Byerley Park Primary School, Newton Aycliffe

Ofsted's report card from its 17 February 2026 inspection grades Byerley Park Primary School on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "There is an extensive, well-sequenced and high-quality programme for pupils' personal development and wellbeing at Byerley Park."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Leaders' work has a demonstrable impact on pupils' achievement."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils typically attend well."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders' decisions and actions bring about improvements across a number of curriculum areas."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children from a wide range of external providers come into the Reception class each year."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Byerley Park is an inclusive school where pupils' needs are identified and addressed swiftly and effectively."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders, including governors, have a very clear understanding of the strengths of the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of teaching on pupils' retention of key knowledge in some subjects are embedded across the school and, in turn, lead to further improvements in pupils' learning and achievement".

In its own words: "The Byerley Turk was one of the founding stallions of today's thoroughbred horses and was stood at Middridge Grange, until being moved to North Yorkshire when his owner married. Colonel Robert Byerley was the son of Colonel Anthony Byerley, a cavalry officer serving Charles I in a unit known as "Byerley's Bulldogs" ."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:50am and after-school care.

In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at Byerley Park Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in County Durham and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 66% in reading and 83% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 38 families put Byerley Park Primary School as their first choice and 78 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 10 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Byerley Park Primary School are St Francis Horndale CofE Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 42% reading, 33% maths); St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 84% reading, 89% maths); Stephenson Way Academy and Nursery School (0.6 miles, Good, 48% reading, 48% maths); and Woodham Burn Community Primary School and Nursery (0.7 miles, 61% reading, 70% maths).

Byerley Park Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

41 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Byerley Park Primary School (as of April 2026): 88% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).

2.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 23 pupils (11.1%) received SEN support and 3 (1.4%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Newton Aycliffe Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Greenfield Way - Blackton Close (ne-bound), 80 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 208 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Byerley Park Primary School issued 12 suspensions, 5.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Byerley Park Primary School are Greenfield Academy (0.4 miles) and Woodham Academy (1.4 miles).