Benfieldside Primary School food hygiene rating
School/college/university · Durham
Benfieldside Primary School holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the school kitchen met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 11 November 2025, 8 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: Benfieldside Primary School Benfieldside Road, Benfieldside, DH8 0JX
How it compares in Durham
That puts Benfieldside Primary School among the 3,087 places in Durham holding top marks, 75% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,087 | 75% | ← Benfieldside Primary School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 682 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 286 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 51 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 25 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 512 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At Benfieldside Primary School none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Benfieldside Primary School, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 366 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2026 |
| Londis Blackhill Retailers - other | 384 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 May 2024 |
| Phoenix Express Chinese Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 384 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2024 |
| Blackhill Fish and Chip Shop Takeaway/sandwich shop | 403 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2025 |
| Lisa's Little Tearoom Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 426 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2025 |
| JF Kennedy Care Centre Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2026 |
| Shotley Bridge Nursery School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 June 2026 |
| Cakeberry Corner Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 June 2025 |
Questions about Benfieldside Primary School
What is Benfieldside Primary School's food hygiene rating?
Benfieldside Primary School has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 11 November 2025.
Is Benfieldside Primary School safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this school kitchen to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Benfieldside Primary School last inspected?
Benfieldside Primary School was last inspected on 11 November 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Durham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Benfieldside Primary School?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Benfieldside Primary School compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and Benfieldside Primary School is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects Benfieldside Primary School and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch Benfieldside Primary School and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Durham inspects and rates 4,645 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Durham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.durham.gov.uk
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →