Barnard Castle School

Barnard Castle School
Address
Map
Newgate

, ,
DL12 8UN

England
Coordinates54°32′30″N 1°54′41″W / 54.5416°N 1.9114°W / 54.5416; -1.9114
Information
TypePublic school
Private day and boarding school
MottoLatin: Parvis imbutus tentabis grandia tutus
When you are steeped in little things, you shall safely attempt great things.
Religious affiliation(s)Inter-denominational[1] with a non-conformist Christian foundation
Established1883
FoundersJohn I de Balliol
Benjamin Flounders
Chairman of the GovernorsPeter Mothersill
Head MasterDavid Cresswell
Staff120 teaching, 80 non-teaching
GenderCo-educational
Age4 to 18
Enrolment660 in 2018 (469 senior[2] 191 prep [3])
HousesBowes (Girls)  
Dale (Boys) 
Durham (Boys)  
Longfield (Girls)  
Marwood (Girls)  
Northumberland (Boys)  
Tees (Boys)  
York (Boys)  
Junior Boarding House  
Colour(s)Blue & Brown   
PublicationThe Barnardian and Barnardians Reconnected
Former pupilsOld Barnardians
Websitehttp://www.barnardcastleschool.org.uk/

Barnard Castle School (colloquially Barney School or locally the County School) is a co-educational private 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.

Since the 1980s, the school has been one of Britain's most successful at producing top class rugby union players. During this period it schooled England international players Rob Andrew and Tony and Rory Underwood. The school has also produced Mathew Tait, Lee Dickson and Tim Visser, and appeared in three finals of the inter-school Daily Mail Cup. Former pupils in other fields include Edward Mellanby (the discoverer of Vitamin D); industrialist Percy Mills, The Lord Mills; fashion designers Giles Deacon and Patrick Grant, poet Craig Raine; and actor Kevin Whately.

  1. ^ "Barnard Castle School" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)