Polam Hall School
| Motto | Concordia crescimus ("Grow in harmony") |
|---|---|
| Established | 1847 |
| Type |
Free school; Boarding school |
| Headmaster | Mr John Moreland |
| Chair of Governors | Mrs Sally Pelham |
| Location |
Grange Road Darlington County Durham DL1 5PA England Coordinates: 53°38′56″N 1°20′04″W / 53.64875°N 1.33446°W |
| Local authority | Darlington |
| DfE number | 841/6000 |
| DfE URN | 142174 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | 300+ |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Ages | 4–19 |
| Website | school website |
Polam Hall School is a mixed day and boarding free school and sixth form located in Darlington, County Durham, England. The school is for pupils ages 4 to 19, and offers a boarding provision.
Polam Hall was founded as a Quaker "finishing school" for girls. It is now mixed-gender and inter-denominational but still retains its Quaker traditions and ethos.
Mr Harrington Lee, a prominent Darlington merchant, built a house in the country in 1794 and lived there with his family for 27 years; upon his death in 1824 his remaining family sold the property in the area referred to as 'Polam Hill'.
In 1825 Jonathan Backhouse, a financial backer of the railways, bought 'Polam Hill' and was responsible for renovations including the landscaping of the grounds; it was not until 1828 that his wife Hannah (née Chapman Gurney) and family moved in. As members of the Darlington Society of Friends (Quakers) and ministers they undertook missionary work resulting in them having to travel extensively around England and America. As cousins of Edward Pease, Joseph John Gurney and Elizabeth Fry, they were able to work with each other to improve their world. In the 1841 census the family are listed as living in 'Polam Hall', but it is understood that both Jonathan, who died in 1842, and Hannah, who died in 1850, continued to refer to their home as 'Polam Hill'.
'Polam Hall' was sold to William and Robert Thompson, who leased it to the Procter sisters for use as a Quaker ladies’ finishing school. The Thompsons went into liquidation in 1878, and one of their largest creditors, Arthur Pease, became Polam’s new owner.
In 2004 boys were introduced to the school for the first time when the sixth form became coeducational. Previously, some boys from the nearby boys' independent school Hurworth House School would take certain subjects there. A separate boys' senior section was later set up for boys aged 11-16. After the closure of its sister school Hurworth House.
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