Independent schools - County Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne regions

[SarahLouise83]

Hello everyone, I'm new here so please be kind :-)

I have searched for previous threads on this subject but have only found really old ones (mostly dating back to 2011) so I didn't want to drag an old thread up.

I was just wondering if anyone has any experience or knowledge of any of the independent schools in the County Durham (predominantly Durham city centre) or Newcastle upon Tyne areas?

I'm not native to this area of the country so any local/first hand experience is greatly sought as there is only so much you can learn from the websites/prospectuses. It would be with a view to enrolling our daughter potentially into Y3, starting in Sept 2014.

Durham city centre you're looking at Durham school girls high or the choristers school.

I've not heard good things about Durham school - very old fashioned and no pastoral care / ability to look after pupils who need extra help.

Thank you - this is exactly the sort of thing that is handy to know from someone a bit more "in the know" with regards to our area. Do you know if any of the independent schools have transport links to the Shotley Bridge area at all? (I know Mowden Hall in Stocksfield does but typically it is the one school that I've totally taken off the list of possibles as I really just don't like it - mostly because I don't like the thought of such young children being basically forced to spend a whole term in another country!)

What about Newcastle High School for Girls? They have a Junior School too. Don't know anything about it though, just had a quick Google search for you.

Thank you That is on the list of potential ones to go and have a look around. I hear so many conflicting things about all the various schools that you start to wonder which one is the best as it isn't all about good grades of course!

Can't help with Durham schools but for Newcastle:

1. Newcastle Prep School - mixed (although most years are abaout 2/3 boys to 1/3 girls), nursery to yr 6. Excellent school - good academically and pastorally (I am biased as two DDs been/going through the school). Most go to RGS for secondary but also off to a lot of the other local private schools as well as some to state.

2. Royal Grammar School - junior school opens from yr 3, prospective pupils have to sit the "RGS challenge" in yr 2, I think in January but can't remember exactly. Hearing from friends who have moved their kids there, it seems a bit of an academic and sporting hothouse and I am glad we made no attempt to move our girls. Our first choice for secondary though.

3. Dame Allan's - mixed, nursery to yr 13, infants and juniors on a new purpose built school site. Was our second choice and remains our second choice for secondary. At secondary they separate boys and girls for academic subjects from y 7 to GCSE, but they still come together socially and in some lessons eg drama, music (I think). Not as much as an academic hothouse as RGS but Dame Allan's girls was still in the Times newspapers top independent schools for results.

4. Newcastle Girls High - has formed from the merger (read takeover) of Church High by Central High. All girls. Not keen on single sex education myself but have several friends/colleagues who have/had daughters there who are all very happy with it.

5. Westfield - small, only had 9 in reception when we looked round which we felt was too small. Know a couple of people with girls there, both very happy, but am not sure how long it can keep going with small numbers in financial climate.

And I know it's early but Central (now Newcastle High), RGS and Dame Allan's girls all featured in Sunday Times top independent schools list this year.

Hope that helps! Depending where you live there is also Yarm school and Red House, both nearer Middlesbrough, heard good things about both.

Hi, hope you managed to find a school you are happy with? Regarding Mowden Hall School and the term spent in France by children in Year 7 (so when they are aged 11/12), I understand how you feel. Have had two children go through the system there, one bright and one not-so-bright. The pastoral care at Sauveterre is great from the English Head and his English wife, however some of the French teachers are not particularly pastorally-minded. Bright child had a good time, learnt a fair amount but still ditched French as soon as it was possible. Not-so-bright child survived out there but that was about it. Current Mowden Hall Head used to be Head of Sauveterre so very evangelical about it, and has brought the emphasis of 'having fun at school' across to the UK.