Results & Destinations

Durham School has a strong track record in supporting pupils as they make informed decisions about their next steps beyond Sixth Form. Our Futures and Careers provision offers tailored guidance to reflect each pupil’s individual ambitions, whether they are considering Oxbridge, Russell Group universities, specialist institutions, international study, apprenticeships or a gap year.

The variety of academic and co-curricular opportunities on offer at Durham School opens up a world of possibilities for our pupils as they move on to the next chapter of their lives.

The majority of Durham School pupils progress to university, supported by the dedicated guidance and expertise of our staff.

We are delighted to celebrate another successful year of A Level results, with some excellent achievements across the cohort.

12.7% of grades were A* – our best-ever proportion of A* grades
31.1% of grades were A*-A
62.4% of grades were A*-B – our best since 2018
85.4% of grades were A*-C

Our girls achieved particularly strong results, with 12.9% of grades at A* and 74.1% at A*–B.

We are also proud to celebrate pupils progressing to Oxford and Cambridge, Edinburgh and Yale, alongside excellent BTEC Business results.

A fantastic set of achievements and a wonderful reflection of our pupils’ hard work and dedication.

How do we achieve this without being highly selective?

Our excellent teaching staff are highly qualified and committed to supporting our Sixth Form pupils. Many offer additional lunchtime clinics, giving pupils the opportunity to access help outside the classroom in a relaxed environment. Class sizes in the Sixth Form are small, allowing pupils to benefit from personalised, seminar-style lessons that mirror the way they will learn at university.

One of the greatest strengths of a Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation education is that it recognises success does not look the same for every child. Young people leave school with different talents, ambitions and aspirations, and preparation for life beyond DCSF is built around the individual pupil rather than a single definition of achievement.

For some pupils, that journey leads to highly competitive universities, including Russell Group institutions, specialist colleges or overseas study. For others, it may involve apprenticeships, professional sport, creative industries, entrepreneurship, technical pathways, employment or joining a family business. What matters is that pupils are supported to find the pathway that is right for them and given the confidence, guidance and opportunities to pursue it successfully.

From Year 9 onwards, pupils benefit from tailored careers guidance designed to help them make informed decisions about GCSEs, Sixth Form choices and future destinations. Careers education is woven through school life and includes individual guidance interviews, work experience, careers fairs, visiting speakers, networking opportunities, workshops and mentoring from Old Dunelmians and professionals across a wide range of industries.

The strength of this support lies not only in the breadth of opportunities available, but in the way pupils are encouraged to explore them with confidence. Whether a young person is interested in medicine, engineering, law, finance, media, business, education, the arts, elite sport or emerging industries, they are helped to understand the routes available and the skills required to thrive within them.

In the Sixth Form, support becomes increasingly personalised. Pupils are guided through university applications, overseas applications, apprenticeships and employment routes, while also being encouraged to develop wider skills through leadership opportunities, enrichment programmes, sport, service and co-curricular involvement. Many combine academic study with BTEC qualifications, an EPQ or specialist interests, creating programmes that reflect their own ambitions and strengths.

Importantly, preparation for adult life at DCSF goes beyond qualifications alone. Pupils are encouraged to become articulate, adaptable and resilient young people who are able to communicate well, build relationships, work collaboratively and contribute positively to the communities around them. These qualities remain just as important whether a pupil’s next step is university, the workplace, professional training or another pathway entirely.