Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington in Somerset Early years summary

Local area: Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington

Local authority: Somerset

Summary

Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington (E02006072) is part of Somerset local authority (view on map). Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington has an approximate population of 9,300 people, of which 4.0% are children 5 years old and under. It is classified as "smaller rural: further from a major town or city".

Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington neighbours Glastonbury West & Street South, Wedmore & Mark, Pawlett, Puriton & Woolavington, Bridgwater East, Stockmoor & North Petherton, Langport & Long Sutton, and Ruishton & North Curry.

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

Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington is the 20th least deprived area in Somerset (out of 71) with 23% of children living in low-income families, compared to 30% across Somerset and 38% nationally.

Data source

Provider information

Registered childcare providers

Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington has 8 registered childcare providers.

Type Number in Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington
All childcare providers 8
Childminders 4
Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care 4

In Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington, 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: 1 was graded 'strong standard', and 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 2).

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

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

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

The tables below show the outcomes of inspections of childcare providers in Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington. 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 1 1 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 1 0 1 0 0 0
Inclusion 2 0 2 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 2 0 1 1 0 0

Childminders

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

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

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 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 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 1 0 1 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 1 0 0 1 0 0

Data source

Summary of Ofsted findings

Summary of Ofsted findings

Inspection of Somerset’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 27 April 2026 Not judged Requires improvement to be good Requires improvement to be good Requires improvement to be good Good
ILACS Standard Inspection 18 July 2022 Good Good Good Good No outcome

Data source

Area SEND inspection of Somerset 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

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

Data source

Joint targeted area inspection of Somerset 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
Serious youth violence 20 May 2024 Link

Data source

Early years population

Contents

Percentage of Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington population by age group

Table showing percentage of Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington population by age group

% in Westonzoyland, Ashcott & Cossington % in Somerset % National
Age 5 and under 4.0% 5.5% 6.4%
Under 1 year 0.7% 0.8% 1.0%
1 year 0.5% 0.9% 1.0%
2 years 0.8% 0.9% 1.1%
3 years 0.6% 0.9% 1.1%
4 years 0.6% 1.0% 1.1%
5 years 0.7% 1.0% 1.1%

Data source

Local authority context

Early years pupil premium

In Somerset, 3.5% 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 Somerset % in Somerset % National
Receiving pupil premium 1,138 3.5% 5.1%

Data source

Children looked after

The percentage of 'children looked after' in Somerset is 1.1% for under 1 year olds and 0.4% 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 Somerset

Number in Somerset % in Somerset % National
Children looked after (under 1 year) 51 1.1% 0.6%
Children looked after (aged 1 to 4 years) 81 0.4% 0.4%

Percentage of children looked after in Somerset

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 Somerset, 4.0% of children aged 5 and under receive SEN support in state-funded settings and 1.0% 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 Somerset % in Somerset % National
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (age 5 and under) 1,308 4.0% 4.5%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (under 2 years) 36 0.2% 0.3%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (3 years) 71 1.3% 3.7%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (4 years) 533 9.0% 9.2%
Total: SEN support in state-funded settings (5 years) 668 11% 12%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (age 5 and under) 336 1.0% 1.4%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (under 2 years) 0 0% 0%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (3 years) 1 0% 0.3%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (4 years) 110 1.9% 3.1%
Total: EHCPs in state-funded settings (5 years) 225 3.8% 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 Somerset.

In Somerset, 1.1% of children aged 5 and under have an EHC plan, compared to 1.6% nationally.

Contents

Percentage of children with an EHCP in Somerset by age group

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

Number in Somerset % in Somerset % National
Total: Children with an EHCP (age 5 and under) 357 1.1% 1.6%
Total: Children with an EHCP (under 2 years) 0 0% 0%
Total: Children with an EHCP (3 years) 6 0.1% 0.8%
Total: Children with an EHCP (4 years) 124 2.1% 3.4%
Total: Children with an EHCP (5 years) 227 3.9% 5.0%

Data source

Early years funded takeup

In Somerset, take-up of funded early years places is 79% for 2-year-olds, 90% for 3-year-olds, and 94% 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
Somerset 896 17% 79%
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
Somerset All 3-year olds are eligible 90%
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
Somerset All 4-year olds are eligible 94%
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 Somerset, 25% 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 Somerset % in Somerset % National
Children's overweight and obesity (reception-age children) 1,215 25% 24%

Data source

Oral health

In Somerset, 20% 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 Somerset % examined in Somerset % in Somerset % National
Oral health (visible tooth decay in 5-year-olds) 968 17% 20% 22%

Data source