Ofsted school ratings in Durham
In Durham (North East), 99 of 116 graded state-funded schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 85.3%. That is 1.8 percentage points below the England-wide rate of 87.2%, based on Ofsted’s management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 85.3%
- England 87.2%
- Outstanding
- 6
- Good
- 93
- Requires improvement
- 16
- Inadequate
- 1
- Graded schools
- 116
- rank 97/145
Ofsted overall-effectiveness grades in Durham (31 May 2026)
| Grade | Schools in Durham | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding | 6 | 5.2% |
| Good | 93 | 80.2% |
| Requires improvement | 16 | 13.8% |
| Inadequate | 1 | 0.9% |
The Good-or-Outstanding rate is derived from these real counts as (Outstanding + Good) ÷ all graded schools. Schools last inspected on or after 1 September 2024 carry no overall-effectiveness grade and are excluded, per Ofsted’s published methodology.
By school phase in Durham
| Phase | Outstanding | Good | RI | Inadequate | Good+Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | 4 | 79 | 12 | 1 | 86.5% |
| Secondary | 1 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 78.6% |
| Special | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.0% |
Areas with a similar Good-or-Outstanding rate
Frequently asked questions
- How many schools in Durham are rated Good or Outstanding?
- 99 of 116 graded state-funded schools in Durham hold an Ofsted overall-effectiveness grade of Good or Outstanding — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 85.3%. That figure is derived from Ofsted's real inspection counts as at 31 May 2026. Across England the rate is 87.2%.
- How many Outstanding schools does Durham have?
- Durham has 6 schools rated Outstanding and 93 rated Good, out of 116 graded state-funded schools, according to Ofsted management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Are there any Inadequate schools in Durham?
- 1 state-funded school is rated Inadequate in Durham, and 16 rated Requires improvement, out of 116 graded schools (Ofsted, as at 31 May 2026).
- What is the Good-or-Outstanding rate for primary and secondary schools in Durham?
- By phase in Durham: 86.5% of 96 primary schools; 78.6% of 14 secondary schools; 75.0% of 4 special schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted (as at 31 May 2026).
- How does Durham compare with the rest of England for school ratings?
- Durham ranks 97 of 145 English local authorities (those with at least 20 graded schools) by Ofsted Good-or-Outstanding rate, at 85.3% versus the England-wide 87.2% (as at 31 May 2026).
Reference period: latest inspections as at 31 May 2026 (Ofsted management information, published 2026-06-18). Source: Ofsted — State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Ofsted. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.