The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Nursery at Cockton Hill Infant 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Water play, a mud kitchen and large model building give Cockton Hill's nursery its practical, playful character. Children use the outdoor area daily, so exploration extends beyond the classroom. This is the school's own nursery in Bishop Auckland, with provision starting at age two.
A nursery teacher works within the Foundation Stage team. Early Years teachers plan together, combining play with opportunities for children to choose their own learning. For families, that means a nursery experience connected to the school's early education approach, while retaining its own activities and early reading programme.
Play shapes the curriculum. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework, with learning here combining children's choices, communication, growing independence and early number skills. Outdoors, children investigate water, experiment in the mud kitchen and construct large models. These are concrete opportunities to explore materials and develop ideas through doing.
Phase 1 Letters and Sounds is the nursery's named phonics approach, taught in small groups. A daily Story of the Week also takes place in small groups, and the story goes home with a child each week. That gives families a direct connection to the stories being explored in nursery.
The wider EYFS timetable alternates organised activities with longer periods of continuous provision, when children can pursue learning through play. Dough Disco, maths, stories and Squiggle Whilst you Wiggle appear in that rhythm. This is the school's EYFS timetable, rather than a nursery session booking pattern.
At the December 2024 inspection, nursery children demonstrated counting and comparison by grouping small objects and talking about their relative size. Early Years children also cultivated pumpkins during forest school and cared for chicks in spring. Practical responsibility sits alongside early maths: children work with living things as well as classroom resources.
Settling starts with transition sessions that parents join alongside their children. Staff use these to get to know the child and their needs; families can work with them over a longer settling period where necessary. The first steps into nursery therefore involve parents directly.
Additional needs can be identified from the start at age two, using observations, liaison with families and agencies, and the two-year progress check. Support follows an assess, plan, do and review cycle, with an individual SEN Support Plan and parental involvement. The class teacher is the initial contact for pastoral concerns, with the SENCO involved where further advice is needed.
School support options include communication boards, Makaton and a sensory room for children who need a calmer space. These are school resources and possible interventions, with support matched to the individual child. For parents of children with SEND, ongoing teacher or SENCO discussions and support-plan reviews provide opportunities to revisit what is working.
In December 2024, the focus on communication helped Early Years children overcome learning barriers, and lunchtime conversations showed their understanding of nutritious food. The same inspection found that some learning tasks slowed progress and that curriculum adaptations left some pupils with SEND achieving less well than their peers. It asked the school to align learning with curriculum aims and adapt it where necessary. Some pupils also missed learning and experiences through poor attendance; the school was asked to investigate why attendance suffers, involving families, children and outside services as appropriate. Those findings concern the school overall and should not be read as nursery-specific shortcomings.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process, meeting the deadline for their child's entry year. The school's admissions page directs parents to Durham County Council's Primary School Places service; the office can help families unable to apply online.
Preparation for a new class is a separate matter. Staff discuss children's needs at internal transition meetings, and additional visits can be arranged where needed. Children with SEND may have extra summer transition sessions and booklets to use at home, giving families a way to familiarise them with the next classroom and staff.
Contact the school office on 01388604627 or email cocktonhillinfant@durhamlearning.net for nursery enquiries. The school is on McIntyre Terrace, Bishop Auckland, DL14 6HW.
The school has a Breakfast Club and Teatime Club, the latter providing wraparound care for working families. These are school-level services. The uniform policy allows plain items without a logo, including red sweatshirts or cardigans and white or red polo shirts. Temporary exemptions may be agreed for medical, sensory or pastoral circumstances.
Cockton Hill has nursery provision for children from age two.
Yes. Children have daily access to the outdoor area, including water play, a mud kitchen and large model building.
Parents attend nursery transition sessions with their children. Staff work with families when a child needs longer to settle.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions process. The school directs families to Durham County Council's Primary School Places service.
Nursery children use Phase 1 Letters and Sounds in small groups. They also have a daily Story of the Week, with the story sent home with a child each week.
