A NORTH-EAST school with a history of academic success is opening its doors for potential new students to come and see what it has to offer.

Wolsingham School, about 10 miles from Bishop Auckland, is inviting pupils, their parents, and the wider community to attend the Open Evening on Thursday, September 26, between 6pm and 8pm, to meet the staff, talk to current students, and to look around the school to see what makes it such a special place.

The school roll is made up of around 600 pupils from more than 25 different primary schools throughout west and central County Durham, with all new Year 7 students benefitting from free transport on all their bus routes.

In the school year 2018/19, 70 per cent of pupils once again passed English and Maths, while in their options subjects, students performed almost a full grade better than their peers nationally.

While there is, naturally, a focus on academic subjects, the school emphasises the importance of a fully-rounded child. As such, the extra-curricular activities on offer are what gives Wolsingham School the edge.

Trips and activities take place almost every week of the year, traveling to places as close as Durham University or Kielder Observatory, and as far as the Battlefields of WWI, the English Channel for a sailing trip, and even Russia or China.

Outside of lessons, students learn to develop their skills, and make friends, through the huge range of daily activities available, including football, netball, swimming, musical theatre, the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, Pride Youth Network, the Police, Fire and Army Cadets and much more.

The school promotes a family atmosphere, and every child is known and exceptionally well cared for through the school’s traditional House system. Students are exceptionally well behaved, and this was recognised in the 2018 Ofsted report, which confirmed Wolsingham School’s ‘Good’ rating in very complimentary tones, saying: “Pupils are very happy at school and they wear their uniform with pride.”

Before joining, Year 6 students spend three full days of induction at the school in July. Parents are immediately brought into the school community, too. They attend the Keeping in Touch Mornings and the How to Support Your Child in Year 7 Evening.

Headteacher Jonathan Ferstenberg said: "In our small school of just over 600 students, every child is known and looked after. Our students are extremely well-behaved and mature, and I am certain that guests at our Open Evening will find them to be friendly and engaging.

“Year 7 students join us from over 25 primary schools, yet, thanks to our extensive induction programme of transition events and three full days of induction, they feel right at home from their very first day at Wolsingham School.”

The popular school was oversubscribed in 2019, so, to keep class sizes down, an extra form group was added. The Governors have elected to join a high-quality, local Multi Academy Trust where the school can keep its unique character while also providing the highest standard of education for many years to come.

www.wolsinghamschool.net

The Grammar School Building, West End, Wolsingham, Co Durham, DL13 3DJ

Telephone: 01388 527 302

Email: info@wolsinghamschool.net