5

Durham School food hygiene rating

School/college/university · Durham

Durham 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 1 July 2025, 12 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: Durham School Quarryheads Lane, Durham, DH1 4SZ

How it compares in Durham

That puts Durham 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.

Every rated food business in Durham
5 out of 5 3,087 75% ← Durham 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

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 Durham 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 Durham School, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
40 Winks Hospitality Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house 207 yards away 5 - Very good 11 September 2025
Durham Cathedral Mobile caterer 438 yards away 5 - Very good 19 May 2023
Durham City Workmens Club and Institute Ltd Pub/bar/nightclub 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 15 July 2019
Admiral Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 13 June 2024
Akarsu Turkish Restaurant & Grill Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 24 October 2024
Collected Books Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 9 April 2026
Babylon Pub/bar/nightclub 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 28 September 2022
BirdHero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 9 September 2025

Questions about Durham School

What is Durham School's food hygiene rating?

Durham School has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 1 July 2025.

Is Durham 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 Durham School last inspected?

Durham School was last inspected on 1 July 2025, 12 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 Durham 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 Durham School compare to other places in Durham?

75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and Durham School is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Durham Council inspects Durham 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 Durham 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 →