6 December 2019
Dates for your Diary - Autumn Term 2019
- Santa Fun Run, Wednesday 11 December (period 5)
- Annual Christmas Carol Service, Friday 20 December, 1.00 p.m.
- Term ends after the Carol Service, Friday 20 December
- Term begins on Monday 6 January 2020
- Year 9 Options Evening, Monday 13 January 2020, 4.00 - 6.00 p.m.
- Year 9 Parents' Consultation Evening - Monday 20 January 2020, 4.00 - 6.00 p.m.
- Year 12 Parents' Consultation Evening - Monday 3 February 2020, 4.00 - 6.00 p.m.
- Year 7 Parents' Consultation Evening - Monday 2 March 2020, 4.00 - 6.00 p.m.
- Year 8 Parents' Consultation Evening - Monday 23 March, 4.00 - 6.00 p.m.
- Year 10 Parent' Consultation Evening - Monday 27 April 2020, 4.00 - 6.00 p.m.
Christmas Carol Service 2019
Our annual Christmas Carol Service will take place in Durham Cathedral at 1.00 p.m. on the last day of term, Friday 20 December.
Information letters regarding the arrangements were issued to students to bring home on Thursday. Please click on the following link for a copy of the letters.
As requested, please could parents of Year 7 students return the tear-off slip at the bottom of the letter as requested by Thursday 12 December.
Arrangements for students in Years 7,8 ,9, 10, 12 and 13
Arrangement for students in Year 11
Information for Year 9 Parents
Protecting Your Child Again Meningitis, Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio
Please click here to read the letter from the Childhood Immunisation Team inviting you to consent to the MenACWY vaccination and DTP booster vaccination. Please note that the deadline to consent online is 3 January 2020. A printed copy of the the attached letter will be issued to your child to bring home on Monday.
Mrs J Coady, Attendance and Welfare Manager
A Christmas Carol
Both Year 10 and Year 11 watched a performance of their examination text, A Christmas Carol, this week in the hall. The production lasted just over 60 minutes and covered most of the key content of the text. The production was really good, and it was the perfect time to show it.
Mrs Walton, KS5 Language Co-ordinator
Kids' Lit Quiz National Finals
After winning the North East regional final of the Kids' Lit Quiz, our team travelled to London to compete in the National finals. This is their account of the trip to London:
'After an enjoyable train ride (filled with both games and revision), we took the tube to the City of London School for boys. When we arrived, we were greeted by friendly staff who showed us to a room where we waited for all of the other schools to arrive. When everyone had arrived - and photographs had been taken - we were led to the main hall for the quiz. As our name was announced, we excitedly (and nervously) took our seats. There was a buzzer (which Fabio pressed a lot) and a microphone. After a long introduction by the Sheriff of London, along with the Deputy Head of the school, the rules for the buzzers were explained. The first team to hit the buzzer (if they worked) got to answer the question.
Beginning with the 'authors and illustrators' round we proceeded to answer questions. After several rounds, we slowly gathered/regained points. Later, after a short break, Cressida Cowell, who is the writer of the 'How to Train your Dragon' books, was introduced. Following a couple of rounds with a faulty buzzer, we all waited for the anticipated results. Although we came 14th in the UK, we still had a great time and celebrated after with food and games.'
Cora, Lucy, Fabio, Simon and Jemima
Year 7 and 8 Festive Fun Run 2019
The annual Festive Fun Run for students in Years 7 and 8 will take place next Wednesday, 11 December during period 5.
Year 12 and 13 sports leaders will lead the warm at the start of the event before students embark on the fun run.
Proceeds will be donated to St Cuthbert’s Hospice.
Please click on the following link for a copy of the information letter.
Mrs Bell, Assistant Head
Online Safety Newsletter
Please click on the following link to read the Online Safety Newsletter for December.
Music Notices
Christmas Concert
Rehearsals
The School Christmas Concert is next Thursday (12th December) and arrangements for final rehearsals can be found by following the link below.
Christmas Concert Rehearsal Schedule 2019
Tickets
There are no tickets left for the first part of the concert, and there are only a few left for the second part. If you are unable to use tickets that you have already purchased, please do return them for a full refund, and we can then sell them on to those on the waiting list. Please note that there will be no tickets for sale on the door, but people without tickets will be able to sit in the atrium and listen from there, with some limited side-on view.
Foodbank Donations – ‘BRING A TIN’
A reminder of the request, to those families who feel able, to bring an item for the Music Department Durham Foodbank collection, but please no baked beans!!
Community Tea Dance
Big Band and Johnston Brass will be performing at the Community Tea Dance which takes place in James Hall after school on Tuesday 17th December. There will be a brief rehearsal/sound check straight after school that day and performers will be free to go by 17.30 at the very latest.
Carol Service
Parents or careers of pupils in Senior Choir, Senior Orchestra or Chamber Choir will need to complete and return the slip at the foot of the relevant letter. Pupils have been given paper copies of these letters, but in case these have been mislaid, copies are available using the following links. Please note that although they will be singing in the Service, members of Junior Choir will remain in school in the morning and travel to the Cathedral with their form.
Year 7 - 8 Carol Service Permission Letter
Year 9 - 13 Carol Service Permission Letter
Mr Holmes, Subject Leader for Music
PE Department News
On Monday our U13 cricket team played their final match of the indoor season at Hermitage. Both teams were unbeaten so the winners would become league champions. We bowled and batted well to only need 7 runs from the last two overs. Despite a nervous finish we hit the winning runs to become Durham & Chester-le-Street champions.
Two girls' football matches were played on Monday, both ending 3 – 1. First our U15’s took on St Benedict’s School, Whitehaven in the English Schools Cup, however they proved too strong for us. Tt was better news for our U13 team in the county cup who recorded a comfortable win against St Joseph’s.
To complete a busy Monday our badminton teams were in league action at Framwellgate. After an excellent evening of badminton honours were just about even as we won Year 11 boys and girls and VIth form girls, with Framwellgate winning Year 10 boys and girls.
On Tuesday our Year 8 football team were at High Tunstall in the county cup. Despite going 1 – 0 behind we fought back to reach the next round with a 4 -2 victory.
Also on Tuesday we were hosting the Bishop Auckland Schools Year 7 basketball tournament. This is a boys' tournament but our girls entered as well to gain some much needed match practice. They proved too strong for all the boys teams including a 10 – 8 victory over our boys. Our two teams both then had comfortable semi-final victories to set up an all Durham Johnston final. This time the boys got revenge with a 2 point victory after an excellent game.
Finally on Tuesday our Year 9 Futsal team were competing in the BASFA tournament. We won our group and in the final unfortunately lost a sudden-death penalty shoot-out to Staindrop.
The outstanding performance of the week came from our U16 boys' rugby team on Wednesday as they travelled to Blaydon for the County finals. They started with a comfortable victory over St Thomas More. This set us up for the “big” game against Yarm School. We stepped up our performance level and out-played Yarm for an outstanding victory. This left us needing to beat Carmel in our final game to become to County Champions. This went to plan with another victory completing the amazing evening of rugby.
Yesterday our Year 8 basketball team played St Robert’s in a friendly. This was a very one-sided game as we won 67 – 10.
It was also good news for our U13 girls football team who were playing Laurence Jackson in the English Schools cup. We played some great football to reach the next round with a 5 – 3 victory.
Our Year 8 Futsal team were at Parkside competing in their BASFA tournament. They unfortunately only lost one game to a strong team from St John’s to finish runners-up.
Our netball teams were also in action on Thursday playing league games against Lanchester St Bede’s. This continued their outstanding season as our Year 7’s won 6 – 1 and our Year 10’s won 10 – 8. The netball league season is nearly finished and the excellent results from the season so far are below.
Finally good luck tomorrow to our Junior girls and Inter boys cross-country teams who are at Mount St Mary’s College, Derbyshire competing in the ESAA national cross-country finals.
Mr Hopper, Subject Leader for PE
Step Into Sport
On Wednesday, Year 12 and 13 PE students lead the Step into Sport camp at Freemans Quay, along with students from Durham University.
This Youth Sport Trust initiatives gives pupils the opportunity to lead sports activities for able bodied and disabled students.
Youth Sport trust mentor, Rachel Mackenzie was there to give advice and told her own inspirational story.
Year 10 BTEC students took part in the event and learnt how to work alongside pupils with a range of disabilities. Activities included boccia, New age Kurling, table cricket, boxing and seated volleyball. All students were a credit to the school.
Mrs White, PE Department
Ski Visit Notice
School Ski Trip 2021
The deadline for the first deposit towards the 2021 school ski trip is due on Friday 13 December.
Many thanks.
Mrs Hopper, Ski Visit Co-ordinator
Whole School Literacy
Year Eights were in a spin this week with the root word ‘vers’ meaning ‘turned’. The helpful website Membean states that “This root gives rise to many English vocabulary words, including reverse, version, and conversation. Perhaps the easiest way to remember this root word is through the English word anniversary, a calendrical marker that yet another year has ‘turned.’” Quite topical as we move towards Christmas and the arrival of 2020.
Mrs Clark, Whole School Literacy Co-ordinator