Best Secondary Schools in Durham

Durham Academy is a co-ed secondary school located in Ushaw Moor, North East. Founded in 2023, it provides a supportive learning environment for students aged 11-16. With a focus on inclusive education, the school caters to various special educational needs such as visual impairment, speech-language communication, autism spectrum disorder, and more.

North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School is a well-led all-through school located in Great Aycliffe, North East. With a strong focus on supporting students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the school provides a good curriculum that broadens pupils' knowledge and skills. The dedicated staff build strong relationships with pupils and ensure they are well prepared for their next stage of education. Although there are areas for improvement, such as challenging pupils academically in wider curriculum subjects, the school has shown significant improvements and has a good overall effectiveness according to the Ofsted report. The small cohort of students who do not attend full-time and those who have not fully developed their confidence in appreciating the importance of education are areas that the school is working on. Overall, North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School provides a nurturing environment for students with ASD and strives to support their personal development, behaviour, and welfare.

The Grange Learning Centre is an outstanding school with a dedicated and inspirational headteacher. With highly skilled staff, exceptional safeguarding practices, and a focus on personal development, the school provides a safe and nurturing environment for students. Pupils make strong progress in all subjects, and the school offers a wide range of qualifications and excellent career guidance to support their future aspirations.

Highcroft School is a co-ed secondary school located in Cockfield, North East. Founded in 2011, the school offers a broad and personalised curriculum to students aged 11-18. With a focus on social, emotional, and mental health support, Highcroft provides a nurturing environment where teachers have a good understanding of pupils' needs. The school consistently meets independent school standards and effectively manages student behavior. Additionally, Highcroft prepares students well for life in modern Britain and offers opportunities for spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. While there are occasional hindrances to personal development due to a lack of independent learning opportunities, the overall effectiveness of leadership and management, along with the quality of teaching, learning, and assessment, is rated as good by Ofsted.

Hassockfield Secure Training Centre is a secondary school located in Durham, North East. Established in 2005, it provides education for students aged 12-15 years. With Carol Foster as the headteacher, the school offers a safe and secure learning environment for both boys and girls. Hassockfield focuses on meeting the educational needs of its students and does not offer boarding facilities.

Aycliffe Secure Services is a secondary school located in Chilton, North East. Led by Ms Aileen Conlon, the school provides education for students aged 10-17 in a co-educational setting. With a focus on safety and security, Aycliffe offers a nurturing environment for students with special educational needs. Boarding facilities are not available.

Wellfield School is a co-ed secondary school located in Wingate, North East. Under the leadership of Ms Sarah Hammond, it provides education for students aged 11-16. With a focus on inclusive education, Wellfield School offers a supportive and nurturing environment for students of all abilities. Established in 2023, it has quickly grown to accommodate 1011 students.