Forest Park School, Newton Aycliffe
Forest Park School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 17 in Newton Aycliffe. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2025. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Forest Park School in detail
Forest Park School in its own words
In its own words: "SEND Audit and review service. Teeacher Training. Working with trusts to improve mainstream provision for SEND. Year 4, 5, 6 provision. Pre EHCP? Working through diagnosis and application, supporting children and families. Educational testing and reporting service. First stage EP reporting. Dyslexia and dyscalculia testing. Thrive, OT, Pyschotherapy, counselling, Family support."
From the headteacher's welcome: "At Forest Park School everything we do is centred on developing our young people to become confident, resilient and independent students who achieve success in everything they do. Be it academically, or socially, our aim is to enable our students to grow and flourish and achieve their potential, enabling them to have positive pathways into adulthood."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Forest Park School are North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School (1.6 miles, Good); Thornbeck College - North East Autism Society (1.6 miles, Good); Walworth School (1.8 miles, Good); and Oakwood Learning Centre (3.6 miles, Outstanding).
North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe SchoolThornbeck College - North East Autism SocietyWalworth SchoolOakwood Learning Centre
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Forest Park School has an education, health and care plan (33 of 33 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Heighington Rail Station, about 970 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Durham Way (e-bound), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 56 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Forest Park School demonstrates excellent safeguarding practices with a strong, vigilant culture where staff are well-trained and know when and how to raise concerns. The school has skilled leadership that clearly understands pupils' needs and takes careful action to support them when they join. Facilities are of high quality, including a new building that maintains the same welfare standards as the main school, with secure outdoor spaces and proper medical provision.
Key Strengths
- Strong safeguarding culture with vigilant staff and regular training on prevent duty and low-level concerns
- Skilled leadership and proprietor who understand pupil needs and maintain clear compliance with independent school standards
- High standards for health and safety with regular checks, professional fire safety advice, and well-maintained facilities
- Thorough recruitment processes and up-to-date single central record for all staff
- New building facilities match high standards and support increased pupil numbers while maintaining current staff-to-pupil ratios
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the school has a secure safeguarding culture with vigilant leaders and staff, timely training including prevent duty, clear record-keeping, and prompt engagement with other professionals when concerns are raised.
Extracurricular Activities
Physical education, all-weather pitch sports, outdoor socialisation spaces
Forest Park School is an independent special school for pupils aged 11-17 with social, emotional and mental health needs, autism, speech and language difficulties, and moderate learning difficulties. The school is likely to meet independent school standards following its application to increase pupil capacity.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Forest Park School
Wake up Wednesday - Looksmaxxing
30 Sep 2026
Key Stage 4 Explore the Centre for Life
24 Sep 2026
Wake up Wednesday
23 Sep 2026
Chromosomes and DNA
16 Sep 2026
Wake up Wednesday - Toxic Gaming.
16 Sep 2026
Wake up Wednesday
11 Sep 2026
From Forest Park School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Forest Park School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
66%
Available places
33 pupils
50 places
17 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Newton Aycliffe
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newton Aycliffe
Across County Durham council
Places available
5,720
Applications
4,986
Got 1st preference
94.2%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across County Durham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
33
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Forest Park School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
33
Total Pupils
21
Boys
12
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Forest Park School
What are GCSE results like at Forest Park School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Forest Park School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Forest Park School's Ofsted rating?
Forest Park School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2025, it was rated Good.
Does Forest Park School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in March 2025, Forest Park School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Forest Park School?
Forest Park School has around 33 pupils on roll.
Does Forest Park School have specialist SEN provision?
Forest Park School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Forest Park School?
Forest Park School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Forest Park School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Forest Park School?
Forest Park School is at Durham Way South, Newton Aycliffe Business Park, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6XP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)