IN the light of the recent negativity about the Durham Free School (DFS) I would like to share my own personal experiences.

I am extremely pleased with the progress my daughter has made since starting at DFS last year.

She is still only 12 and yet, despite struggles with dyslexia, now has a reading age of more than 16 years.

She was also one of a team who won the Salters chemistry prize last year against year eights from some of the top schools in the North-East.

More importantly, she is very happy and enthusiastic about school and has grown in confidence and character in her time there.

She is kind, considerate and respectful of others, at the same time as having been encouraged to develop her own opinions and views.

She and her friends are growing up in a way that makes me feel very proud of them and I’m very grateful to the school for nurturing them and giving them the chance to thrive.

I have absolute confidence in the staff to keep my daughter safe and give her every opportunity for success.

As a parent I can’t ask for more than that.

Mrs J Denning, High Shincliffe.