Hexham & Acomb in Northumberland Early years summary

Local area: Hexham & Acomb

Local authority: Northumberland

Summary

Hexham & Acomb (E02005730) is part of Northumberland local authority (view on map). Hexham & Acomb has an approximate population of 13,000 people, of which 4.6% are children 5 years old and under. It is classified as "urban: nearer to a major town or city".

Hexham & Acomb neighbours Haydon Bridge & Allendale, and Stocksfield, Riding Mill & Corbridge.

Headlines for early years in Northumberland

The data below is only available at local authority level

  • 8.7% of pupils are in receipt of the early years pupil premium in Northumberland compared to 5.1% nationally. This places it among the top 10% of areas with pupils receiving the pupil premium
  • 1.2% of pupils under 1 are classed as 'children looked after' in Northumberland compared to 0.6% nationally. This places it in the top 10% of areas with 'children looked after' in this age group
  • 6.8% of pupils are receiving SEN support in state-funded settings in Northumberland compared to 4.5% nationally. This places it among the top 10% of areas with pupils receiving support
  • 2.1% of pupils in state-funded settings in Northumberland have an EHC plan compared to 1.4% nationally. This places it among the top 10% of areas with pupils that have an EHC plan in state-funded settings
  • 2.3% of pupils in Northumberland 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
  • In Northumberland, 91% of the funded places for 2-year-olds have been taken up, which is higher than the national at 72%. This places it among the top 10% of areas
  • In Northumberland, 106% of the funded places for 3-year-olds have been taken up, which is higher than the national at 88%. This places it among the top 10% of areas
  • In Northumberland, 102% 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

Hexham & Acomb is the 14th least deprived area in Northumberland (out of 38) with 24% of children living in low-income families, compared to 34% across Northumberland and 38% nationally.

Data source

Provider information

Registered childcare providers

Hexham & Acomb has 8 registered childcare providers.

Type Number in Hexham & Acomb
All childcare providers 8
Childminders 2
Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care 6

In Hexham & Acomb, there have been 2 full inspections of childcare providers since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.

Achievement: 2 were graded 'expected standard' (of 2).

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

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

Curriculum and teaching: 2 were graded 'expected standard' (of 2).

Inclusion: 2 were graded 'expected standard' (of 2).

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

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

Data source

Summary of Ofsted findings

Summary of Ofsted findings

Inspection of Northumberland’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 20 May 2024 Outstanding Outstanding Outstanding Good Good
ILACS Standard Inspection 20 January 2020 Good Good Good Good No outcome

Data source

Area SEND inspection of Northumberland 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

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

Data source

Joint targeted area inspection of Northumberland 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
Child exploitation 17 June 2019 Link

Data source

Early years population

Contents

Percentage of Hexham & Acomb population by age group

Table showing percentage of Hexham & Acomb population by age group

% in Hexham & Acomb % in Northumberland % National
Age 5 and under 4.6% 5.1% 6.4%
Under 1 year 0.6% 0.8% 1.0%
1 year 0.7% 0.8% 1.0%
2 years 0.8% 0.8% 1.1%
3 years 0.7% 0.9% 1.1%
4 years 0.9% 0.9% 1.1%
5 years 0.9% 0.9% 1.1%

Data source

Local authority context

Early years pupil premium

In Northumberland, 8.7% of children are receiving the early years pupil premium, compared to 5.1% nationally.

8.7% of pupils are in receipt of the early years pupil premium in Northumberland compared to 5.1% nationally. This places it among the top 10% of areas with pupils receiving the pupil premium.

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 Northumberland % in Northumberland % National
Receiving pupil premium 1,461 8.7% 5.1%

Data source

Children looked after

The percentage of 'children looked after' in Northumberland is 1.2% for under 1 year olds and 0.6% 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.

1.2% of pupils under 1 are classed as 'children looked after' in Northumberland compared to 0.6% nationally. This places it in the top 10% of areas with 'children looked after' in this age group.

Contents

Table showing percentage of children looked after in Northumberland

Number in Northumberland % in Northumberland % National
Children looked after (under 1 year) 30 1.2% 0.6%
Children looked after (aged 1 to 4 years) 68 0.6% 0.4%

Percentage of children looked after in Northumberland

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 Northumberland, 6.8% of children aged 5 and under receive SEN support in state-funded settings and 2.1% have an EHC plan, compared to 4.5% and 1.4% nationally.

6.8% of pupils are receiving SEN support in state-funded settings in Northumberland compared to 4.5% nationally. This places it among the top 10% of areas with pupils receiving support. In addition, 2.1% of pupils in state-funded settings in Northumberland have an EHC plan compared to 1.4% nationally. This places it among the top 10% of areas with pupils that have an EHC plan in state-funded settings.

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 Northumberland % in Northumberland % National
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (age 5 and under) 1,145 6.8% 4.5%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (under 2 years) 67 0.8% 0.3%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (3 years) 218 7.5% 3.7%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (4 years) 399 14% 9.2%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (5 years) 461 15% 12%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (age 5 and under) 354 2.1% 1.4%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (under 2 years) 2 0% 0%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (3 years) 22 0.8% 0.3%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (4 years) 134 4.6% 3.1%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (5 years) 196 6.3% 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 Northumberland.

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

2.3% of pupils in Northumberland 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 Northumberland by age group

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

Number in Northumberland % in Northumberland % National
Total: Children with an EHCP (age 5 and under) 395 2.3% 1.6%
Total: Children with an EHCP (under 2 years) 6 0.1% 0%
Total: Children with an EHCP (3 years) 42 1.4% 0.8%
Total: Children with an EHCP (4 years) 144 5.0% 3.4%
Total: Children with an EHCP (5 years) 203 6.6% 5.0%

Data source

Early years funded takeup

In Northumberland, take-up of funded early years places is 91% for 2-year-olds, 106% for 3-year-olds, and 102% for 4-year-olds, compared to 72%, 88%, and 93% nationally.

In Northumberland, 91% of the funded places for 2-year-olds have been taken up, which is higher than the national at 72%. This places it among the top 10% of areas. In Northumberland, 106% of the funded places for 3-year-olds have been taken up, which is higher than the national at 88%. This places it among the top 10% of areas. In Northumberland, 102% 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
Northumberland 687 25% 91%
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
Northumberland All 3-year olds are eligible 106%
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
Northumberland All 4-year olds are eligible 102%
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.
Why these numbers might look odd for the 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old funded take-up charts and tables

All 3- and 4-year-olds are eligible for funded places. Values over 100% are due to falling birth rates, which reduced the overall population more than the number registered for a place. A percentage above 100% shows very high take-up. In other words, more children are registered than the population estimate suggests exist.

Data source

Children's overweight and obesity

In Northumberland, 26% 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 Northumberland % in Northumberland % National
Children's overweight and obesity (reception-age children) 675 26% 24%

Data source

Oral health

In Northumberland, 16% 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 Northumberland % examined in Northumberland % in Northumberland % National
Oral health (visible tooth decay in 5-year-olds) 1,052 33% 16% 22%

Data source