The Oaks Secondary School is a council-run special school in Spennymoor, County Durham, for children and young people aged 11 to 19. It supports autism, moderate learning, severe learning and 1 other need.
- Ages 11–19
- 349 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 349
- Headteacher
- Mr Martyn Tweddle (Executive Head Teacher)
- Opened
- 1 September 2005
- Free school meals
- 64.8% of pupils eligible
- Council
- County Durham
- School reference (URN)
- 134662
Needs it supports
4 needs: autism, moderate learning and 2 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Cognition and learning
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in County Durham (7)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in County Durham (6)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in County Durham (4)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often County Durham council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Outstanding, April 2013; school remains Outstanding (May 2023)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in April 2013. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
Since then: School remains Outstanding (ungraded inspection, May 2023).
Contact and getting there
Rock Road, Spennymoor, DL16 7DB
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Norman Cornish Academy Special school · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 0.5 miles
- The Grange Learning Centre Independent · Ages 7–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 2.6 miles
- The Woodlands Alternative provision · Ages 6–16 · Ofsted: Good 2.6 miles
All SEND schools in County Durham
By need in County Durham: Autism (12) · Speech and language (8) · Moderate learning (8) · Severe learning (7) · SEMH (6) · Dyslexia and SpLD (6) · PMLD (5) · Hearing (4) · Vision (3) · Physical (2)
Questions about The Oaks Secondary School
How do I get a place at The Oaks Secondary School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult The Oaks Secondary School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does The Oaks Secondary School support?
Autism, moderate learning difficulty, severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does The Oaks Secondary School take?
Aged 11 to 19, boys and girls.
What is The Oaks Secondary School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in May 2023 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is The Oaks Secondary School?
Rock Road, Spennymoor, DL16 7DB, in County Durham.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.