Friday Bulletin - 13 September 2019

Dates for your Diary - Autumn Term 2019

• Individual and group photos (all year groups)  - Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 September
• Year 6 Open Day/Evening - 23 September 2019  - 9.30 until 10.30 a.m. and 6.00 until 7.45 p.m.
• Sixth Form Open Evening - 7 October 2019 - 6.00 until 7.45 p.m.
• Year 11 Parents' Consultation Evening - Monday 18 November 2019
• Year 13 Parents' Consultation Evening, Monday 2 December 2019
• Year 9 Options Evening, Monday 13 January 2020
• Year 9 Parents' Consultation Evening - Monday 20 January 2020
• Year 12 Parents' Consultation Evening - Monday 3 February 2020
• Year 7 Parents' Consultation Evening - Monday 2 March 2020
• Year 8 Parents' Consultation Evening - Monday 27 April 2020

 

Punctuality and Attendance 

I would like to thank all parents, carers and students for making it such a successful start to the new school term. We have had a number of queries about the timings of the school day. All students need to be on site from 8.20 a.m. at the latest and in assembly or seated in form by 8.25 a.m. It is vital that they are present for form period as important messages are shared, as are opportunities to become involved in school activities. We want all students to be part of the school community and to feel that Durham Johnston is their school and it is difficult to do so if they are regularly late. For example, Year 11 students who are late might miss important information about revision, 6th form study or exams. Can I encourage all parents and carers to support the school by making attendance and punctuality key priorities in the coming year.

Accessing the school site between 2.45 and 3.05 p.m. 

At the end of each school day over 1650 students leave Durham Johnston to make their way home. As a large and busy school, we have to think very carefully about safety and access to the school grounds. I would like to thank all parents and carers who have supported the school by arranging to pick students up away from the school site. We prioritise access for disabled students, those with medical conditions of which the school is aware of in advance and when students are taken home by taxi. We lack the space for others to access the school site and need to ensure the safety of students as they leave the site. 

School Photographs

On Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th September a photographer will be on site to take individual and year group photographs. Students will bring home information about how to order their photographs in due course and we will share the relevant deadline for payment as part of a future Friday Bulletin. 
 

 

Durham Johnston Parent App

Good communication between school and home is vital if students are to do well.  One way to do this is to subscribe to our free Parent App. We would encourage all new parents and carers to sign up and to also remind those with students in years 8-13 that the App is available.  

The app can be downloaded free of charge from both Google Play and Apple’s App Store. Downloading the app to your device will allow you to keep up to date with  current news items and forthcoming events, read the school’s weekly Friday Bulletin and check term and holiday dates.  

Once you have downloaded the app, you can enable notifications on your device to ensure that you receive updates as they are published.

 

Ski Visit 2019

Notice for parents in Year 8 and Year 7

Due to unforeseen circumstances there is late availability for TWO spaces on the February Ski trip. The venue is Alpe D'Huez and we will be staying in the Hotel Belle Aurore in the French Alps, the trip leaves on 29th Feb 2020.

If your son or daughter would like to take up this opportunity please ask them to call into the PE office on Monday morning to collect the information and consent sheets. The price for the trip is £930 in total, this can be paid in installments up until the date of departure.

Mrs Hopper, Ski Visit Co-ordinator
 

Music Notice

Music Enrichment Activities 2019 - 2020
Please click on the following link for information about Music Enrichment Activities for this academic year. If you have any questions or require further information, please ask you son or daughter to speak to a member of the music department. Pupils, especially those in year 7 and 12 may not have been able to attend rehearsals this week, but please do reassure them that pupils may join groups over the next few weeks. 

Tuition from Durham Music Service and Music Works
Music lesson timetables are displayed in the music corridor. Please do encourage your child to check the music notice board and ask their music teacher if they have any questions. I’m afraid that we are unable to share timetables electronically with parents/ carers, but if you could encourage pupils to note lesson times in their organiser that should assist them to remember times. If you have a year 7 child who is receiving tuition, please reassure them that it may take a few weeks to get into the swing of things and that they should not be too worried if they miss the occasional music lesson at the start of term.

Musical Instruments
Each week over 150 instruments are brought into school by pupils and as many cases are very similar, please could I ask you to ensure that instruments are clearly labelled. I have a stock of name fobs and can supply these free of charge, if pupils need them. Also, musical instruments are usually covered by household insurance, but please could I ask you to check this as accidents can happen from time to time.

Piano Event
Any pianists and those taking GCSE and A Level Music may be interested in a lecture/ recital which is taking place in Durham on Saturday 5th July. For more information please follow this link. 

Mr Holmes – Subject Leader for Music
 

 

PE Department News

With our first full week complete we have had a successful start to the sporting year. Trials and clubs have been incredibly well attended with well over 100 children involved every evening.

The rugby season got underway on Wednesday as our U16 team traveled to Horden RFC for the first round of the County Cup. We started with a well fought victory. We lead throughout our final game against St Bede’s  before conceding a late try to lose an excellent match and finish runners-up. We now need to wait and see if we have made the county cup final later in the year.

Yesterday saw the beginning of the football season as we hosted Staindrop. All our teams made an impressive start as we recorded 4 comfortable victories. Our Year 7’s won 10 – 0, Year 8’s 6 – 0, Year 9’s 4 – 0 and the Year 10’s 7 – 1.

Good luck to those boys attending rugby trials tonight.

Mr Hopper - Subject Leader for PE