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (3 years) 21 0.3% 0.3%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (4 years) 311 3.5% 3.1%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (5 years) 523 5.7% 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 Norfolk.

In Norfolk, 2.3% of children aged 5 and under have an EHC plan, compared to 1.6% nationally.

2.3% of pupils in Norfolk have been issued an EHC plan from their local authority compared to 1.6% nationally. This places it among the top 10% of areas with pupils that have an EHC plan.

Contents

Percentage of children with an EHCP in Norfolk by age group

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

Number in Norfolk % in Norfolk % National
Total: Children with an EHCP (age 5 and under) 1,151 2.3% 1.6%
Total: Children with an EHCP (under 2 years) 16 0.1% 0%
Total: Children with an EHCP (3 years) 174 2.1% 0.8%
Total: Children with an EHCP (4 years) 379 4.3% 3.4%
Total: Children with an EHCP (5 years) 582 6.3% 5.0%

Data source

Early years funded takeup

In Norfolk, take-up of funded early years places is 68% for 2-year-olds, 88% for 3-year-olds, and 92% for 4-year-olds, compared to 72%, 88%, and 93% nationally.

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
Norfolk 1,567 19% 68%
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
Norfolk All 3-year olds are eligible 88%
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
Norfolk All 4-year olds are eligible 92%
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 Norfolk, 24% 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 Norfolk % in Norfolk % National
Children's overweight and obesity (reception-age children) 1,775 24% 24%

Data source

Oral health

In Norfolk, 21% 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 Norfolk % examined in Norfolk % in Norfolk % National
Oral health (visible tooth decay in 5-year-olds) 2,079 22% 21% 22%

Data source