North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School is an independent special school in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, for children and young people aged 3 to 19.
- Ages 3–19
- 60 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 3 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 60 (places for 84)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Tracey Clements
- Opened
- 13 February 2013
- Council
- County Durham
- School reference (URN)
- 139329
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often County Durham council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- An offer, and the council’s agreement
As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it doesn’t have to accept a place: the school has to offer one, and the council has to agree to name it in the plan.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Report card, June 2026: Expected standard in every area
Inspected in June 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- Post-16Expected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- SafeguardingMet
Independent school standards: all standards met.
Contact and getting there
Cedar Drive, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6UN
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Thornbeck College - North East Autism Society Independent · Ages 16–25 0.0 miles
- Woodham Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Walworth School Special school · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.6 miles
All SEND schools in County Durham
By need in County Durham: Autism (12) · Speech and language (8) · Moderate learning (8) · Severe learning (7) · SEMH (6) · Dyslexia and SpLD (6) · PMLD (5) · Hearing (4) · Vision (3) · Physical (2)
Questions about North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School
How do I get a place at North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School. As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it has to offer a place and the council has to agree to name it.
What ages does North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School take?
Aged 3 to 19, boys and girls.
What is North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School?
Cedar Drive, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6UN, in County Durham.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.