21 November 2025
Dear Parents and Carers,
“Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder”
"There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes"
This Swedish proverb seems apt this week given the arctic conditions that have descended on County Durham. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to live in Luleå, a town in the far north of Sweden, for my third year of university. There I experienced the severe winter weather conditions with temperatures as low as -47°C (frozen eyelashes is a thing) and snow so deep you could swim in it. In Sweden these extremes of cold are the norm. They last for months, and their entire infrastructure is prepared for it; they ski to school, they drive across frozen lakes with snow tyres, they wear the right clothes. In contrast, here in the UK, a severe cold snap is often a one-off experience where a mere few inches of snow can have a massive impact on how the country functions, because we simply aren't prepared.
It struck me this week that this contrast is a metaphor for school life. The unexpected, high-impact incidents that disrupt a student’s flow – a sudden difficult lesson, an unexpected change to a routine, or a moment of high pressure – are our equivalent of an unprepared UK snow day. We cannot control these 'weather' events, but we can apply the Swedish outlook and teach ourselves to put on our ‘good clothes’ – preparation and a positive mindset - to minimise their impact.
Today the ‘weather’ event for our Year 11 students was receiving their mock exam results (and this will also be Year 13 in a few weeks). Receiving mock exam results can be a nerve-wracking experience for students. For Year 11 it is designed to emulate the actual results day and is part of how we prepare students to deal with the emotions they will experience in August. It can be difficult for students if the grades aren't what they hoped for, but it is important that they remember they are not alone (and neither will they be in August). This is the time when those pastoral radiators I wrote about a few weeks ago kick into action. Staff will be there with ‘warm coats’ over the coming months to keep students’ temperatures regulated and provide students with the support and guidance they need to successfully navigate the remainder of Year 11. They will be encouraging students to engage with feedback, create study plans, identify topics to revisit, promote revision sessions and discuss options and next steps for post-16. It is so important that we work together during this period and parents evening on Monday night is an opportunity for you to find out more about how you can support your child at home.
Across all year groups, from our newest Year 7 students currently vying for the sought after post of form rep, to our Year 13 students facing university applications, the habits we want to develop in our students remain the same: preparation, organisation, and a positive mindset. Preparation is the proactive work of planning ahead; organisation is the structure and framework that supports that plan; and a positive mindset is the mental armour that allows us to adapt when the plan inevitably changes. These fundamental traits are the "all-weather gear" that our students need every day to move confidently towards their goals, hopefully ensuring that no challenge, big or small, takes them by surprise.
The message from Sweden is clear: success is not about avoiding challenges; it is about being equipped for them. So let us all encourage students to put on their 'good clothes' and meet their challenge with preparation, organisation, and a positive mindset.
Have a lovely weekend.
Mrs McFadden
P.S. It would also be good if they wore a literal warm coat as well as a figurative one...
Christmas Appeal Launch
Many years ago, our house system identified “giving back” as a key strand for our development. This month we launch our Christmas Appeal as a way to support young people and families in our local community. This year we will be supporting Durham Young Carers, The Foodbank and Feeding Families, three incredible charities who do so much for people in County Durham.
We held assemblies this week to introduce the appeal and to allocate a charity to each form. Some will collect food, others buy a toy/toys for a child of a certain age, some will put together hampers to support families in need - but most importantly they will all do something magic this Christmas and give back.
Below are some comments from families we supported last year; it can be emotional reading them, but it helps us see the importance of the work we do. No donation is too small, our message as always is "by working together - we can give a lot".
Thank you to all our families who have supported us with this over the years, your generosity means so much.
"The kids couldn’t believe it and loved the things, they said “Santa has been so kind”. She loved the pyjama’s and oodie, she said they are so snuggly, and she has worn them loads. When you said you could help, I didn’t expect any large gifts, it really relieved the stress on me as I always worry being on my own that I don’t have enough for them so thank you very much".
"The gifts were perfect, thank you so much. He loves the remote-control car, and he has played with the glider loads! We have been playing the games Uno and Best of Kids, and we have started a puzzle. It made Christmas a lot easier for me, he said, ‘we must be rich!’"
"Mam said it made a big difference to all their Christmas. Mam was struggling financially; the gifts took a lot of pressure off her. The children loved everything they received. X especially loved the remote-control car, and X liked the smellies and art things. Thank you".
Miss Forbes & The House Leads
"Run Pudsey" raises £1653 for Children in Need
Last week 36 Year 8 students and a few keen members of staff undertook a challenge to raise money for Children in Need. We all completed a 5km run around the school grounds on a very cold and wet day in November. After a quick warm up, all the students ran in the rain with a smile on their face! One other student showed their dedication by completing this challenge in their own time, which is an outstanding commitment.
BBC Children in Need is dedicated to ensuring every child experiences the childhood they deserve. By funding grassroots organisations and project workers across the UK, the charity provides essential positive relationships, helping children navigate life's challenges. Project workers support, inspire, and champion these young individuals, ensuring they have opportunities to reach their goals.
We have raised a fantastic £1643 so far. To provide some context of how this money is used, £50 supports a one-to-one counselling session for a child, £100 covers a series of 1-2-1 support sessions for a teenage girl facing mental health issues, and £200 sponsors a week of after-school club sessions for 30 children affected by mental health issues.
Thank you so much to everyone who sponsored the students. It's not too late to contribute and support their effort, and make an even greater difference. The students have their own fundraising pages, but our general collection page is still open for donations at this link.
Mrs Cummings
Assistant Year Leader
PE News
Last weekend our Inter and Senior boys’ swimming teams travelled to Birmingham to compete in the English Schools National Finals. The best 27 schools in the country gathered for an outstanding day of high-quality swimming.
Our Senior boys just missed out on making the final in both the medley and freestyle relays, finishing 11th in both. Still an outstanding achievement. They were the 2nd best state school in the country behind a school from Essex.
Our Inter boys also performed very well, finishing in 16th place in both events. They were ranked as the 6th best state school in the country. An amazing achievement given we don't even have a pool!
On Tuesday, our Year 9 & 10 netball teams were at Hermitage for league matches. Our Year 9 team started well and were unlucky to eventually lose 17-10. It was better news for our Year 10 team who played some amazing netball on their way to a 22-15 win. Elizabeth C and Grace C were voted POMs.
Also on Tuesday, our Year 7 girls’ futsal team were at Bishop Barrington for the district tournament. They remained unbeaten, winning 3 and drawing 1 game as they finished in first place. They now face a final against the other pool winners to decide the Bishop Auckland champions. Eliza P was POM for her amazing goalkeeping skills.
Finally on Tuesday, our Year 8 boys’ football team travelled to St Joseph's in the County Cup. They are an outstanding team and proved too strong for us as they won 5-0. Charlie K was POM.
The weather caused the postponement of football on Wednesday, but our U14 boys basketball team did play Acklam Grange in the English Schools Cup. This was an excellent game which was close throughout. We just ran out of steam at the end, eventually losing 67-57. Joint POMs were Brodie S and Issac T.
Last night our Year 7 & 8 netball teams hosted St Bede's in league matches. Our Year 7s are outstanding, and they secured another comfortable 21-7 victory with Elodie VW voted POM. Our Year 8 team started slowly but took control of the game in the 2nd half eventually winning 21-12. Kat R was POM.
Today's rugby and football matches were both victims of frozen pitches. However, our U18 basketball team have travelled to RGS, Newcastle for a friendly match. Good luck to them.
Mr Hopper
Subject Leader for PE
A reminder of our weekly sports bulletin: