County Durham has 18 special schools with a published Ofsted grade. At their latest inspection 4 were outstanding or exceptional and 94% good or better, against 90% of special schools across England. The most recent was inspected on 26 Oct 2026. Source: Ofsted inspection reports (Open Government Licence v3).
- 4 outstanding or exceptional
- 12 good, strong or expected
- 1 requires improvement or needs attention
- 0 inadequate or urgent improvement
| Special schools | Latest grade | Inspected | Postcode area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elemore Hall School | Outstanding | 18 Sept 2025 | DH6 |
| The Oaks Secondary School | Outstanding | 27 Feb 2018 | DL16 |
| Walworth School | Outstanding | 3 Nov 2015 | DL5 |
| Walworth School | Outstanding | 9 Dec 2025 | DL5 |
| Durham Trinity School & Sports College | Good | 3 Mar 2016 | DH1 |
| Elemore Hall School | Good | 23 May 2024 | DH6 |
| Evergreen Primary School | Good | 12 Sept 2017 | DL14 |
| Forest Park School | Good | 13 Mar 2025 | DL5 |
| Highcroft School | Expected | 7 Jul 2026 | DL13 |
| Hope Wood Academy | Good | 12 Sept 2018 | SR8 |
| Learning for Life | Good | 16 May 2025 | DH8 |
| North East Centre for Autism - Aycliffe School | Expected | 9 Jun 2026 | DL5 |
| Strawberry Lane | Expected | 23 Jun 2026 | DH6 |
| The Grange Learning Centre | Expected | 14 Jul 2026 | DL15 |
| Trimdon Hill School | Strong | 7 Jul 2026 | TS29 |
| Villa Real School | Good | 22 Jan 2020 | DH8 |
| Croft Community School | Needs attention | 13 Jan 2026 | DH9 |
| Thornbeck College - North East Autism Society | No grade | 26 Oct 2026 | DL5 |