Since its founding in January 2021, Durham International School has been guided by a clear vision and an unwavering ambition: to grow into a comprehensive, all-through school for students aged 1 to 18. This journey reached an exciting milestone in September 2025 with the opening of our Senior School at the Rosslyn Campus.
We welcome students from all over the world who are seeking a very distinctive, historic cultural foundation, rich in the arts, in science and technology, within an open, outward looking community, where everyone is valued for their characteristic contribution to the whole.
Our small class sizes and tailored teaching combine to empower students to achieve excellent exam results and expect strong performances across the School. We provide students the skills, confidence and capabilities to navigate their own paths through life enabling them to gain a confident understanding of core, central concepts and understand their application in a real-world context. Classrooms are bright, welcoming environments in which students can expect to have their thoughts and opinions heard and in which they will certainly be pushed to meet and exceed their potential. Our approach emphasises a well-rounded education, integrating academic study, music, sports, artistic creativity, performing arts, and wider life-enhancing co-curricular activities. Above all else, we aim to engender excitement and enjoyment and to cultivate a love of learning for its own sake both in the classroom and well beyond it!
Outstanding exam grades will be a by-product of our dedication to nurturing inquisitive, critical and enthusiastic learners. We know that if you develop the right attitudes and skills, exam results will come naturally. Excellent grades at IGCSE and Sixth Form pave the way for successful applications to university, while the understanding, skills and thirst for knowledge that students develop provide the foundations for success in any walk of life.
Students in the Sixth Form have the opportunity to embark upon the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). This independent learning project allows students to further develop valuable skills like research, critical thinking and time management whilst discovering the joys of taking responsibility for their own study.
Our Form Tutors at Durham International School are important in the lives of students. Meeting with them every day, Form Tutors play a crucial role in making our promise a living reality. Given that importance, we look very closely at ways in which we can support and enhance the work Form Tutors do for the students in their care. A vital administrative aspect of tutoring involves overseeing academic progress and yet the essential value of the role lies in expanding students’ intellectual, personal, cultural and moral horizons as part of our community and in preparation for higher education and the adult world. Equally importantly, the Form Tutor is uniquely placed to provide significant pastoral support and a bridge between the School and parents or guardians. The Form Tutor is often the first port of call for advice, help, sympathy, or simply a chat about the last sports match, play or musical event. We task our Form Tutors with explaining and reinforcing the Durham ethos to ensure that every student understands our expectations in all aspects of their lives.
To think, to commit, to engage and to share, all fit within our overriding objective, which will always be grounded in the happiness and flourishing of individual students within the strength of community, guided by tutoring of the highest quality.
In Geography, students explore ways in which our planet’s features are shaped, interconnected and change over time. As students progress their growing knowledge about the world, they deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and how these affect the way we live today and might live in the future.
History develops concepts like cause and consequence to bring the past to life. Skills like assessing evidence, making balanced arguments and reaching conclusions are developed – all skills that are valuable for upper primary, secondary school and beyond.
By introducing students to a wide range of exciting activities, we give them the opportunity to try new things and find new interests. Students are challenged to think creatively and develop new skills, giving them the opportunity to succeed and build confidence in their abilities.
In Years 5 and 6, our Prep School students particularly benefit from being part of an all-through school, with access to the expertise and facilities usually reserved for older students. They are taught by subject specialist teachers who bring passion and depth to their lessons, helping to extend knowledge and inspire curiosity. Learning takes place in state-of-the-art science laboratories, drama studios, computer science suites, and art and design workshops, allowing pupils to explore subjects in greater depth, develop practical skills, and gain confidence in preparation for their transition to Senior School.
