Villa Real School, Consett
Villa Real School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Consett. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2020)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Villa Real School in detail
Villa Real School in its own words
In its own words: "To offer a personalised, inclusive and appropriate education in a safe and stimulating environment that enables every individual to achieve their physical, emotional and academic potential. We are committed to lifelong learning in an ever changing World. We always act in the best interest of the pupils/students. We promote clear and open communication in a happy and nurturing environment."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include netball, basketball, yoga, karate, dance, art and film.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Villa Real School are Learning for Life (0.5 miles, Good); and Croft Community School (3 miles, Good).
What parents say
14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Villa Real 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 the school supports their child's wider development (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 9 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
60.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Villa Real School has an education, health and care plan (125 of 125 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Villa Real School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Villa Real School.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Adult Training Centre (e-bound), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 209 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
Villa Real School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from January 2020, 6 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
Early Years
Sixth Form
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Villa Real School excels at creating an inclusive community where every pupil thrives. The school's expert teaching team skillfully tailors learning to meet individual needs, ensuring pupils with complex SEND make significant progress from their different starting points. Staff and governors are deeply committed to the pupils' wellbeing, resulting in excellent pupil behaviour, high attendance, and a school where children are genuinely happy and supported to succeed.
Key Strengths
- Expert in meeting pupils' special educational needs - curriculum is skillfully adapted with specific pathways for different learning needs
- Exemplary pupil behaviour with a positive culture where pupils show kindness, respect and support for each other
- Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum delivered through highly effective teaching that breaks learning into small, manageable steps
- Strong focus on communication development with specialist approaches for verbal and nonverbal learners
- High-quality personal development programme with diverse activities including sports, music, art, outdoor learning and work placements
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school leaders and staff demonstrating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports, music, art, outdoor activities, visits to places of cultural interest, work placements, enterprise projects, subject and life skills qualifications
Villa Real School is a truly inclusive special school with a strong community spirit that supports pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties, and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Evidence suggests the school's work has improved significantly across all areas since being judged good in 2020.
At a Glance
60.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
14 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Villa Real School
Before and after school care
Villa Real School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in County Durham
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Villa Real School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Villa Real School is in County Durham; for families living there:
- County Durham's school travel policy: School transport policies and strategies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school travel
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 5 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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
Area Demand Pressure - Consett
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Consett
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(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school has improved significantly.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
125
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Villa Real School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
125
Total Pupils
89
Boys
36
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
17
Teachers
7.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,935
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.8%
Overall absence
24.5%
Persistent absence
102
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Villa Real School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Villa Real School
What are SATs results like at Villa Real School?
Of the pupils at Villa Real School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Villa Real School's Ofsted rating?
Villa Real School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2020, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Villa Real School?
No fixed boundary. When Villa Real School is oversubscribed, County Durham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Villa Real School?
Villa Real School has around 125 pupils on roll. 61% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Villa Real School have specialist SEN provision?
Villa Real School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Villa Real School?
8.8% of sessions were missed at Villa Real School in 2024/25. 24.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Villa Real School?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming Villa Real 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.
Does Villa Real School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Villa Real School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Villa Real School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 5 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Villa Real School?
Villa Real School is at Villa Real Road, Consett, County Durham, DH8 6BH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)