Aclet Close Nursery School, Bishop Auckland

Ofsted's report card from its 23 June 2026 inspection grades Aclet Close Nursery School on 6 areas: 6 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Children develop communication skills quickly and can express themselves to their peers and members of staff."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Children are very happy and want to come to school."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "The curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced to ensure that key knowledge is taught systematically through repetition and opportunities to practise."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make rapid progress from their starting points."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Members of the governing body understand their roles and have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and areas for future development."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Children benefit considerably from the swimming provision for those who are due to transition to Reception Year."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should further develop the learning environment for 2-year-old children so that staff can deliver all parts of the curriculum in line with the school vision".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Aclet Close Nursery School is situated in Woodhouse Close in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. We can take approximately 100 pupils, aged from 2 - 4 years. We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include swimming and cooking.

0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 7.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 3 pupils (4.3%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Bishop Auckland West Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Proudfoot Drive - Shops (s-bound), 170 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Aclet Close Nursery School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 274 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84), as is usual near a town centre.