WELCOME TO DURHAM TRINITY SCHOOL AND SPORTS COLLEGE
WELCOME TO DURHAM TRINITY SCHOOL AND SPORTS COLLEGE
Welcome to Durham Trinity School and Sports College. We are a generic special school educating pupils 2-19 years of age, who are autistic or have profound, moderate, severe or complex learning difficulties. Some pupils also have additional medical, physical, sensory, linguistic or behavioural challenges. All pupils at Durham Trinity School and Sports College have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP).
We are situated on the outskirts of Durham City Centre. Durham Trinity is a relatively new purpose-built school (2014), we are continuously adapting the physical environment to ensure we are meeting the changing needs of the school population. During the summer holidays (2023) we added an additional classroom in our specialist autistic provision, by removing our science lab, because there is no longer a formal pathway at Durham Trinity School. The pupils have access to specialist rooms and facilities such as a sensory room, hydrotherapy pool, food technology, fitness suite, Create and Make room and a newly furbished (May 2024) soft play room. Due to the high demand for places, we are currently working with Durham County Council to identify and develop a second site – more information will follow.
To enhance the curriculum and allow pupils to thrive in their interests and strengths, whilst encouraging them to take risks, we are relaunching our Friday afternoon enrichment activities in November 2026; to develop pupils wellbeing, cultural experiences, physical and enterprises skills. These additional clubs will include swimming, Bistro Anne Café, Dance, TOP-Alf (canoeing, climbing wall and visits to the local Cathedral) and Duke of Edinburgh.
In October 2025, we were successful in achieving Platinum OPAL Award (Outdoor Play and Learning). We are the only special school in the north east to receive this award. OPAL is part of our curriculum where pupils learn life skills such as communication, turn taking, physical skills, resilience and risk taking.
Our Curriculum Toolkit has been in place since May 2023 and is continuously being reviewed due to the changing complexities of our cohort of pupils. The curriculum is to support the delivery of our 3-curriculum pathways to ensure the needs of the diverse school population are met academically, emotionally and physically; whilst providing challenge and support to ensure they are prepared for the next stage in their development, and preparing them for life. Please click on the link to access more information about our Curriculum; including Reading, Careers, Relationship Sex Education (RSE) and Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural (SMSC).
We are a Sports College, providing an excellent provision that develops pupils’ physical skills and mental wellbeing, educating them about leading a healthy lifestyle, whilst having fun! Pupils have opportunities to access non-competitive and competitive sporting activities throughout the school year. Our Gifted and Talented Sports Group is now well established and provides pupils access to additional PE lessons, experiencing different sports with a number of specialist coaches and staff.
We provide a Further Education Unit (FEU- Post 16) on site where the excellent provision continues until they are 19 years of age. The students have access to their own common room with many opportunities to access the community, to prepare them for their next stage in life.
Our greatest resource is the staff. They are supportive and highly skilled in SEND, supporting pupils throughout the school day to ensure they achieve their goals and become as independent as possible. Together with pupils, families and other agencies, we work together to ensure the best outcomes for our pupils
More information can be found about our SEND report, SEND provision and the teaching, learning and curriculum in the SEND section on the website. Also available in Key Information is specific staff to contact if you require further information or support whilst your young person attends Durham Trinity. Please click on the link to see our Key Information page.
There is a section on our website to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing, click on the link here to explore this web page which signposts young people, parent and carers to additional information.
For parents/carers considering our school as a future option for their young person, we have a virtual tour of our school, click on the link. Due to high demand for pupil places, school tours are unavailable at this point in time. We are looking to organise 2 school tours per term in the near future. Further information can be found in Key Information; School Admissions.
For existing parents/carers, we hope the website gives you additional information about the curriculum and supports your young person whilst attending Durham Trinity School and Sports College.
If you require a paper copy of any of the policies or documents that are on our website, please contact Louise Hindmarch at the school office on 0191 386 4612.
Mrs Rachel Grimwood
Headteacher
October 2026
September 30th, 2026 September 29th, 2026 Thank you to parents/carers who have already completed the NEW Evidence for Learning Photo/Video permissions form. This NEW form was added to Weduc last week and we require all parents/carers to complete this as soon as possible. Please can you complete this for your child in the FORMS section of Weduc. If you require a paper copy, please email your childs class to request a form Many thanks September 29th, 2026 Good morning, This is to advise that the Immunisation team are returning to school on Thursday 8th October 2026 to do the catch-up clinic. This is for any students who did not receive their vaccine 2 weeks ago. ALL communication regarding permissions for this vaccine are requested directly from the Immunisation team - We kindly ask that if you have any queries, you contact them directly before the Thursday 8th October 2026 If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the Immunisation Team September 11th, 2026 Free School Meal form final reminder Good morning, If you have not completed the Free School Meal eligibility form since we returned to school on the 3rd September 2026, please can you complete the form by the end of today - Friday 11th September. The form can be found in the FORMS section here in Weduc. Due to changes in the Government eligibility criteria, many families who claim benefits are now eligible. It is also important to note that some families may no longer be eligible, so everyone who receives the benefits listed on the form needs to complete this form to ensure we hold the correct information. We will be adding charges for school meals to all families who have not completed this form (even if you were previously eligible), until we receive the form and have an answer from the local authority. It is vital that this form is completed today to send the forms to the local authority to check eligibility. Please do not re-send the form if you completed it over the past 10 days! Any questions please call the school office and I will be happy to talk about this. Many thanks Caroline Caroline Palmer Senior Administrative Assistant September 11th, 2026 Final Reminder - Free School Meal entitlement form: Free School Meal form final reminder Good morning, If you have not completed the Free School Meal eligibility form since we returned to school on the 3rd September 2026, please can you complete the form by the end of today - Friday 11th September. The form can be found in the FORMS section here in Weduc. Due to changes in the Government eligibility criteria, many families who claim benefits are now eligible. It is also important to note that some families may no longer be eligible, so everyone who receives the benifits listed on the form needs to complete this form to ensure we hold the correct information. We will be adding charges for school meals to all families who have not completed this form (even if you were previously eligible), until we receive the form and have an answer from the local authority. It is vital that this form is completed today to send the forms to the local authority to check eligibility. Please do not re-send the form if you completed it over the past 10 days! Any questions please call the school office and I will be happy to talk about this. Many thanks Caroline Caroline Palmer Senior Administrative Assistant
As your child currently brings a packed lunch into school, we would like to take this opportunity to invite them to join us for this year’s Halloween Lunch on Wednesday 21st October 2026.
For pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, they are entitled to Universal Free Infant School Meals (UFISM), and pupils who are eligible for Free School Meals would not need to pay for their Dinner.
All other pupils who would like to have a Halloween Meal would need to pay £3.08 via Arbor Payments.
Please complete the form using the link below by Friday 9th October 2026 please.
Note: If your child is already on school meals, you do not need to complete this form.
Halloween Lunch Menu invitation 21st October 26 - for pupils who have a Packed Lunch – Fill out form
Caroline Palmer
Senior Administrative Assistant
Tel: 03333 583 397, option 3, option 2
Email: Immunisations.CountyDurham@intrahealth.co.uk
OUR EVENTS
November 2nd, 2026 Staff Training Day November 3rd, 2026 Pupils return to school December 18th, 2026 School breaks up for Christmas x 2 weeks - Pupils return to school on Tuesday 5th January 2027 January 4th, 2027 Staff Training Day January 5th, 2027 Pupils return to school