Dear Parents, Carers and Families,
I’ve been told, but can’t independently verify, that this school formally opened here in Framwellgate Moor in 1877, in what is now the Youth and Community Centre on Front Street, a short distance away from the current school site. I can’t find a date for when the school moved formally into the current buildings, but we do now have a date for when we should be moving into the next set of buildings for the school after planning permission was unanimously granted by Durham County Council’s planning committee last week – September 2027. The wait for the rebuild project has been long, but perhaps it was fate that decided it should be a neat 150 years between the school opening and this exciting next stage in its development. The rebuild project will of course bring some disruption, but we’ll be working closely with the developers to minimise this, and I feel certain that any short-term issues will be far outweighed by the building of a school that the whole community can feel proud of. When we have more specific information about this, we will of course share this in good time.
The building of the new school is exciting and past due. I’m writing this in my office, where a leaking pipe means that currently half the ceiling is missing, and I can hear the steady drip-drip of water behind me. It’s right that the children of this community should be educated in a building that matches their hopes and aspirations. However, a school is much more than a building; it’s both a community itself and of its local community. Within the school, we strive every day to make all our students feel like they’re part of something, that this is a place in which they are known and valued. This takes place in countless ways, from formal rewards to praise points, to simply ensuring every child will be greeted by name and a smile as they walk around the site. So many of our students will tell me at different times that their “mam” or their “dad” also came to this school, far more than has been the case at other schools I’ve worked at. This always says something to me about the community here around the school, that it has deep roots, and with those roots inevitably a sense of pride in what this slice of the Northeast has to offer. It’s a privilege for me to be leading a school in such a strong community and at a time when, soon we will have the facilities to match.
Below you’ll see there are various upcoming events where we open our doors to different groups of parents to explain some of the specifics about how, as a community, we can work together to support your child. We always appreciate that for working parents, trying to be here in person can be difficult, but I do always think that nothing can replace the benefit of face-to-face communication, and our parent and carer information evenings are a good opportunity to find out about some of the specific ways we can collaborate to ensure students are happy and achieve their best. The single biggest event of the year, where the community descends into the building, is of course this Monday, where hundreds of people with their children will attend the Year 6 Open Evening. Can I thank in advance all of the people who support this event by allowing our best ambassadors for the school, our students, to be here. I know on Monday that as I walk around, I’ll see many smiling faces, hear children offering to show others around, and all welcoming the next generation into our wonderful school, one that for nearly 150 years has been at the heart of the community here in Framwellgate Moor.
Many thanks for your continued support of the school; I hope you all have a good weekend.
Michael Wright
Headteacher
Please find this week's key messages below.
Year 6 Open Evening
Our Year 6 Open Evening is on Monday 15th September. If your child has been asked to help us showcase the school, either as a student guide or in department areas, then they will be bringing a letter home. They should feel proud that they have been asked to carry out this important role. Parents who have attended our open evenings in the past always comment on what a credit our students are to the school, and we agree they are our best advert! This is a really important evening for our school, and our students always do us proud. Thank you in advance for supporting this by helping your child travel to and from school for the evening and by ensuring they are in their full uniform. The evening runs from 5-7pm, and who/where they should report to will be detailed in the letter they bring home.
At the end of the evening, the site is always very busy with prospective parents leaving and parents of our student helpers arriving to pick up their children, so please could you ensure that you pre-agree with your child exactly where you will meet them and encourage them to have their phone charged so they can be contacted.
Prospectuses are being sent out to our main feeder primary schools, but there is nothing more powerful than personal testimony, so if you have friends or family with Year 6 children who are considering their options for secondary school, please do encourage them to attend our open evening and share your positive experiences of our school with them.
Mrs Machin, Deputy Headteacher
Year 7 Parent/Carer Information Evening Thursday 25th September 5.30pm Venue: Main Hall
Presentations throughout the evening will include a welcome from Mr Wright, an outline of rewards and school culture, how Class Charts can support your child's learning, independent learning expectations and the culture of reading. We would ask that, if possible, students do not accompany parents/carers due to the capacity of the Main Hall.
Year 10 Parent/Carer Information Evening Thursday 2nd October 5.00pm Venue: Main Hall
Presentations throughout the evening will include helping and supporting your child with their GCSEs and looking ahead at work experience and careers advice. The curriculum leaders of Maths, English and Science will also speak on the curriculum within their subjects.
Year 11 Parent/Carer Information Evening Thursday 2nd October 6.00pm Venue: Main Hall
Presentations throughout the evening will include helping and supporting your child in their final year of the GCSEs and looking ahead at Post-16 choices. The curriculum leaders of Maths, English and Science will also speak on the curriculum within their subjects.
Year 9 Letter from Durham County Council
If you are the parent/carer of a Year 9 student, you may have received a letter from the County Council with information about provision from the local university technical college. This is part of the national government’s desire to inform parents and students in all schools of wider educational options as they move through their educational career. As part of the provider access legislation, technical colleges will also visit the school to speak to our students.
Mr Ward, Assistant Headteacher
Online Safety
We work in close partnership with the digital safety provider Smoothwall to ensure that all devices used on-site are protected against potential online risks. This robust safeguarding system helps create a secure digital environment for our students while they are online. In addition to content filtering, student activity is closely monitored, with real-time alerts sent to our safeguarding team to identify and respond to any concerns related to students' wellbeing or safety. We also recognise that students spend significant time on devices outside of school and may encounter a range of digital risks in their personal lives. To support families in navigating these challenges, we offer a comprehensive Online Safety Hub on our website. This resource provides practical guidance and support for parents and carers on a variety of online safety topics, including cyberbullying, social media use and online gaming. You can access the hub here: Online Safety Hub - Framwellgate School Durham
As part of the Smoothwall system, the Qustodio Parental App is available to help parents and carers manage their child's screen time across all devices in a safe and balanced way. The app allows parents to monitor multiple devices from a single dashboard, offering a helpful tool for preventing online issues at home from impacting learning in school. It also supports broader aspects of a child’s physical and mental wellbeing.
Qustodio is currently offering a free trial for parents and carers, which you can access here: Free sign up | Qustodio
Mrs Osborne, Director of Safeguarding
