Relocating from abroad -school help needed

[Fleurines]

I could really do with some local knowledge re schools. My DC are 14, 12 and 8 and we are thinking of moving back to the UK after 15 years abroad.
We're looking at either the Crook/ Bishop area or possibly closer to Durham city.
It looks like a lot of the Durham schools are excellent but over-subscribed.
I found a website for the free school which looks interesting.
In Bishop, the King James academy?
Or Wolsingham?
Or anywhere else I don't know about?

I haven't even started looking at primaries yet!

Any advice?

Hi Fleurines I live about 9 miles east of Durham and I don't know much about schools over Crook/Bishop way I'm afraid. AFAIK the only non-dom oversubscribed school is Johnston (last entrant was 4.6miles in 2013) but you could look at Framwellgate it's rated 'good' by Ofsted and I've heard really positive things about it from parents and professionals. If you move towards the east side of the county there is the academy at Shotton Hall which has just been rated 'outstanding', I know a few children from my village who go there and the parents really rate it.
As for primaries, my children go to the closest Infant & Junior schools to us and I would recommend both - but they are miles from where you are looking so not much use.
I wouldn't send my DCs to the Free School as I wouldn't gamble on the unknown and unproven with my DCs secondary education (I have also been told some pretty unpleasant things about their pastoral care). If you are considering the Free School then be aware that, despite what they say on their website, it is highly unlikely that they will be moving from their present site in Gilesgate.
Feel free to PM me - would it be nosy to ask where you are now?

Not nosy at all -I'm in France. I'm originally from Teesside so not far away but my DC were all born over here and the whole system is totally different.
I'd like to find a secondary school which also goes up to sixth form as DS will already be in y10 in September so don't want to have to change him again so soon.
It's a bit of a minefield...

Hi Fleurines. I went to Wolsingham and live in that area. Wolsingham does go up to sixth form and I think a level results are still good. My DCs are just small so I'm not that clued up about secondary yet!
Sarah