Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation is a co-ed boarding and day school in County, Durham, educating pupils aged 3 - 18 and founded in 1414. Boarding fees are £0 - £0 per term. Our advice on this school is independent and free.
- Type
- Co-ed boarding & day
- Boarders from
- 7 - 18
- Ethos
- Church of England
- Guardian required
- Yes
About Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation
The story, ethos and character of Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation.
- Setting
- City
- Ethos
- Church of England
- Head
- Mr Michael Alderson

Based in the heart of the historic and inspiring city of Durham, Durham School brings together six centuries of experience in nurturing our pupils. Our mission is to provide students with a complete education; one which instils in them an aspiration for achievement, a respect for others and a confidence for life.
Durham School, along with our prep school Chorister School, is part of the Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation. What the school is known for? Our pupils are well rounded and have shown to be able to excel in the classroom, on the sports field and in the concert hall as well in social situations, leadership tasks and preparation for life beyond school at university and the world of work.
Indeed our Alumni include a long list of distinguished and eminent professionals working in such disciplines as medicine, law, business and the arts.

The Durham School Boat Club is the 3rd oldest boat club in the world and we have own our own boathouse only 5 minutes away. We are also the 5th oldest school rugby club in the world. We have links with Durham University and Durham Cathedral.
School history Durham School's history stretches back centuries, certainly to 1414 and the re-organisation of the school by Thomas Langley, Bishop of Durham and some would claim even further to the monastic settlement on Lindisfarne which came to Durham City 900 years ago.







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Academics at Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation
What pupils study at Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation — and where it takes them.

will introduce the skills, and some the content, of the GCSE courses. Core subjects remain: English, Mathematics, French, Science - [now taught as Biology, Physics and Chemistry], Geography, History, Religious Studies, PE, PSHE and Games. Pupils also study a second modern foreign ; either Spanish or German, which they opt for at the end of Year 8.
In addition, at the end of Year 8, pupils opt for 4 subjects from a choice of 7: Art, Design, Music, Drama, ICT, Latin and Classical Civilisation. English, Mathematics, Science and French are set across the whole year. Class sizes again are small.
Programmes offered
Subjects offered
Where our leavers go
6th Form Leavers
Figures are indicative — contact us for the latest results.
Boarding at Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation
Day-to-day boarding life and pastoral care at Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation.
- Boarding houses
- Girls 1, Boys 2, Mixed 0
- Exeat weekends
- No
- Guardian required
- Yes
- Saturday lessons
- No

Boarding encourages pupils to take full advantage of everything that Durham School has to offer, living their lives to the full as part of a community in which the individual flourishes. There are three boarding Houses and three day houses situated on or within easy reach of the main campus, with separate Houses allocated for boys and girls.
The Houses are at the heart of pupils' lives, and all boarders will experience a warm and supportive atmosphere in their House, each run by an experienced and dedicated team of Housemasters/mistresses, Tutors and Matrons. Boarders each others' achievements on the sports' field, in concerts, on stage and in the examination hall.
A genuine home away from home

Every pupil in the Senior School belongs to one of our six Houses: Caffinites, Lodge, Mac Leod, Pimlico, Poole, School Each House occupies its own distinct building with excellent facilities for private study and leisure, and is staffed by an experienced and dedicated team of Housemasters and Housemistressess, Tutors and Matrons, many of whom are full-time resident staff.
Through the Houses, we provide our pupils with the resources, and encouragement to take full advantage of everything Durham School has to offer. The Houses are where pupils enjoy and benefit from academic monitoring and guidance, pastoral , co-curricular activities, charity fundraising and leadership opportunities, and the fact that they are single-sex communities within a co-educational environment means that all of our pupils get the best of both worlds.







We can arrange trusted UK guardianship for international families.
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation admissions
How children join Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation, and how we make it simple.
Tell us about your child
Share their age, interests and what you're looking for. Our advice is completely free.
We shortlist & introduce
We match you to the right schools and make the introductions to their admissions teams.
Assessment, offer & enrolment
We guide you through entrance assessments and interviews, and handle visas and guardianship if needed.
What you'll typically need
- Recent school reports or transcript
- Passport copy
- English-language evidence (if applicable)
- Completed registration form
- A reference from the current school

We welcome all pupils willing to fully engage with the opportunities we can gave them. Whether they stay for 6 weeks or 6 years. Special notes to agents about entry to the school We rely very much on the expertise of our approved Agents and ask that they ensure that the correct testing is carried out to establish entry to Durham School (in accordance with our entry criteria and EAL requirements).
In addition we ask our Agents to arrange guardians for our international pupils (within 2 hours' drive of Durham School) and to assist the family with visa applications where appropriate. Application procedure and entrance tests Boarding Admissions to Durham School are considered at any stage of a child's education from Reception (aged 3) to Sixth Form.
As your advisors we manage the application end-to-end at no cost.
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation fees & funding
What Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation costs, what's included, and how we help with funding.
What termly boarding fees include
- Tuition
- Boarding accommodation
- All meals
- Pastoral & house care
- Most academic materials
Funding & scholarships
Registration deposits, EAL tuition, uniform and trips are usually charged separately. Many schools offer academic, sport, music and art scholarships plus means-tested bursaries — ask us and we'll send a full, current breakdown for Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation.

Fees change year to year and by entry point. As your independent advisors we hold up-to-date figures and can compare Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation against similar schools so you know exactly what to budget.
Figures shown are the latest we hold — we'll confirm current fees on enquiry.
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation location & travel
Where Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation is, and how to get there.

Travel details Address Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation, Quarryheads Lane, Durham, County Durham, DH1 4SZ, England Airport transfer School transport can be arranged with prior notice. Travel time to London by train Less than 3 hours Telephone +44 (0)191 731 9270 Website https://www.
dcsf. org. uk/ Most convenient airports Airport Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1. Teeside International 22 30 2. Newcastle Airport 24 35 3. Manchester 129 2.5 Most convenient train stations Station Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1.
Inside Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation










Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation — frequently asked questions
Where is Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation?
How much are Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation boarding fees?
What ages does Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation take?
Is Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation co-educational?
When was Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation founded?
Does Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation require a UK guardian?
How many pupils study A-levels at Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation?
What qualifications does Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation offer?
Does Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation support SEN or EAL students?
How many boarding houses does Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation have?
Are there compulsory exeat weekends at Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation?
Does Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation have Saturday lessons?
How do I apply to Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation?
Does Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation accept international students?
How much does Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation cost?
What's included in Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation's fees?
Are scholarships or bursaries available?
Where exactly is Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation?
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