Admissions to Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation are considered at any stage of a child’s education, from Nursery through to Sixth Form.
To understand the entry requirements for each year group, please explore the relevant sections below.
Once an enquiry has been made, parents will be guided through each stage of the process step by step.
FS1 children (ages 3–4) can join Chorister School in the term following their third birthday. Entry points are at the start of a new term: September, January and April.
FS2 children (ages 4–5) start School in the academic year in which they turn five.
If a child is currently attending a Nursery setting, we will ask the Nursery to provide a reference based on their development against the Early Years Assessment Framework.
Families are also asked to complete a Parental Self-Assessment Form, which helps to give us an indication of their child’s developmental stage.
Prior to starting in our Early Years, a Nursery or home visit may be helpful in supporting transition. We also offer taster sessions in School to help children settle in.
Visiting Chorister School is the first step in our admissions process and can be booked via our Admissions Portal. This gives you the opportunity to learn more about our School and meet our staff. Following your visit, we will be happy to answer any further questions you may have and continue with the application process.
We will require an academic report from your child’s current School. A taster session is also recommended so that you and your child can develop a good feel for our School.
If you are unable to visit our School, we will work with you to share all the necessary information and, where appropriate, arrange a virtual meeting.
Children joining the senior School at Year 7 will sit our 11+ entrance examinations in English, Mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Children joining in Year 9 sit our entrance examinations in English and Mathematics.
Pupils wishing to join in Year 12 must satisfy our minimum entrance criteria of 5 GCSEs at grade 6 (or equivalent) and English Language and Mathematics at grade 4.
All international pupils who join us will normally be required to sit an entrance test appropriate to their age.
All admissions are also subject to a satisfactory reference being received from the candidate’s current School.
Pupils joining the senior School in Year 7, 8, 9 or 10 will sit our entrance examinations in English and Mathematics and will have an interview with our Director of International Students.
Pupils joining the One Year GCSE Programme will sit our entrance examinations in English and Mathematics and will have an interview with our Deputy Head (Academic).
Pupils wishing to join the Sixth Form in Year 12 must satisfy our minimum entrance criteria of five GCSEs at grade 6 (or equivalent), including English Language and Mathematics at grade 5. Where a pupil is not sitting GCSEs or IGCSEs, age-appropriate assessments and an interview will be arranged.
For direct entry into our Sixth Form, international pupils for whom English is not their first language must have a minimum IELTS Academic score of 5.5.
Most English-speaking universities require a score of 6.0 or higher, depending on the course. More selective universities may require a minimum score of 7.0 for entry.
All applicants must be available for either a virtual interview or, where possible, an interview in person at Durham School. Interviews are normally carried out by a senior member of staff. Scholarship applicants may also be required to attend an interview with the Headmaster, Deputy Head (Academic) or Director of Scholars, depending on the scholarship.
Pupils joining us in other year groups, or part way through the academic year, will normally be required to sit an entrance test appropriate to their age. All admissions are subject to a satisfactory reference being received from the candidate’s current School.
For further details on our entry requirements, please contact our Admissions Office on 0191 731 9270 or by email at admissions@dcsf.org.uk. Alternatively, you can begin your application journey online.
