The Sue Hedley Nursery School, Hebburn
The Sue Hedley Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Hebburn. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Sue Hedley Nursery School in detail
The Sue Hedley Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "We aim to work with all related services to ensure thoughtful, quality provision for everyone using the Nursery. We are a learning community and it is our aim to provide-"
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
What parents say
21 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Sue Hedley Nursery School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Who goes there
28.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 8.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (82%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 6 pupils (8.5%) received SEN support and 9 (12.7%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is autism.
The Sue Hedley Nursery School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties: 8 places, 8 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Hebburn (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 670 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Victoria Road West - Hebburn Baths (e-bound), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Sue Hedley Nursery School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from December 2013, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Sue Hedley Nursery School creates a happy, calm environment where children develop independence and take pride in mastering new skills. Staff provide excellent interactions and tailor learning to each child's needs, including exceptional support for children with SEND. The nursery offers enriching experiences like library visits, farm trips and outdoor woodland play that bring the curriculum to life.
Key Strengths
- Excellent adult-child relationships and interactions that build trust and engagement
- Well-designed curriculum that incorporates children's interests and leads to deeper thinking
- Highly effective outdoor learning in the woodland area with sustained, concentrated play
- Strong identification and support for children with SEND using varied communication methods
- Consistent daily routines and positive behaviour management resulting in exemplary behaviour
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective and the school has created an open, positive culture that puts children's interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Library visits, farm visits, Metro railway service trips, outdoor woodland activities
The Sue Hedley Nursery School is an outstanding nursery where children flourish in a calm, playful environment with high expectations for behaviour and learning. The school has an outstanding curriculum that prepares children well for their next stage, with exceptional progress made by children with SEND.
At a Glance
28.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: SpLD, Vision, Other +8
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
21 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Keep up with The Sue Hedley Nursery School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Sue Hedley Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Sue Hedley Nursery School is in South Tyneside; for families living there:
Apply to South Tyneside for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 14 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
5 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 South Tyneside is 13 (the median across 64 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
Area Demand Pressure - Hebburn
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hebburn
Across South Tyneside council
Places available
1,804
Applications
1,548
Got 1st preference
89.2%
Got preferred school
96.9%
All secondary applications across South Tyneside council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
6
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
21.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Sue Hedley Nursery School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties: 8 places, 8 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
71
Total Pupils
45
Boys
26
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
11.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£40,826
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about The Sue Hedley Nursery School
What is The Sue Hedley Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
The Sue Hedley Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Sue Hedley Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When The Sue Hedley Nursery School is oversubscribed, South Tyneside allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Sue Hedley Nursery School?
The Sue Hedley Nursery School has around 71 pupils on roll. 28% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Sue Hedley Nursery School have specialist SEN provision?
The Sue Hedley Nursery School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties: 8 places, 8 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to The Sue Hedley Nursery School?
Apply through South Tyneside's coordinated admissions process, naming The Sue Hedley Nursery School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near The Sue Hedley Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 14 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 5 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 South Tyneside is 13 (the median across 64 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Sue Hedley Nursery School?
The Sue Hedley Nursery School is at Campbell Park Road, Hebburn, Tyne and Wear, NE31 1QY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)