Welcome to Durlston
Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions your family will make. It is about much more than academic achievement. It is about finding a place where your child will feel happy, supported, inspired, and confident enough to flourish.
At Durlston, we understand the importance of that decision. As a leading independent day school for children aged 2 to 16, we provide an exceptional education from Nursery through to GCSEs. Our pupils benefit from a seamless learning journey that nurtures their academic, personal, and social development at every stage.
Many families join us at the beginning of their child's education in Nursery or Kindergarten, while others become part of our community at key transition points throughout the school. Whenever a pupil joins Durlston, they are welcomed into a caring, family-focused environment where they are known as individuals, valued for their unique strengths, and encouraged to grow in confidence.
Academic excellence sits alongside outstanding pastoral care. Small class sizes, specialist teaching, and an engaging curriculum enable every pupil to achieve their potential while discovering new interests and talents. From sport, music, and drama to technology, leadership, and the creative arts, every child is encouraged to explore, participate, and excel.
Our community is built on kindness, respect, curiosity, and ambition. We are proud not only of our academic outcomes but also of the young people who leave Durlston as confident, compassionate, and resilient individuals, well prepared for the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Admissions
Our Admissions Team is here to support you throughout every stage of the application process. While joining a new school involves a clear admissions procedure, we know that choosing the right school is about much more than completing forms. It is about finding a community where your child will feel happy, challenged, and inspired every day.
We warmly invite you to visit Durlston to experience the school for yourself. A visit offers the opportunity to meet our staff and pupils, explore our facilities, and discover what makes our community so special. Whether you are considering entry into Pre-Prep, Middle School, or Senior School, we would be delighted to answer your questions and help you decide whether Durlston is the right choice for your family.
For full details of our admissions process, please see our Admissions Policy.
If you would like to discuss admissions, please contact our Registrar, Mrs Lisa Lilley, who will be pleased to help.
To request a prospectus or arrange a personal visit, please complete our online enquiry form.
If your child requires additional support please let us know when making your enquiry. Please note that we are full for EHCP allocation in several year groups.
- Contact - Contact us via the enquiry form below, email or call us
- Visit - We would be delighted to invite you for a tour of the school - giving you the chance to see Durlston in action and to speak with staff and children. There is no need to wait for a formal 'Open Day' we are happy to arrange visit appointments at a time that is convenient for your family. Alternatively, you may wish to attend one of our Kindergarten Admissions Mornings.
- Registration – If you are keen to secure a place in Kindergarten, we would ask you to submit a completed registration form, along with a registration fee of £100.
- Admissions Morning - We hold a termly Admissions Morning in Kindergarten which you are invited to attend with your child, either as an initial visit, or in the term before your child is due to start if you have already registered. The Admissions Morning is an informal opportunity for you and your child to spend some time in the Kindergarten environment, getting to know key staff and experiencing the setting for yourselves. Likewise, it is a chance for us to get to know your child on a fun and informal basis.
- Offer and Acceptance – Following the Admissions Morning, we will be able to formally offer your child a place at Durlston Kindergarten. Your next step is simply to accept, which requires a deposit of £500.
- Contact - Contact us via the enquiry form below, email or call us
- Visit - We would be delighted to invite you for a tour of the school - giving you the chance to see the school in action and speak with staff and children. There is no need to wait for a formal 'Open Day' we are happy to arrange visit appointments at a time that is convenient for your family.
- Taster Day - If you would then like to explore further the possibility of joining us we invite your child to attend a 'taster day' (or sessions for Reception entry). At this point we would ask you to submit a completed registration form, along with a registration fee of £120.
- Offer and acceptance - The next step would be to accept an offer of a place which requires a deposit of £360.
- Joining - Prior to starting, we will keep in touch with joining information, opportunities to come along to family events and dates for familiarisation sessions for your child.
- Contact - Contact us via the enquiry form below, email or call us
- Visit - We would be delighted to invite you for a tour of the school - giving you the chance to see the school in action and speak with staff and children. There is no need to wait for a formal 'Open Day' we are happy to arrange visit appointments at a time that is convenient for your family.
- Taster Day - If you would then like to explore further the possibility of joining us we invite your child to attend a 'taster day'. This is a chance for your child to experience life at Durlston and for us to get to know them a little. At this point we would ask you to submit a completed registration form, along with a registration fee of £120.
- Offer and acceptance - The next step would be to accept an offer of a place which requires a deposit of £360.
- Joining - Prior to starting, we will keep in touch with joining information, opportunities to come along to family events and dates for familiarisation sessions for your child.