Dear Parents, Carers and Families,

One of my first interactions with a student this week was as I walked to the main student gate on Monday morning and a Year 7 student said, “Look Mr Wright, I’ve got new glasses. Do you like them? I think they make me look very grown up.” I, of course, said they were lovely. When I returned to my office, a Year 13 student was presenting two bouquets of chocolates she’d made herself to look like flowers to other senior staff to thank them for their support before leaving to attend three hours of Sociology revision ahead of her A Level exam later in the week. It felt like this captured well the two bookends of school life, or at least what school life in a secondary school should be like. The enthusiasm of embracing change and being concerned with what’s in front of you, the openness and curiosity of Year 7, and the acknowledgement that other changes are just around the corner, ones that might be more dramatic than some new eyewear and that the people who helped get you there won’t be part of the next stage in your life.  

There aren’t many institutions or communities in life where how long we’re part of them isn’t determined by us. We’re free to move jobs or retire when we want, our relationships with others aren’t bound by time but our feelings, and while none of us are free to choose our own family, who your parents are doesn’t change just because you’ve reached a specific pre-determined age. However, with remarkably few exceptions, students start secondary school aged 11 and leave aged 16 or 18. Out of the Year 7 students who started with us in September, some of them will have been more than ready, some will have found it incredibly hard, and a significant percentage will have thought themselves ready but maybe weren’t quite as mature as they thought they were. The same is true of those students now sitting their GCSE or A Level exams with us, but the school system doesn’t really take into account these personal differences. Children move through school based on their age, not on whether they’re ready or not. I took my driving test when I was ready, but I wasn’t afforded that choice for my GCSEs, it was now or never.

The half term ahead sees us spending lots of time marking the end of the academic year with celebration events, sports presentations and of course a series of proms for Year 11 and Year 13. We’ll also be welcoming Year 6 students along with their parents and carers as the cycle starts afresh. Most people will accept these rituals without much thought, but perhaps it’s a little sad that they’re tied to chronology and not whether the children at the centre of them all are actually ready. I certainly think that the number of people who were truly ready for adulthood when they finished school is a lot fewer than the number of people who thought they were ready and that the very best people are those who never stop being open and polite with others and retain a sense of curiosity about the world, just like the Year 7 on Monday morning who asked me my opinion on her new glasses.

Many thanks for your continued support of the school; I hope you all have a good weekend.

Michael Wright

Headteacher

Training Update

Departments met this week with a focus on the current Key Stage 3 assessments.

Bus 2 Update

I have now received an update from Durham CC regarding how students who currently travel to school on the to be cancelled Bus 2 should make their way to school. They’re advised that the regular 64 public service has capacity for 72 people, 44 seated and 28 standing. The average occupancy of this bus in both the morning and early evening is 31 so there should be capacity for students to use this.

I suspect this isn’t the news families were waiting to hear. I’ve spoken already to one parent but I’m happy to work with families to look at potential solutions. Please contact me by email via enquiries@framdurham.com if you would like to talk in more detail.

Rewards Evenings

To celebrate the progress and achievement of students, we will be having two rewards evenings. These will be on 3rd July for Key Stage 4 and 14th July for Key Stage 3. Letters were sent out this week with more details.

Miss O’Neill, Assistant Headteacher

6th Form Update

It is a busy time of year here in the Sixth Form:

Year 13 are in the thick of their final exams; we couldn't be more proud of how they are conducting themselves during this period, and it is great to see so many of them coming in to revise every day and taking advantage of the revision sessions on offer.

We have already hosted our leavers' celebration day in school ('old-school' sports day was a particular highlight!) and students are looking forward to their leavers' ball at the Ramside Hall Hotel when all the exams are finally over. We will be incredibly sad to see such a wonderful group of young people leave us, but we are also excited for them all as their next chapters begin; we know that they are going to thrive. 

Year 12 are now firmly focused on their post-18 choices; they completed their work experience successfully last half term, and we hosted their post-18 conference where they heard from a variety of speakers, including Fram Alumni. They now have mock interviews next week, where they will benefit from interviews and feedback from a variety of professionals from the local community. The vast majority of our Year 12 cohort are applying to university next academic year, and are now starting the UCAS process, and receiving support with applications and personal statements. 

We are also looking forward to Enrichment Week; as well as our Year 12 trip to London, a number of students are offering support on lower-school trips abroad, and some have even arranged their own volunteering and work experience for this week. Students who are in school for the week will benefit from formal first-aid training; 'survival' skills; a trip to Durham University; a session on managing finances and further post-18 support.  We will also find time for a trip to the beach!

Finally, we are looking forward to welcoming our new and prospective sixth formers. Year 10 students who may be considering Sixth Form as a post-18 option have been invited to our taster day on Monday 23rd June, and next Year's 12 students have their induction week between Tuesday 24th-Friday 27th June. This is an important opportunity for them to experience what life will be like in the Sixth Form, and to receive an introduction to their chosen subjects. All year 11 students who have applied to the Sixth Form will receive further information next week. We wish all Year 11 students the very best of luck with the rest of their exams! 

Mrs King, Head of 6th Form

Sports Presentation Evening

The annual Sports Awards presentation evening is on Tuesday 17th June at the Gala Theatre. During this event we gather to celebrate the many impressive sporting achievements inside and outside of school. Students have been invited so please check Class Charts for announcements. Ticket sales on Parentpay have now closed but if your child has been invited and you missed the opportunity to purchase tickets, please contact Miss Vickers who may be able to help.

Mr Sands, Curriculum Leader for PE, Sport and Health

Departmental Spotlight – Computing

 

Throughout the week before half-term, our spotlight was on the Computer Science department. The fact that the school has been awarded CyberFirst status and the 'Computing Quality Framework' accreditation award is something parents may already be aware of from the badges on the website, but what you don't get an opportunity to see, which we have this week, is the success and confidence that our students are experiencing through their work in Computer Science. I will admit my own ignorance when it comes to computer programming but the way in which the basics of coding are introduced to our Year 7 students with 'flowgorithm' and then how this builds across the curriculum up to our Year 12 students who are creating their own complex programmes, is wonderful to see. Our students understand the importance of the skills and knowledge that they are gaining through the Computer Science curriculum, with many of our students finding joy in the problem-solving nature of this and choosing to take part in the extracurricular offerings of Coding Club and the VEX competitions, where they have had great success. There were many students who we spoke with, across the year groups, who showcased their Sway sites which document the progress they are making - too many to mention. This is something parents can see from home so if you have a spare five minutes, do ask your child to show you their Sway site, where you can see what they have been working on. 

 

There are a few students who do deserve a special mention, and their teachers were delighted to have the opportunity to sing their praises. The following Year 8 boys have been working on their coding, outside of lessons, and Mr Fingleton reports that the quality of the work they are doing on this is that of an A-level standard. Lleyton, Sonny, Duncan and Myles - well done boys; I am sure these skills are going to set you up very well!

 

Mrs Machin, Deputy Headteacher