Durham Trinity School & Sports College, Durham
Durham Trinity School & Sports College is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Durham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Durham Trinity School & Sports College in detail
Durham Trinity School & Sports College in its own words
In its own words: "The school day starts at 9am for pupils with morning registration and then lesson 1 starting at 9:30am.Learning continues throughout the day including morning playtime and lunchtimes as part of OPAL and life skills development with further lessons and learning opportunities until home time at 3:10pm, totalling 30.5hrs."
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
What parents say
22 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Durham Trinity School & Sports College (as of September 2025): 96% 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 their child is happy at the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 20 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 90% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 20% to a further education college.
Who goes there
55.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 2.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Durham Trinity School & Sports College has an education, health and care plan (254 of 254 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Durham Trinity School & Sports College provides for pupils with autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Durham Rail Station, about 1160 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Happy Wanderer (sw-bound), 400 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Durham Trinity School & Sports College stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 227 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Durham Trinity School & Sports College 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2016, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a warm, welcoming and inclusive school where pupils are valued as individuals and feel safe. The staff are highly skilled at adapting learning so every pupil can access the curriculum and achieve their personal targets. Parents particularly appreciate how the school goes above and beyond to support families during difficult times.
Key Strengths
- Excellent pupil behaviour supported by highly skilled staff who help pupils manage emotions and regulate their conduct
- Precise identification of pupils' SEND needs with learning targets at the heart of everything the school does
- Ambitious, well-designed curriculum with three pathways that are thoughtfully matched to each pupil's stage of development
- Strong focus on reading for pleasure from early years through phonics teaching and sensory stories
- Comprehensive preparation for life beyond school including community activities, work experience, and independent travel skills
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils at early stages of learning to write are not consistently taught the skills needed to form neat, legible handwriting
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with prompt follow-up of absences and strong partnerships with parents, carers and external professionals.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports competitions, film productions with local university, outdoor education and play, sensory stories and story massage sessions, school council roles
Durham Trinity School & Sports College is a special school serving pupils aged 2-19 with various learning difficulties and autism. The school has maintained its good standards through effective curriculum development and high-quality staff training.
At a Glance
55.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, MLD, SLD +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
22 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
Keep up with Durham Trinity School & Sports College
Before and after school care
Durham Trinity School & Sports College 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 Durham Trinity School & Sports College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Durham Trinity School & Sports College 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
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 9 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
4 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 - Durham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Durham
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)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
254
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Durham Trinity School & Sports College provides for pupils with autism, moderate learning difficulties, 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
254
Total Pupils
178
Boys
76
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
36
Teachers
7.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,253
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
11.2%
Overall absence
34.8%
Persistent absence
210
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
Durham Trinity School & Sports College
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Durham Trinity School & Sports College
What are SATs results like at Durham Trinity School & Sports College?
Of the pupils at Durham Trinity School & Sports College who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Durham Trinity School & Sports College's Ofsted rating?
Durham Trinity School & Sports College's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Durham Trinity School & Sports College?
No fixed boundary. When Durham Trinity School & Sports College is oversubscribed, County Durham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Durham Trinity School & Sports College?
Durham Trinity School & Sports College has around 254 pupils on roll. 55% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Durham Trinity School & Sports College have specialist SEN provision?
Durham Trinity School & Sports College provides for pupils with autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Durham Trinity School & Sports College?
11.2% of sessions were missed at Durham Trinity School & Sports College in 2024/25. 34.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Durham Trinity School & Sports College?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming Durham Trinity School & Sports College 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 Durham Trinity School & Sports College have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Durham Trinity School & Sports College 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 Durham Trinity School & Sports College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 9 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 4 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 Durham Trinity School & Sports College?
Durham Trinity School & Sports College is at Dunholme Close, Aykley Heads, Durham, DH1 5WB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)