Durham School
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation operates Chorister School (ages 3-11) and Durham School (ages 11-18), delivering co-educational independent day and boarding education in Durham, UK. The charity also runs international schools in Dubai, Kenya, and Qatar.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersDurham, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Durham School does
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation (DCSF) is a registered UK charity (number 1023407) operating co-educational independent day and boarding education in Durham, England. The Foundation runs two core UK campuses: Chorister School (ages 3-11, located adjacent to Durham Cathedral) and Durham School (ages 11-18, located across the river at Quarryheads Lane), with a linked Sixth Form offering A-Levels and university preparation. A pupil body spanning 28+ nationalities is supported by a six-House pastoral system (School House/Bungites, The Caffinites, Poole House for boys; Pimlico, MacLeod, Lodge for girls), a Cathedral Chorister programme linked to Durham Cathedral Choir, and a co-curricular offering of more than 70 activities and clubs. Durham International Schools extends the brand internationally through wholly-owned operations in Dubai (UAE), Nairobi (Kenya), and Qatar, delivering a similar educational approach abroad.
The Foundation's product surface is organised across four school stages (EYFS through Sixth Form), three boarding tiers (full, weekly, flexi/occasional), a scholarships and bursaries portfolio (King's, Burkitt, Peter Lee, plus means-tested awards), international admissions services (IELTS, EAL, guardianship), and ancillary revenue lines including transport (four North East bus routes), individual music tuition, and a venue hire business for weddings, corporate events, holiday courses, and sports facility lettings. Underlying technology is conventional third-party school administration: ISAMS Cloud powers the admissions portal, SOCS manages co-curricular sign-up, Schoolblazer and Grays Team Sports handle uniform and kit e-commerce, and a 3D virtual tour platform supports remote prospect engagement; no proprietary systems were identified.
DCSF generates recurring termly subscription revenue from day and boarding tuition across year groups (2026-27 senior day fees £7,355-£8,048; full boarding £15,510-£18,225), one-time application and deposit fees (£75 application, £250/£500 deposits), ancillary termly charges (compulsory lunch £332/term, music tuition, transport, trips), and supplementary income from international school fees, venue lettings, and charitable donations. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through Open Mornings, individual tours, the online admissions portal, and a regional school transport network; marketing runs through the school website, segmented prospectus documents, and House/sport-specific Instagram accounts plus Facebook and LinkedIn channels. The Foundation is governed by a Board led by Chairman Simon Dobson (OD, 1977-82) and is overseen by the UK Charity Commission rather than shareholders.
Durham School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Durham School
- Legal name
- Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation
- Website
- https://dcsf.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation operates Chorister School (ages 3-11) and Durham School (ages 11-18), delivering co-educational independent day and boarding education in Durham, UK. The charity also runs international schools in Dubai, Kenya, and Qatar.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Durham School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Education Services
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)
Keywords
Where Durham School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Durham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Durham School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Day Pupil Tuition: Tuition fees charged per term for day pupils across Chorister School (FS2-Year 6) and Durham School (Years 7-13). Fees vary by year group and include lunch.
- Boarding Fees: Weekly and full boarding options for Senior School Years 7-13, with higher fees for overseas students. Boarding includes accommodation and meals.
- Application and Deposit Fees: Application fee of £75 payable on submission. Deposits of £250 (day pupil) or £500 (boarder) required on acceptance. International students pay full term's fees in advance plus first term fees.
- Extra Charges: Chargeable extras include individual music tuition, school transport, school trips, photographs and other minor items billed in arrears.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Termly | Chorister School Day Pupils (FS2-Year 2) |
| Subscription | Termly | Chorister School Prep (Years 3-6) |
| Subscription | Termly | Cathedral Choristers |
| Subscription | Termly | Durham School Day Pupils (Years 7-8) |
| Subscription | Termly | Durham School Day Pupils (Years 9-13) |
| Subscription | Termly | Weekly Boarder (Years 7-8) |
| Subscription | Termly | Weekly Boarder (Years 9-13) |
| Subscription | Termly | Full Boarder (Years 7-8) |
| Subscription | Termly | Full Boarder (Years 9-13) |
| Subscription | Termly | Overseas Day Pupils |
| Subscription | Termly | Overseas Boarders |
| Subscription | Termly | Flexi Boarding |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Occasional Boarding |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Durham School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation delivers independent co-educational day and boarding education across three stages: Chorister School (ages 3-11, EYFS through Key Stage 2), Durham School (ages 11-18, Years 7-13 delivering GCSEs and A-Levels), and an associated Sixth Form. Core services include the Cathedral Chorister programme singing in Durham Cathedral, a six-House pastoral system, scholarships and means-tested bursaries, international student support (IELTS, EAL), full/weekly/flexi boarding, and over 70 co-curricular activities spanning sport, music, drama, STEM, Combined Cadet Force and Duke of Edinburgh Award. The Foundation also operates Durham International Schools in Dubai, Kenya and Qatar.
Product overview
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation operates as a unified educational institution comprising three core schools: Chorister School (ages 3-11, preparatory education), Durham School (ages 11-18, senior school with GCSE and Sixth Form), and an associated Sixth Form program. The Foundation also manages Durham International Schools in Dubai, Kenya, and Qatar. Educational services are complemented by boarding facilities, a Cathedral Chorister program, extensive co-curricular offerings (sports, music, drama, STEM, Forest School), scholarships and bursaries, international student support (IELTS, EAL), and school transport. The institution's pastoral structure is built around a six-house system with dedicated housemasters and matrons.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Chorister School (Ages 3-11) Preparatory school for children aged 3-11 located adjacent to Durham Cathedral, offering EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 education with academic foundations, music (including the Cathedral Chorister programme), sports and enrichment activities.
- Durham School (Ages 11-18) Senior school for pupils aged 11-18 delivering GCSEs (Years 10-11) and Sixth Form (Years 12-13) with A-Level or equivalent qualifications, House pastoral system, broad curriculum, extensive co-curricular programme and boarding options.
- Sixth Form (Ages 16-18)
Quantifiable outcome
- 55.3% A*-B grades at A Level (2024-2025)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Durham School
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Durham School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Durham School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Durham International Schools - NairobicoreThird international school opened in Nairobi, Kenya in 2021, spreading the school's motto and educational approach internationally.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Durham School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Barnard Castle School: North East England co-educational independent boarding and day school founded 1883. Competes with Durham School for the same catchment families across Durham, Tees Valley and North Yorkshire.
- Repton School: Mid-size UK co-educational independent boarding school founded 1557 with comparable house system, scholarship/bursary programme, and A-Level/GCSE curriculum. Strongly comparable scale and operating model.
- Sedbergh School: UK co-educational independent boarding school in northern England with comparable heritage (founded 1525), similar full/weekly boarding and day pupil mix, GCSE/A-Level curriculum, and House system. Closest UK geographic and structural peer.
- Oundle School: Large UK co-educational independent boarding school with full/weekly/flexi boarding tiers, similar co-curricular breadth, and a strong STEM/music heritage. Comparable premium fee structure and boarding mix.
- Uppingham School: Co-educational UK independent boarding school founded 1584 with comparable heritage positioning, House-based pastoral model, and tuition scale. Direct competitor for UK boarding families seeking traditional heritage schools.
- Stonyhurst College: Jesuit co-educational UK independent boarding school with similar long heritage, full and weekly boarding options, and a comparable wide co-curricular and pastoral offering. Comparable in religious-foundation context.
Broad incumbents
- Eton College: UK's most prominent independent boarding school, founded 1440 by Henry VI. Sets the price umbrella and reputational benchmark that heritage schools like Durham School position themselves against, though considerably larger in scale, endowment, and selectivity.
Regional players
- Giggleswick School: Northern England co-educational independent boarding and day school founded 1512 with three-term structure and house system. Overlaps with Durham's northern UK catchment but is not a day-to-day competitor on home turf.
- Royal Grammar School, Newcastle: Premier North East England independent day school (with junior school) headquartered in Newcastle. Competes with Durham School for North East families, though does not offer full boarding.
Emerging players
- Woodbridge School: Independent Suffolk-based co-educational day and boarding school covering prep through sixth form. Smaller in scale and breadth than Durham but operates a similar full life-stage educational model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Durham School social profiles
Digital presenceDurham School compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Durham School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Durham School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles23 records
Durham School subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Durham School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Durham School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Durham School
What does Durham School do?
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation delivers independent co-educational day and boarding education across three stages: Chorister School (ages 3-11, EYFS through Key Stage 2), Durham School (ages 11-18, Years 7-13 delivering GCSEs and A-Levels), and an associated Sixth Form. Core services include the Cathedral Chorister programme singing in Durham Cathedral, a six-House pastoral system, scholarships and means-tested bursaries, international student support (IELTS, EAL), full/weekly/flexi boarding, and over 70 co-curricular activities spanning sport, music, drama, STEM, Combined Cadet Force and Duke of Edinburgh Award. The Foundation also operates Durham International Schools in Dubai, Kenya and Qatar.
Is Durham School a public or private company?
Durham School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Durham School founded?
Durham School was founded in -1. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Durham School based?
Durham School is headquartered in Durham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Durham School make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Day Pupil Tuition is the primary driver. The others are boarding Fees, application and Deposit Fees and extra Charges.
Who are Durham School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Barnard Castle School, Repton School, Sedbergh School, Oundle School, Uppingham School and Stonyhurst College. Eton College is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are Giggleswick School and Royal Grammar School, Newcastle. Woodbridge School is listed as an emerging player.
Does Durham School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Durham School.
What industry is Durham School in?
Durham School's product category is Independent Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJABAB, Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools, with a secondary code of EDAJABAA, Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.