Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation
Same County Durham area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
Durham High School is a private secondary-stage school in County Durham, County Durham, with a published age range of 3-18.
Private school Co-ed Ages 3-18 Sixth form No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-18
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
Durham High School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-18
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Durham High School's final form was an all-through Christian community, with pre-prep for early years and Years 1-2, prep for Years 3-6, a senior department for Years 7-11 and a Sixth Form for Years 12-13. The school occupied Farewell Hall on South Road and served pupils aged 3 to 18 as a co-educational day school with no boarding.
The curriculum was broad, with substantial creative provision across art, drama, music and related subjects. Careers education and support for personal development sat alongside academic study. The move to co-education belongs to the school's final years, so its earlier girls-only identity does not describe the last cohort.
The relevant standards were met at the final inspection in 2025. Durham High School closed in 2026, and the Department for Education worked with the local authority to find places for pupils who needed them. The proprietor's pages were in maintenance mode when rechecked, so no current admissions, fees or school-life claims are retained.
This is therefore a historical profile rather than an admissions option. Its useful landmarks are the all-through structure, the Christian foundation, the late transition to co-education and the breadth of creative and personal-development provision that shaped the final school community.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 51.7 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 19% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with County Durham and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 51.7
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 4.58
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with County Durham and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 3-18
- Headmistress
- Mrs Michelle Hill
- Pupil roll
- 278 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Farewell Hall, South Road, Durham, County Durham
- Postcode
- DH1 3TB
- Area
- County Durham
School leadership
- Headmistress
- Mrs Michelle Hill
School contact
- School phone
- 01913843226
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01913843226
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 51.7 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 4.58 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 19% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 39.52 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: Not yet verified
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2025 is the latest report listed by ISI. The report says the relevant standards were met.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Durham High School handle admissions?
Durham High School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Durham High School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Durham High School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Durham High School?
Durham High School is currently rated Standards met.