Forest Park School is an independent special school in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, for children and young people aged 11 to 17.
- Ages 11–17
- 33 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 11 to 17
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 33 (places for 50)
- Headteacher
- Miss Jacqueline Reynolds
- Opened
- 18 January 2024
- Council
- County Durham
- School reference (URN)
- 150376
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
Rated Good, March 2025
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in March 2025.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Independent school standards: all standards met.
Contact and getting there
Durham Way South, Newton Aycliffe Business Park, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6XP
Loading the map…
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
- North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School Independent · Ages 3–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.6 miles
- Thornbeck College - North East Autism Society Independent · Ages 16–25 1.6 miles
- Woodham Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 1.7 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 Forest Park School
How do I get a place at Forest Park 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 Forest Park 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 Forest Park School take?
Aged 11 to 17, boys and girls.
What is Forest Park School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Forest Park School?
Durham Way South, Newton Aycliffe Business Park, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6XP, 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.