Durlston School

Durlston Court Preparatory School opened in 1903 at Durlston Head in Swanage as a boarding school for boys. It moved to Barton-on-Sea in 1945, ended boarding in 2000 and welcomed its first Year 9 pupils in 2023. The present co-educational day school on Becton Lane serves children from age 2 through Year 11.

Kindergarten, Pre-Prep, Middle Prep, Upper Prep and Senior School mark the route through the school. Younger pupils learn through child-led and teacher-initiated activity, creative topics, specialist music and PE, with regular use of the woodland classroom. Upper Prep and Senior pupils prepare for GCSEs while LE@D develops study techniques, careers knowledge, money management and everyday independence.

Small classes and a family feel shape the daily experience. More than 50 clubs and activities sit alongside instrumental lessons, tennis, hockey, football, golf and skiing, as well as design technology, ceramics, art and drama. Senior pupils can take leadership roles, while family events and the parents' association bring the wider community together.

Durlston is academically non-selective and welcomes new starters where places are available. Enquiry and visit lead to a taster day for Reception to Year 6 and Year 7-and-above applicants, then registration, an offer and a deposit. Kindergarten has an informal admissions morning, and decisions use fair, objective criteria focused on a child's ability to benefit from mainstream education through GCSE.