Barnard Castle School

Barnard Castle School (colloquially Barney School or locally the County School) is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in the market town of Barnard Castle, County Durham, in the North East of England. It is a member of The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC). It was founded in 1883 with funding from a 13th-century endowment of John I de Balliol and the bequest of the local industrialist Benjamin Flounders. The ambition was to create a school of the quality of the ancient public schools at a more reasonable cost, whilst accepting pupils regardless of their faith.

Originally the North Eastern County School, the name was changed in 1924, but is still generally known locally as the "County School". The school is set in its own 50-acre (20 ha) grounds in Teesdale, within the North Pennines, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. An on-site prep school caters for pupils aged 4 to 11, while the senior school caters for pupils aged 11 to 18. The school was previously funded by direct grant. Founded as an all-boys school, it has been fully co-educational since 1993. There are around 660 pupils and some 200 members of staff.

Purpose:

Through creating an inspirational, compassionate and unpretentious environment, they aim to develop young adults with character.

They are happy, confident, resilient, intellectually curious, tolerant and driven, with an undercurrent of humility, which are ready and prepared to face, embrace and lead in an ever changing world.

For this environment to be fostered, staff must feel valued and feel fortunate to work in such a school.

Their Ethos

Barnard Castle School is committed to providing an outstanding educational experience for girls and boys from the local area, throughout the United Kingdom and the world. Grounded in Christian values, they provide an environment where each child is nurtured and encouraged to develop to their full potential. They celebrate success within and beyond the classroom in a close community, bound by a spirit of endeavor, compassion and enjoyment in everything they do. They believe that girls and boys learn to live and work together best in an unpretentious, open and respectful atmosphere, as befits their school’s foundation and values.

They provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all, promoting academic rigor and the rewards of endeavor, the wonder of discovery and the richness that comes from an aptitude for life-long learning. Equally essential to the success of their girls and boys is the development of confidence, integrity, resilience and teamwork, which are learned in a range of sports and a wealth of cultural and co-curricular activities. Pupils also learn a sense of duty, selflessness and the importance of community.

Their nurturing environment ensures that every child will find her or his niche here and have the opportunity to embrace new challenges in an atmosphere of supportive encouragement. They believe in giving their pupils space to enjoy their childhood without pressure to grow up too quickly. As they progress though the school, pupils develop and exercise leadership in a caring, collaborative and dynamic relationship with their peers, teachers and house parents.

Barnard Castle School aims to:

• Promote the value of application, perseverance, initiative, independent thought and co-operation;
• Create an environment in which wellbeing is at the forefront of daily dialogue, and in which strategies are taught so pupils and teachers develop long lasting physical and mental health;
• Offer a broad curriculum in order to achieve knowledge, enjoyment of learning, and the acquisition of skills necessary to be responsible members of society;
• Encourage academic enrichment and the development of curiosity, teaching how, rather than what, to think;
• Ensure that each child fulfills their academic potential at each stage of their education;
• Promote a community which values honesty, mutual respect, enjoyment, service and good citizenship, placing an emphasis on leadership;
• Prepare children for the next stage in their lives, whatever that may be.

CURRICULUM

Academic development and ensuring every child reaches their full potential through a broad and balanced curriculum and excellent teaching in a nurturing environment is at the heart of the Prep School.

A combination of traditional and modern teaching methods supported by a wide range of resources, co-curricular activities and outstanding facilities ensure learning is engaging and enjoyable, with each child encouraged and supported to succeed to the best of their ability.

HOUSES

The house system was established when the school was founded and has grown to eight senior houses for both day and boarding pupils and staff. The houses are a very important part of school life and play a key role in achieving the aims of the school. Every pupil and member of staff is allocated to a house, which provides a sense of identity, pride and loyalty through opportunities to represent the house and contribute to its success through a variety of competitions and activities.

International admission

Overseas students are very welcome, are fully integrated into all aspects of school life and contribute to their rich diversity.

Prospective international applicants are assessed either direct or via one of their agents or consultants. For those families considering Barnard Castle School they request the following:

• A handwritten letter of application from the candidate – about 200 words in English to include details about why they want to study in England, what their extra-curricular interests are and, for Sixth Form candidates, their likely AS level choices and the candidate’s last two school reports translated into English.

After reviewing this information they will indicate whether they have a place available and will then invite you to send:

• A completed Registration Form
• A registration fee (£150 for non UK residents)
• A copy of the candidate’s Birth Certificate and passport