27 September 2019
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Dates for your Diary - Autumn Term 2019
- 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
Mr O'Sullivan Writes
So, I'd Like to Know Where, You Got Your Goats From
In early August we were approximately two thirds of the way through a (very) long journey from Durham to Vannes in Brittany. We chose to vary the music played in the car as much as possible out of a sense of fairness and to avoid squabbling. The shuffle function is a wonderful thing and, stuck in a traffic jam on the Rennes ring road, it chose to select some songs from the 1970s, Picking Up The pieces by the Average White Band and I Believe in Miracles by the Jackson Sisters (not the awful Hot Chocolate song). It was momentarily acceptable to be stuck in a long line of traffic on a hot day. The next selection was Rock the Boat by The Hues Corporation, a song that, along with Oops Upside Your Head, makes me look around anxiously for fear that one of my countless permed aunties is about to drag me onto the dancefloor at a second cousin’s wedding. If you were a teenager in the 1980s you will know how potentially terrifying the above scenario is. Whilst composing myself, a voice from the back of the car began to sing along.
“So, I’d Like to Know Where, You Got Your Goats From. Rock the goat, don’t rock the goat baby….”
“What was that?” I asked. “What did you sing?” After the words were repeated, we began to make fun of the youngest member of the family. ‘But they’re the words!’ She insisted, changing the emphasis of the song from a disco ode to equilibrium into an enquiry from one inquisitive goat herder to another that quickly descends into fear for the welfare of the previously coveted mammal. In fairness, the misheard lyrics adds an extra dimension to an otherwise bland song, but the misunderstanding is obvious. It isn’t a goat themed song.
To read more please click here
Whole School Literacy
What do the words biology and autobiography have in common? Year 8 pupils have been learning about root words in tutor time, starting with ‘bio’ – meaning life. It is fascinating to connect together a wide range of words from different subjects and areas of life. One student even explained how hippopotamuses and ox-peckers have a symbiotic relationship!
Mrs L Clark, Whole School Literacy Co-ordinator
Year 7 Visit to Durham Cathedral
We are pleased that we have once again been able to arrange day visits for all of Year 7 to Durham Cathedral, which will take place on the 9th, 10th and 11th October. Pupils will receive printed letters with more information from their form tutors next week. A copy of the letter is published below.
This cross-curricular visit has been greatly enjoyed by previous cohorts, and we hope pupils will appreciate this interesting and varied day!
Do feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Year 7 Cathedral Visit information letter
Miss McKenzie, History Department
Key Stage 3 Drama Club
We regret that due to restricted space that the KS3 Drama Club is now oversubscribed. Students who are still interested in joining should contact Ms Ayrey in En7 who will add their names to the reserve list and will be informed when a place becomes available.
Music Notice
The awards dinner for the 2019 St Cecilia Lodge Composition Competition was held on Wednesday evening and we were delighted that pupils from Durham Johnston School were awarded three out of the four available prizes.
Rosa Pollard Smith was presented with the cup for the best composition in the 16 and under category, along with a cheque for £50, and during the ceremony she performed her ternary form composition on violin and was accompanied by Mrs Holmes.
Samuel Huish and Paul Ray were also given prizes in recognition of the quality of their compositions in the 18 and under category, but they were unable to attend the dinner as they have already started at university. Samuel’s setting for unaccompanied vocal quintet of several verses from Psalm 13, very much in the style of the English Composer Herbert Howells, was awarded 3rd place along with a cheque for £25, and Paul Ray’s ‘Andante and Allegro’ for flute, which was influenced by the music of several French composers in the early and mid-Twentieth Century, was awarded the St Cecilia Cup and a cheque for £100.
Instrumental Tuition
Please note that we have spaces for flute, keyboard and orchestral percussion tuition. Please would pupils come and see me if they are interested.
Drummer
Mrs Anderson would be very interested to hear from any pupil who plays the drumkit and would be interested in joining Big Band. Suitable drummers would need to have been playing for several years and preferably have experience of performing with other musicians.
Mr Holmes – Subject Leader for Music
PE Department News
On Monday our U16 girls football team were at home taking on Framwellgate in the County Cup. We started well and went on to dominate the game eventually winning 11 – 1 to reach the second round.
It was the turn of the boys football on Tuesday as we faced Woodham in league matches. Our Year team 7 continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 5 – 2 victory. Our Year 8’s took a 2 – 0 lead but started to concede goals going on to lose a 12 goal thriller 8 – 4. Our Year 9 team secured a more straight-forward 4 – 0 win and to complete a good evening our Year 10’s won an excellent match 4 – 3.
On Wednesday our U15 girls rugby team travelled to Ryton RFU for a friendly tournament. This was an excellent evening of high quality rugby. We started with a draw and then took on a very strong St Thomas More team in our final game. Despite leading for large parts of the game we just ran out of steam losing by one try to finish runners-up.
The cross-country season started on Thursday as our teams competed in the Emmanuel College Invitation competition. Over 300 runners took part in this event. Despite not being at full strength because of the Germany study visit and injury we produced some excellent performances to finish with the following results:
Inter boys – 1st (Thomas Johnson in 8th)
Inter girls – 2nd (Erin Keeler-Clarke in 2nd)
Junior boys – 4th (Aiden Wilkinson in 2nd)
Junior girls – 4th (Evie Peart in 12th)
This was excellent preparation for the English Schools cup which takes place in a couple of weeks.
Finally good luck to our Year 7 basketball team who play their first game tonight, away at Dame Allan's. Good luck also to our VIth form football team who are at home against Lanchester St Bede’s.
Mr Hopper, Subject Leader for PE