5

Aycliffe School food hygiene rating

School/college/university · Durham

Aycliffe 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 10 February 2026, 5 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: North East Centre for Autism Cedar Drive, Copelaw, DL5 6UN

How it compares in Durham

That puts Aycliffe School among the 3,088 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 3,088 75% ← Aycliffe School
4 out of 5 676 16%
3 out of 5 285 7%
2 out of 5 50 1%
1 out of 5 22 1%
0 out of 5 2 <1%

A further 517 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 Aycliffe 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 Aycliffe School, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Thornbeck College School/college/university at this address 5 - Very good 18 May 2026
St Oswalds Pre-School Learning Centre Caring Premises 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 12 May 2026
MT Rani Convenience Store Retailers - other 0.5 miles away 5 - Very good 17 June 2026
The Bread and Butter Thing Retailers - other 0.5 miles away 5 - Very good 29 June 2026
Woodham Academy 4175 School/college/university 0.6 miles away 5 - Very good 19 January 2023
Fresh (Aycliffe) Ltd Takeaway/sandwich shop 0.8 miles away 5 - Very good 16 October 2025
Four Seasons Chinese Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop 0.8 miles away 5 - Very good 17 July 2025
Morrisons Daily Retailers - other 0.8 miles away 5 - Very good 16 February 2026

Questions about Aycliffe School

What is Aycliffe School's food hygiene rating?

Aycliffe School has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 10 February 2026.

Is Aycliffe 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 Aycliffe School last inspected?

Aycliffe School was last inspected on 10 February 2026, 5 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 Aycliffe School?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does Aycliffe School compare to other places in Durham?

75% of the 4,123 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and Aycliffe School is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Durham Council inspects Aycliffe 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 Aycliffe 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 4,640 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 →