The Duchess's Community High School is a mainstream secondary school in Alnwick, Northumberland, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 169 of its 1,276 pupils (13.2%) were getting SEN support and 56 (4.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,276 pupils
- Ofsted: Requires improvement
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Northumberland.
13.2% get SEN support
169 of 1,276 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
4.4% have an EHC plan
56 of 1,276 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health71
- Autism67
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia52
- Speech, language and communication11
- Moderate learning difficulty10
- Visual impairment6
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,276 (places for 1,651)
- Headteacher
- Mr James Wilson
- Part of
- Pele Trust
- Free school meals
- 18.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Northumberland
- School reference (URN)
- 150196
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Northumberland council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Requires improvement, October 2021
Rated Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, in October 2021.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
- Personal developmentRequires improvement
- Leadership and managementRequires improvement
- Sixth formRequires improvement
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Taylor Drive, Alnwick, NE66 2DH
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Barndale School Special school · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted: Good 1.2 miles
- Red Row Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 8.8 miles
- Gust Independent School Independent · Ages 6–17 · Ofsted: Good 16 miles
- Cambois Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 19 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Swansfield Park Primary School Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 10.7%, EHC plans 5.2% 0.7 miles
- St Paul's Catholic Primary School, Alnwick Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 11.7%, EHC plans 3% 0.8 miles
- Ncea Harry Hotspur Church of England Primary School Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 27.9%, EHC plans 5.8% 1.1 miles
All mainstream schools in Northumberland SEND schools in Northumberland
Questions about The Duchess's Community High School
How many pupils at The Duchess's Community High School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 169 of the 1,276 pupils (13.2%) were getting SEN support and 56 (4.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at The Duchess's Community High School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (71 pupils), autism (67 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (52 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at The Duchess's Community High School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at The Duchess's Community High School?
Through Northumberland council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to The Duchess's Community High School?
You can ask for The Duchess's Community High School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does The Duchess's Community High School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Red Row Primary School, about 8.8 miles away.
Where is The Duchess's Community High School?
Taylor Drive, Alnwick, NE66 2DH, in Northumberland.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), 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.