Durham School (Durham, England)
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Durham School is an independent boarding and day school in the English
public school Public school may refer to: * State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government * Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England an ...
tradition located in Durham,
North East England North East England is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. The region has three current administrative levels below the region level in the region; combined authority, unitary authorit ...
and was an all-boys institution until 1985, when girls were admitted to the sixth form. The school takes pupils aged 3–18 years and became fully co-educational in 1998. A member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, it enrolls 650
day A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds. In everyday life, the word "day" often refers to a solar day, which is the length between two so ...
and
boarding Boarding may refer to: *Boarding, used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals as in a: ** Boarding house **Boarding school *Boarding (horses) (also known as a livery yard, livery stable, or boarding stable), is a stable where ho ...
students. Its preparatory institution, known as
Bow, Durham School Durham School is an independent boarding and day school in the English public school tradition located in Durham, North East England and was an all-boys institution until 1985, when girls were admitted to the sixth form. The school takes pupils ...
, enrolls a further 160 pupils. Durham and Bow's former pupils include politicians, clergy and British aristocracy. Former students are known as ''Old Dunelmians''. Founded by the Bishop of Durham,
Thomas Langley Thomas Langley ( – 20 November 1437) was an English prelate who held high ecclesiastical and political offices in the early to mid-15th century. He was Dean of York, Bishop of Durham, twice Lord Chancellor of England to three kings, a ...
, in 1414, it received royal foundation by
King Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disag ...
in 1541 following the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the Protestant Reformation. It is the city's oldest institution of learning.


History

The history of Durham School can be divided into three sections. Firstly there is the time from its founding by Langley in 1414, then in 1541
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
refounded it, and finally in 1844 the school moved from its site on Palace Green to its current location across the
river Wear The River Wear (, ) in North East England rises in the Pennines and flows eastwards, mostly through County Durham to the North Sea in the City of Sunderland. At long, it is one of the region's longest rivers, wends in a steep valley through th ...
. The school is often referred to in histories and the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography as "Durham Grammar School". It should not be confused with the Chorister School, Durham. There is strong recorded evidence of the existence of the school pre-1414, for example Simon of Farlington an Archdeacon of Durham, gave the manor of Kyhou (Kyo) to the Almoner of Durham Cathedral Priory in 1180 'for the maintenance of 3 scholars of Durham School...'


To 1541

Durham School was founded by
Thomas Langley Thomas Langley ( – 20 November 1437) was an English prelate who held high ecclesiastical and political offices in the early to mid-15th century. He was Dean of York, Bishop of Durham, twice Lord Chancellor of England to three kings, a ...
in 1414, which was the foundation date accepted by the Clarendon Commission into
public schools Public school may refer to: *State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government *Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England and ...
in 1861, making it the 18th oldest in Britain. It is possible, however, that it may actually have origins in the Priory at
Lindisfarne Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. Holy Island has a recorded history from the 6th century AD; it was an important ...
, being moved to Durham City to escape marauding Viking invaders around the time that St. Cuthbert's body was brought to what is now the site of Durham Cathedral. The school was in Langley's time situated on the east side of Palace Green to the north of the cathedral.


1541 to 1844

At the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the Protestant Reformation in 1541, the school was refounded by
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
. It remained in the same location, indeed the Headmaster Henry Stafford remained in post, during this period. In 1640 the "old School Buildings were utterly destroyed by the Scots, and the Head Master ichard Smeltretired to his Rectory of Easingwold where he took pupils" and the School was "recognised and endowed by the Parliamentary Commission 1652-3". Homeless due to the burning down of its buildings, the school continued in various houses in the city. It was in 1661 that the school moved to the building currently occupied by the Durham University Department of Music to the south west of Palace Green.


1844 to date

From its location on Palace Green outside Durham Cathedral, whilst Edward Elder was Headmaster the school moved to its present site in 1844. The School has been steadily expanded and updated since then. For example: :Henry Holden, Headmaster 1853 to 1882, instigated new classrooms, dormitories, kitchens, sickroom then a sanatorium, bell tower and library. :William Fearon, Headmaster 1882 to 1884, introduced the three term system used today and enlarged the playing fields and built an open air swimming pool. He was also responsible, in 1882, for the concrete path alongside the River Wear between Hatfield College Boat House and Elvet Bridge. :Richard Budworth, Headmaster 1907 to 1932, oversaw great expansion in the School. In his tenure were added fives courts, a new boarding house in the Grove (a building now used for administration), Langley House, the Chapel (referred to below), new playing fields and classrooms, Poole House, the indoor swimming pool, the armoury and rifle range and the Kerr Arch. This arch, Grade II listed, was erected as the front entrance to the School and is in memory of G.C. Kerr, Cambridge Rowing Blue, Scottish rugby international and first civilian governor of the Sudan. :John Brett, Headmaster 1958 to 1967, saw the building of the cricket pavilion, new kitchens and laboratories and a new sanatorium. :Michael Vallance, Headmaster 1972 to 1982, opened a Junior House of boys age 11 to 13 named Ferens House (this closed in 2003), but the main developments in his tenure were the Budworth sports centre and Luce Theatre. :The key development in Michael Lang's time, Headmaster 1982, was the introduction of girls to the Sixth Form. There was also a new classroom block near the Budworth centre. :With Neil Kern as Headmaster, the principal developments included the introduction of girls throughout the School, making it fully co-educational, followed later by the creation of MacLeod House, and the all-weather sports pitch near the Chapel. Ths school has been co-educational since 1985 and became independent from the Dean and Chapter of Durham Cathedral in 1996.


School site

The school is located to the west of Durham Cathedral and across the River Wear from it. The campus consists of a range of buildings, some of them listed, and sports fields. The school has a boathouse located on the bank of the river, just downstream of Prebends Bridge.


Chapel and war memorial

The school chapel, built from 1924 to 1926 during the tenure of Richard Budworth as headmaster, sits on top of a hill overlooking the main school site. The building is used for services three times a week, with the major service held on Friday evenings, that the majority of pupils attend. The School is within the
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
tradition. The chapel is also the war memorial, its walls are engraved with the names of those who died in World War I and the further 79 who died in World War II. There are 97 steps to the chapel, one for each of the Old Dunelmians who died in World War I. (Note that the UKNIWM reference and Durham School's disagree on the number of World War I dead - 97 or 98.) The steps were re-laid in 1954. A further war memorial, which predates the building of the Chapel, can be seen in St Margaret's, the local Parish Church. It consists of a large brass panel listing the names of former pupils fallen in the First World War and is fixed on the south side of the Chancel arch, with the Parish memorial facing it on the north side.


Academic subjects


A/AS Level

The School offers a range of subjects at A/AS Level, this varies from year to year as the needs of the students and the School change. Most students choose four subjects at AS Level, dropping to three at A-Level.


GCSE

Durham School, in common with most other schools, offers a varied curriculum at GCSE where students study mathematics, English Language and Literature and science (either the individual physics, chemistry and biology or a double award science course). All students study a core modern foreign language of either French, German or Spanish. There are then a number of options that the students can choose from.


Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9)

Durham School offers a range of subjects to students in Years 7 to 9 that lead into the GCSE programme starting, generally, in
Year 10 Year 10 is the tenth year of compulsory education in schools in many countries including England, Australia, India, Northern Ireland, New Zealand and Wales. It is the tenth or eleventh year of compulsory education. It is approximately equivalent ...
, with the exception of those in set 1 maths, who do their maths GCSE a year early. They start their course in Year 9.


Pastoral care

Pastoral care at Durham School is based around the house system:


House system

Although lessons are co-educational and sport takes place generally in year groups, for pastoral and sporting competition purposes, the school is divided into five different single sex houses. Each student is assigned to a house at the start of his or her time in the school and will, usually, remain in that house for the whole of their school career. The houses are separate buildings each with its own character in which the students are able to use the facilities and do private study. Currently the houses comprise: School House boys are often nicknamed Bungites after the Headmaster Henry Holden who was also their Housemaster and himself nicknamed 'Bung' due to his ability to tell tall tales. The Caffinites was also called The Second Masters House until it was renamed in 1924.


Co-curricular


Sport

With facilities that encompass playing fields, swimming pool, all-weather pitch and boathouse, Durham School has a wide-ranging sports programme that includes athletics, badminton,
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
, cross country, fencing,
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, gym, hockey, netball, rounders, rowing,
rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...
, squash, swimming, tennis, golf and water polo.


Cricket

Along with rowing, cricket is the major boys sport for the summer term. The school considers cricket to be one of its high-profile sports, with the 1st XI competing against a number of high-profile teams such as the MCC. The cricket pavilion was built in 1960.


Hockey

The main sport for girls in winter is hockey. Each year a number of girls represent the county. Hockey is also played by the boys, predominantly in the Easter term.


Rowing

Rowing has been a major sport at Durham School since at least 1838,. The Club aims to provide rowing opportunities to any who wish to be involved - "All year groups at the school have the opportunity to row at the appropriate level for their physiological and physical development" - and also wins at regattas and head races at home and abroad.


Rugby

The School has a number of playing fields, used predominantly for Rugby. The largest of these, Top Ground, was acquired in 1918. This has required work on its drainage over the years, 1921 and 1925 and again in 2009. Durham School is the fourth or fifth oldest
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club of any kind in the world and has produced many international rugby union players as well as introducing the game to Scotland. Durham School Football Club was founded in 1850 and was from 1890-1930 one of the rugby nurseries in England - this was first recognised by the Barbarians who honoured the school by playing a full side against the Old Dunelmians in 1897 (Barbarians won 18-5). Just before the First World War the school supplied four England players as well as a number of England triallists. Between 1920 and 1930 the school produced seven full internationals as well as several triallists (England, Scotland and British Lions). The headmaster during this great period was Richard Thomas Dutton Budworth who was himself a former England international and Barbarian. The history of the sport is celebrated in the annual
Veterrimi IV The Veterrimi IV (''veterrimi four'' or ''V4'') is a rugby tournament between four of the oldest rugby playing schools in the world. The event is scheduled to be held biennially or triennially (every two to three years). "Veterrimi" is Latin for ...
Rugby Tournament. Newcastle Falcons (originally Gosforth) rugby union club were founded as the old boys side and played in the school's colours until recently (green and white hoops).


Combined Cadet Force

The
Combined Cadet Force The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a youth organisation in the United Kingdom, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), which operates in schools, and normally includes Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force sections. Its aim is to "provide a ...
(CCF) is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation within schools in the UK. Durham School CCF has been running since it was formed as the Officer Training Corps (OTC) in 1914. The CCF is based in the Armoury and Range (previously there had been an air rifle range set up in the School House lavatories in 1906) built in 1926 and 1929 respectively. Currently the CCF is a voluntary activity that students may opt into from Year 9 onwards consisting of three sections,
The Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...
, The Army and
The Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
.


Music

Centred on the Grade II listed Music School, Music is an important aspect of life at Durham School with a high profile in the School itself and also known in the region as a whole with concerts at The Sage Gateshead and in
Durham Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly known as Durham Cathedral and home of the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a cathedral in the city of Durham, County Durham, England. It is the seat of t ...
from time to time. The School offers music as an academic subject at both GCSE and A Level.


Drama

Centred on the Luce Theatre, also Grade II listed, a versatile space named after Canon Henry Luce, Headmaster 1932 to 1958, drama at Durham School is a key part of the academic and extra-curricular provision. Productions are varied and take place two or three times per year for different age groups.


Bow, Durham School

Bow, Durham School is the Durham School preparatory institution for pupils between the ages of 3 to 11 years. Founded in 1885 as Bow School, it was an all-male institution until becoming co-educational in 2006. The campus is situated one-half mile to the east of the senior school, overlooking the World Heritage Site,
Durham Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly known as Durham Cathedral and home of the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a cathedral in the city of Durham, County Durham, England. It is the seat of t ...
. Former pupils are known as ’Old Bowites’ and several prominent alumni include British politicians and members of the aristocracy, such as William Fletcher-Vane, 1st Baron Inglewood, Sir Brian Horrocks and Sir Gilbert Longden, and a number of professional sportsmen, such as Michael Philip Weston.


Notable headmasters

*1894–1899:
Walter Hobhouse Walter Hobhouse (5 April 1862 – 30 October 1928) was an eminent Anglican priest and author in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The second son of Bishop Edmund Hobhouse he was born on 5 April 1862 and educated at Eton ...
*1907–1932:
Richard Budworth Richard Thomas Dutton Budworth (17 October 1867 – 7 December 1937) was an English rugby union forward who played club rugby for Blackheath and international rugby for England. In 1890 Budworth became one of the original members of the Barbari ...


Notable past pupils: Old Dunelmians

The past pupils of Durham School, referred to as Old Dunelmians, have been, and continue to be, found across the spectrum of public life, the armed services, the arts, the church and in sport. "Dunelmian" is derived from Dunelmensis, the Latin adjective of Durham. Their number include: * Alexander Armstrong, Actor, Comedian and Singer best known for playing "Reg Arwell" in "
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
" and hosting BBC Pointless *
John Laws (judge) Sir John Grant McKenzie Laws (10 May 1945 – 5 April 2020) was a Lord Justice of Appeal. He served from 1999 to 2016. He was the Goodhart Visiting Professor of Legal Science at the University of Cambridge, and an Honorary Fellow of Robinson Col ...
, (1945-2020) The Rt Hon Lord Justice Laws, High Court Judge between 1992 and 1999, when he came to the Court of Appeal *
Michael Gough Francis Michael Gough ( ; 23 November 1916 – 17 March 2011) was a British character actor who made more than 150 film and television appearances. He is known for his roles in the Hammer Horror Films from 1958, with his first role as Sir Arthu ...
, the actor best known for playing "Alfred" in the first four of the modern Batman films and comedian *
Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...
Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge, commander in chief of the British Army after The Duke of Wellington * Anthony Salvin (1799–1881), architect *
Christopher Smart Christopher Smart (11 April 1722 – 20 May 1771) was an English poet. He was a major contributor to two popular magazines, ''The Midwife'' and ''The Student'', and a friend to influential cultural icons like Samuel Johnson and Henry Fie ...
, poet, (1722-1771) * Granville Sharp, founder of Sierra Leone *
Geoff Parling Geoff Parling (born 28 October 1983) is an English rugby union coach and former player. His usual playing position was lock. Parling played for Newcastle Falcons, Leicester Tigers and Exeter Chiefs in Premiership Rugby, he won three English t ...
, Premiership and International Rugby Player (
Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club) are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded in 1880 and since 1892 plays its hom ...
, England, British and Irish Lions) *
Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
Sir Brian Horrocks, British Army general who saw service in both World War I and World War II * Dominic Cummings, British political advisor and strategist * Edward Shortt, British politician, Home Secretary (1919–1922) * William Greenwell, Church of England priest and archaeologist


References


External links

* *
Independent Schools Inspectorate The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is approved by the Secretary of State for Education – under section 106 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 – to inspect independent schools in England. These schools are members of associations, w ...
Inspectio
Reports

Profile
at the Independent Schools Council website {{Authority control Boarding schools in County Durham Educational institutions established in the 15th century Schools in Durham, England Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference Independent schools in County Durham 1414 establishments in England Church of England independent schools in the Diocese of Durham