5

Duchess Community High School food hygiene rating

School/college/university · Northumberland

Duchess Community High 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 2 December 2024, 19 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.

Address: Taylor Drive, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 2DH

How it compares in Northumberland

That puts Duchess Community High School among the 2,775 places in Northumberland holding top marks, 90% 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 Northumberland
5 out of 5 2,775 90% ← Duchess Community High School
4 out of 5 214 7%
3 out of 5 67 2%
2 out of 5 7 <1%
1 out of 5 8 <1%
0 out of 5 2 <1%

A further 393 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 Duchess Community High 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 Duchess Community High School, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Alnwick Town Juniors Football Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen at this address 5 - Very good 5 November 2025
Alnwick Service Station Retailers - other 268 yards away 5 - Very good 14 July 2023
Greggs Rontec Retailers - other 268 yards away 5 - Very good 27 November 2024
McDonalds Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 268 yards away 5 - Very good 16 January 2025
Hogs Head Inn Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house 269 yards away 5 - Very good 11 March 2025
B&M Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets 281 yards away 5 - Very good 27 February 2025
Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 281 yards away 5 - Very good 15 September 2025
Marks & Spencer Simply Food Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets 281 yards away 5 - Very good 13 April 2023

Questions about Duchess Community High School

What is Duchess Community High School's food hygiene rating?

Duchess Community High School has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Northumberland Council on 2 December 2024.

Is Duchess Community High 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 Duchess Community High School last inspected?

Duchess Community High School was last inspected on 2 December 2024, 19 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Northumberland Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at Duchess Community High 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 Duchess Community High School compare to other places in Northumberland?

90% of the 3,073 rated food businesses in Northumberland hold the top rating of 5, and Duchess Community High School is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Northumberland Council inspects Duchess Community High 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 Duchess Community High School and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →

Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Duchess Community High School is one of 151 rated food businesses in Alnwick. See every hygiene rating in Alnwick

Northumberland inspects and rates 3,466 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Northumberland

The official record is held by the council: http://www.northumberland.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 →