6 January 2023
Dear Parents & Carers,
I would like to wish you all a very happy new year, and I also hope that the Christmas period afforded the opportunity to spend time with loved ones. Wednesday morning represented the shock of travelling to work in the dark, but with each passing day the amount of light increases and students get back into the rhythm of the school year as we move through winter towards spring. January also represents the opportunity to look back on the year that has gone and forward, with hope, for the year ahead.
Looking back to December 2022, I would like to thank all those involved in making our Cathedral service so enjoyable and successful. It was wonderful to be back for the first time since 2019. In that week students also demonstrated their commitment to the school’s ethos by raising a substantial amount of money for local causes and helped local families to enjoy a better Christmas. Those actions reflect well on our student body and highlight their commitment to social justice and public service.
Looking forward, the term ahead is clearly important for all students, but particularly for Years 9 and 12. Year 9 will have their Options Evening, a parents’ evening and will start to choose GCSE subjects. Detailed information will be shared with students and their families next week, with the Options Evening taking place in person on Monday 16th October between 6 and 8.00 p.m.
Year 12 also have a parents’ evening and complete their first set of formal A Level mock exams. Year 7 and 10 start their second term at the school or studying new qualifications and Year 8 will near the halfway point of their KS3 study. Years 11 and 13 move towards the last two terms of their GCSE and A Levels. It is important that they stay focused and calm and appreciate that they still have a significant amount of time to grow in confidence, practise technique and prepare for final examinations. Balancing hard work with exercise and time away from study is hugely important. We will prioritise this message repeatedly because it is one that students can struggle to process when they feel pressurised. Please reiterate that same message at home to support the wellbeing of your child. On a similar note, taking care of physical health continues to be extremely important, and we have been asked by Jim Murray, Head of Education & Skills at Durham County Council to re-share guidance on Winter Illnesses; click here to read the leaflet.
In preparation for this update, I researched (read: quickly googled) ‘new year’s resolutions for 2023’. The following resolutions were the most common for adults.
- To be more organised.
- To get fit.
- To learn a new skill or hobby.
- To live life to the fullest.
- To save more money / spend less money.
- To stop doing something that is unhealthy.
- To spend more time with family and friends.
- To travel more.
- To Improve in my job.
- To be kinder/more supportive of friends or family.
There isn’t a specific equivalent for students, parents, or teachers, but many of them are applicable to each of those groups. Organisation, kindness, and spending time with key people are universally relevant. My specific resolution might well relate to number 4 - living life as fully as possible.
When I was 8 my older sister brought home a record and played it repeatedly. I eventually found out that it was ‘Gangsters’ by the Specials. She played their brilliant first album to death and also got to see them on the 2-Tone Tour in 1979. When she was out I would ‘borrow’ her records and, whilst fashions wax and wane, the music of The Specials has been a consistent presence in my life for over 40 years. The lead singer of the Specials, Terry Hall, died unexpectedly just before Christmas and, like many people, I was genuinely sad at his passing.
The Specials reformed in 2009 and I had three opportunities to see them, but had never chosen to do so, always thinking that I’d go next time. That clearly won’t be possible now. Therefore, my resolution is to take advantage of those opportunities that do arise, as they might not present themselves again. I feel that’s a good message for all members of our community. Enjoy yourself, to quote The Specials’ cover version of the old Guy Lombardo standard. This version from 1980 exemplifies the spirit in which that resolution is perhaps intended.
I hope that you can both enjoy the present and look forward to a positive 2023.
Have a good weekend. And year!
Mr O’Sullivan