A new school that’s making its mark at Aycliffe has been named top of the class in its Make Your Mark Awards category.
Forest Park School – a new independent special school for 11-16 year-olds – was named Newcomer of the Year at the Aycliffe Business Make Your Mark Awards 2024, which were delivered by Resolution Media and Publishing for Aycliffe Business Park Community at Hardwick Hall Hotel.
And for delighted Forest Park proprietor Jill Gray and headteacher Jackie Reynolds, clinching the Newcomer of the Year prize is further vindication of their decision to follow their hearts and set the school up.
Jackie – pictured receiving the award from Megan Maguire of category sponsors Husqvarna – explained: “Jill and I have both worked in education for 24 years each and have always worked in challenging schools.
“We realised that some children weren’t getting their needs met so an opportunity came where Jill was able to invest in the project and together, our vision has created the school we’ve opened.”
Jill added: “We knew we could do things differently and it could make a huge difference. An opportunity came up where we could invest and set up something where we could do things from scratch and how we wanted to do it – we believed in it.
“Placing children with special educational needs is very difficult. But we know through what we’ve done in the past that small settings, small classes, are usually the places where they will most likely prosper.”
Since receiving the keys last March, the former Bishop Auckland College building has been renovated and now, having received its DfE number in January, Forest Park is taking children between now and when the new term starts in September.
The plan is to have 18 students by September, although the school has a capacity of 30.
Jackie added: “It’s going amazingly well. We purchased the building from Bishop Auckland College but the land around it was derelict.
“It was a bit of an eyesore so we’ve taken that land and developed it into something really quite special, including a bookable football pitch for community use.”
Jill and Jackie say they hope to work closely with other schools in the area, including Greenfield Academy, where Jackie’s a governor and where she herself was educated.
And as for what’s next? Jill said: “Sixth form and primary provision, we hope. We’ve looked at the areas of need and we think there’s a need there.”
Jackie added: “I’m incredibly shocked to win this award. I didn’t even expect to be nominated for something like this so it’s a real honour.
“I’m from Newton Aycliffe so to be able to do something like this in my local area is incredibly important to me.”
Forest Park pipped Armitage and Wilson Furniture to the Newcomer of the Year prize – one of 11 trophies handed out on a night of excitement and pride.