The Chorister School

The Chorister School has been established at Durham Cathedral for over 600 years. Set in the magnificence of The College, it provides the security and intimacy of a school small enough for every child and family to be known and cared about. The school is proud to be part of Durham Cathedral’s future as well as rooted in its past. It is served by a committed, skilled and professional staff, and strives to be a centre of excellence across the curriculum with a particular speciality in music.

The aims of the school are:

• To provide a first class education, with a broad, participative and balanced curriculum.
• To enable all our children to achieve their true potential, so that they reach the highest possible standards in everything they undertake.
• To promote a strong Christian ethos, drawing inspiration from its close relationship with the Cathedral and taking a sensitive approach to the pastoral care of pupils.
• To educate and support the Choristers of Durham Cathedral as they sing the daily praises of God.
• To encourage citizenship and responsibility, so that children learn self discipline and respect for themselves, each other, and for the world in which they live.
• To provide an environment for personal growth in which children discover their talents and abilities and learn generosity of spirit.
• To relate, contribute to and be part of the local community and region.

We are an independent day and boarding prep school for boys and girls from 3 – 13 years.

Here the children and their families are at the heart of all we do. At our school children grow in self-esteem and character through a rich wide ranging curriculum that inspires them to achieve their potential and equip them for life in our constantly changing world of tomorrow. Class sizes are small so that learning is tailored to the individual and our teachers and support staff know every child. Opportunities abound in our extra curricula activities. Music is a particular strength, with the school being home to the girl and boy choristers of Durham Cathedral, but so too is Sport, Art and Drama.

We are set in an enviable position on a World Heritage Site, part of Durham Cathedral, surrounded by the woodlands and riverbanks of the River Wear; the school is in the city whilst still enjoying the countryside. Crossing the river to our playing fields is an inspiring experience affording views of the Cathedral and occasionally our rowers out on the river. The school buildings are listed and their rich character captivates and inspires the imagination. The school playground, classrooms and fields enjoy exceptional views of Durham Cathedral reminding us of our Christian foundation and ethos. We surely have one of the finest school chapels in the world.

Pupils of all ages know each other well. Older children mentor our youngest pupils so that there is a tangible feeling of one school working together.

For over 600 years, children from The Chorister School have participated at the heart of the daily liturgy of one of Britain’s greatest cathedrals. This rich heritage and legacy continues to inform and shape its life. The discipline and aspiration to do well engender in pupils the confidence to know that the best is yet to come, and oddly, it is within the restrictions of this regime, that we find the greatest opportunities to be free.
Despite, and perhaps because of, its long history, this is a school that finds itself at the forefront of educational innovation. It pursues excellence in all forms and aims to instil in every pupil a sense of worth that inspires them to seek the very best of outcomes. The Chorister School provides the environment for the individual to flourish.

Imagine the learning that can be undertaken in this remarkable setting – the Romanesque architecture of a Cathedral soaring high above the College Green – and within its walls, the treasures of St Cuthbert and the tomb of England’s first great historian – the Venerable Bede.

A great monastic library sits at the heart of this place. Music weaves a path throughout its long history and within that sound, the intellect and the soul can easily meet.

Here, there are centuries of Christian worship; the fundament of all that the school holds to be central to its values.

It is from this tradition that The Chorister School was born, initially with the purpose of providing an education for the boy choristers. At first they would be taught the Psalms and Latin, and then an increasingly broader curriculum as we moved beyond the Middle Ages. But as for so many other choir school models, we are no longer the exclusive domain of the ‘singing boys’. The Cathedral Choir now boasts two independent top lines, the boys’ for 600 years and the newly developed girls’ line. They are part of a vibrant and thriving school where all pupils can experience an energy for learning in which the ‘professional expectation’ of the chorister becomes the norm against which the whole educational experience is set. It is the juxtaposition of the older model within a new framework that allows for great challenge and uncompromised creativity.

But whatever the history, it is today’s children who ultimately define us. Happiness and wholesomeness are the watchwords to which we aspire. We aim to build resilience, a passion for learning, and the pursuit of excellence in all that we do. Our staff is dedicated to the various roles they play, leading learning and enabling children to grow in confidence and develop those skills needed for success in life. There are no short cuts to delivering a great education.

Chorister School (ages 3-7 Bow site)
Address: South Road, Durham DH1 3LS, United Kingdo