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Nursery at Aclet Close Nursery School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A growing patch, Woodland Activities space and secret garden give Aclet Close’s nursery day a distinctly outdoor character. Inside, a main playroom is complemented by smaller rooms for quieter work and key worker groups, giving children different spaces for activity and concentration.
Aclet Close is a nursery school in its own right, in Woodhouse Close, Bishop Auckland. Its main provision serves children aged two to four, with capacity for approximately 100 pupils. Two-year-olds start and finish their sessions in a separate room, spending the middle part in the main nursery or outdoors. That introduces the larger space gradually.
Sessions combine an introduction from the group leader, indoor and outdoor activities, tidying, stories and singing. Children can choose a library book to take home, extending story time beyond nursery. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework: learning through play develops communication, movement, relationships and early understanding of numbers and the world.
Phase 1 of Letters and Sounds concentrates on listening and spoken language, including hearing and combining sounds in words. Core stories connect with role play, while partner activities give quieter children another way to contribute. Maths might involve dominoes or containers in sand and water; planting bulbs and watching butterflies hatch introduce living things. These are practical starting points for later learning.
Outdoor play includes flexible materials, growing and exploration. Three- and four-year-olds can attend a block of swimming lessons at Woodhouse Close Leisure Centre, walking there with staff. A swimming instructor teaches, nursery staff support children in the pool, and a lifeguard is present. Parents collect at the session’s end.
In July 2022, Ofsted found that conversation, daily rhymes and storytelling were central to learning, with adults helping children develop vocabulary through play. Curriculum sequencing. Some areas needed clearer steps between starting points and intended outcomes, so teaching could identify more precisely what each child should learn next. At that time, reduced governor numbers also limited the challenge and support available to leaders.
Settling starts gently: a parent accompanies the first hour-long session, then remains elsewhere completing paperwork during the second. The third is generally around an hour and a half, with longer attendance following when the child is ready. Staff agree the pace with families rather than applying one timetable to everyone.
Key workers oversee their group’s learning and progress. ClassDojo shares messages and photographs, while Learning Journals lets parents contribute significant moments from home. The staffing structure includes co-head teachers, teaching assistants and Early Years Educator apprentices. SEND support uses Assess, Plan, Do, Review, involving parents in a support plan and drawing on specialists such as Speech and Language Therapy.
Milk or water accompanies a healthy snack, usually vegetables or fruit. Breakfast choices include yogurt, cereals, toast and fruit; Squirrels Lunch Club requires a packed lunch and takes place in the Outdoor Qube classroom under key worker supervision. Quiet areas offer books, soft toys and sensory resources for a calmer pause. In July 2022, safeguarding was effective, with staff trained to recognise concerns and seek help promptly.
Entrance access. The nursery door’s high and low handles can make access difficult for wheelchair users or people with limited mobility; office staff can assist. A full-size changing bed and accessible adult toilet provide further practical support.
Children move to primary schools after nursery, rather than staying for Reception at Aclet Close. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place: families must make a separate application through the normal admissions process. Choosing and registering for the next school remains the parent’s responsibility.
Transition support is a separate matter. Meetings and visits connect children with their new teachers, and Big School Ready meetings help parents prepare. Children needing more time can have additional visits, with information about learning and SEND support passed to the next school. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan follow a different transfer process; families are asked to complete Durham County Council’s parental preference form.
Morning sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoons from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Fifteen-hour attendance can use mornings, afternoons or two-and-a-half-day patterns. Eligible families can use 30 funded hours during term time, with four-and-a-half-day or five-day options. The five-day, 35-hour option carries an additional charge, and lunchtime supervision falls outside funded hours.
Breakfast Club runs from 8am to 8.30am and accepts children without booking. Lunch supervision runs from 11.30am to 12.30pm and must be booked. Places are limited, with priority for children accessing 30-hour or two-and-a-half-day educational entitlement; packed lunches should include ice packs. Snack supplies are supported through voluntary School Fund contributions. Ask the office for current charges and additional sessions.
Uniform is optional. Clothing should suit messy outdoor play, with belongings labelled. Arrange a visit or nursery application through the office on 01388 603006 or acletclose@durhamlearning.net. Collect promptly, tell staff about a different collector, and avoid driving down the nursery approach.
The main provision is for children aged two to four. Two-year-olds have a separate room for the beginning and end of their sessions.
Mornings run from 8.30am to 11.30am, and afternoons from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Two-and-a-half-day attendance patterns are also offered.
The first session lasts an hour with a parent present. During the second hour-long session, the parent completes paperwork elsewhere. Attendance then increases according to the child’s readiness.
No. Aclet Close children move to other schools, and families must apply separately for Reception. Transition visits and meetings help children prepare but do not secure admission.
Families provide a healthy packed lunch with ice packs for Lunch Club. Supervision must be booked and is charged separately from funded hours. Places are limited, with priority for children accessing 30-hour or two-and-a-half-day educational entitlement.
