need opinions on darlington schools particularly Hummersknott and branksome?

[auntiebetty]

Does anyone know what these schools are like?

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i think Branksome is better. i lived there for a decade and i had friends from all of the schools there. there is a school called Carmel i think too and that seemed good. i went to the all girls school there (Polam Hall, not Carmel!)

thanks beth I think Carmel is catholic.

how long have youo been living in Darlo?

not in darlington yet just thinking about moving up to be nearer family after my "perfect" husband turned my life upside down 3 weeks ago today! Just me and the dcs from now on.

anybody else?

any body with any local knowledge of good and bad schools in Darlington?

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Carmel is a christian ethos school. You will need a positive reference to say that you are a practising Christian from a vicar or priest if you want your child to attend. The next best is probably Hummersknott, I do not personally rate it. It does not have a sixth form. Queen Elizabeth Sixth form college is very good, all the DArlo schools (apart from Polam which is a fee paying girls's school) go to QEII sixth form coll to take their A levels.

swedes what don't you like about hummersknott?

They do some wonderful things, like study Chinese and their art department is impressive. I just don't like the ethos. The pupils hang around smoking at kicking out time (in their uniforms), there is masses of litter. The buildings are not very nice and it just doesn't feel good. I think Teesdale in Barnard Castle is a much much better school. As is Richmond School and St Francis Xavier in Richmond, just over the River Tees in North Yorkshire.

Branksome is recently out of special measures - within the last year. New head is good and moving it on though

Branksome is recently out of special measures - within the last year. New head is good and moving it on though

oops!

I think Hummersknott is supposed to be better than Branksome. I knew someone who went to Branksome and it was pretty rough in his day. Him and his brother after him were both head boys there because they were the biggest lads in their years. That was a good while back though.

Can you visit them to get an idea of what they are like?

thanks - I will visit eventually but am based 170 miles away so want to have a good idea of where to move to before we visit. I got the impression hummersknott was an excellent school hence choice of area but nobody on here seems to back it up so may have to rethink.

any opinions?

any more opinions?

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Don't know if you're still checking this thread, auntiebettie, but I went to school in Darlington - Carmel, which is an excellent school. I loved my time there and its results recently have been amazing. Hummersknot is the closest school geographically to Carmel. It's a language college, so for languages it is fab and I think they do plenty of trips. I think that Hummersknott is better than Branksome as it's in a nicer area of Darlington.

There is a village about 4 miles out of Darlington called Hurworth, and the school there is meant to be pretty good too.

Hope this helps and good luck with the move if you are still going ahead with it.