Dear Parents, Carers and Families,

Happy New Year to all of you and your families. I hope everyone was able to enjoy their time together over the Christmas holidays. Someone I used to work with would talk about the importance, in a school year, of the period “from fireworks until the daffodils.” They meant that when the new school year started in September, lots of students and staff would start with the best of intentions and eagerness to stick to well thought out plans, but that those who were really successful would be the ones who were able to sustain this once the clocks turned back, the dark nights set in, and stuck with it into the spring and beyond. There is a lot to this simple philosophy, and certainly, I see this every day with our students.

For Year 7 students, after their first term settling in, this term becomes about continuing to engage with their lessons, completing homework and participating in as many extra-curricular activities as possible. Year 7 doesn’t need to be about achieving great goals, but about establishing the habits and resilience needed to ensure success later in school life. At the other end of the scale, our Year 13 students will in many cases now have a sense of their next steps, be that university or a higher-level apprenticeship, and what precisely they need to do to get there. The start of exams in May, only five months away, can suddenly feel very close and it’s certain that many of our students will recognise that the way to deal with them is to begin their preparations now, using the mock A-Level exams in the coming weeks as an opportunity to diagnose precisely where they are now in terms of their learning and use the feedback to ensure the next few months are productive but not overwhelming. Year 11 students will be sharing similar feelings, and certainly the vast majority of them are now in a place where, as they begin to finish some of their GCSE courses and start revising content, the scale of the task in front of them, all the exams to prepare for, starts to become very clear. Below is specific information about the Raising Achievement Sessions that start for them next week. Also detailed below is key information for Year 9 students about the GCSE options process as they prepare to make their own transition.

However, the school isn’t just an exam factory, and there are lots of examples of students making the most of what the school has to offer beyond their subjects. Below you can read from one of our Year 13 students, Henry, about a group of  A-Level students who competed in a debating competition at Durham University, the Ethics Cup, just prior to Christmas. Henry is far too polite to say that, despite getting the highest score of the day, the team only came third overall, perhaps due to some bias in favour of a private school, but I’m not. You can also see below two photos taken in Antarctica. The Field Guide is holding flags made by two of our students, Samara in Year 8 and Sienna in Year 7. Congratulations to Samara and Sienna. It may have been cold this week here in the North East, but it’s not been Antarctica cold. Both these examples show what our students can achieve when focused and willing to do those extra things that make life interesting beyond the ordinary. Neither participating in the Ethics Cup nor having a flag flown in Antarctica happen because of good intentions, they happen because people are willing to stick with the hard work needed from the fireworks to the daffodils and beyond.

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. 

St Andrews Ethics Cup

Taking part in the St Andrews Ethics Cup, Durham regional, was a challenging and rewarding experience. We, Framwellgate's team, placed third overall, as well as achieving the highest score of the day of all teams in our first round. The competition required us to analyse complex ethical dilemmas under timed pressure, construct clear arguments and respond thoughtfully to opposing viewpoints. Unlike traditional debates, the Ethics Cup puts collaboration at the forefront, encouraging us to engage respectfully with opposing perspectives, offering reconciliation or a constructive rebuttal. The competition was significant in improving our logical reasoning, teamwork and especially public speaking, particularly when explaining nuanced ideas in a clear and concise manner to a panel of judges and the opposing team. The opportunity to work closely as a team bolstered our ability to actively listen and adapt arguments, building on others' ideas, working cooperatively to do our best. Overall, the Ethics Cup was both stimulating and enjoyable, engaging us in discussing challenging moral issues and focusing on the importance of ethical awareness in real-world decision making, being ultimately a valuable opportunity to develop core transferable skills and an unforgettable experience.

Henry, Year 13

Uniform Expectations 

We have noticed an increasing amount of jewellery being worn by students in school, which does not align with our uniform policy. To ensure consistency and maintain safety standards, we will be implementing a reset of our jewellery rules starting next Wednesday, 14th January. From this date, students should only wear one pair of small stud earrings. No other jewellery, including rings, necklaces, bracelets, or additional piercings, will be permitted. Each morning, Tutors, Year Leads and Pastoral Managers will check for compliance. Any additional jewellery will be confiscated and kept safely until the end of the school day, when students can collect it.

Why this is important:

  • Safety: Excess jewellery can pose a risk during physical activities, PE lessons, and in crowded spaces.
  • Uniform Standards: Maintaining a consistent appearance helps promote equality and reduces distractions.
  • Preventing Loss/Damage: Jewellery can easily be lost or broken in school, causing upset and inconvenience.

We appreciate your support in reinforcing these expectations at home. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s Year Lead.

Miss O'Neill, Assistant Headteacher

Raising Achievement Sessions (RAS)

RAS will be starting on Monday 12th January and will run through until February half term, in preparation for the March mock series beginning on Monday 2nd March. These are targeted sessions designed to intervene where students struggle with key concepts and/or have knowledge gaps. If students have been selected by their teachers to attend a session it will appear on their Class Charts timetable and you will be able to see if they have attended or not. Students may be selected to attend up to 3/4 sessions a week and the majority of the sessions take place at lunchtime, after your child has had a break and time to eat. Some sessions occur after school. 90% of students attended RAS sessions last term, with 54% of students attending extra sessions on their own accord. Your support in getting your child to these sessions and maintaining these high attendance figures is paramount and much appreciated, thank you; last year there was a correlation between attendance at RAS and GCSE success.

There will be one final RAS block in April, including an Easter holiday study programme in the run up to the GCSE exam period. If your child doesn't have a session appear on their timetable for this block, it is likely they will be selected for one in the final RAS block. Students have had an assembly today, 9th January, reminding them of this information and the process.

Miss Lutynski, Assistant Headteacher

Key Dates for Year 9

Parent/Carer GCSE Options Information Evening

Year 9 Parents & Carers along with students are invited to a GCSE Options Information Evening that is taking place in the main hall on Wednesday 21st January at 6:00 pm.

This is an opportunity for parents and carers to come along and hear about the options process so you can help your child make the right option decisions.

Progress Evenings

Year 9 Progress Evening are on Thursday 29th January  between 4pm and 6.45pm for students in X Band  and Thursday  5th February  between 4pm and 6.45pm for Y band which is an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with teaching staff.  More information on how to book your appointments will be made available next week. 

Mrs Mersh-Roberts, Deputy Headteacher

Rebuild Progress

Just prior to Christmas the school was featured in the local press following a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of the process, still on schedule in terms of our move for summer next year. You can find a link to an article in the Northern Echo here: Major rebuild of Framwellgate School in Durham begins | The Northern Echo

The Media Club also recorded another video via drone back in December. Those of you based locally will be aware that here in January the situation has already changed!

Fidgets

Some students find that fidgets are useful tools to help them concentrate. Fidgeting provides sensory input (tactile, kinesthetic) that stimulates the brain, bringing it to an optimal level of alertness. For individuals with ADHD, this sensory input helps maintain the brain from seeking more stimulating activities, improving focus. For those with anxiety, repetitive movements act as a self-soothing mechanism, reducing stress.

We have noticed an increase in the number and variety of fidgets being brought into school, often by students who have no real need for them. Only students who have permission from their Head of Year are permitted to use fidgets in lessons, and this will be noted on their support plan.

A good fidget is subtle and non-visual. Fidgets that require minimal visual attention (like a stress ball or textured worry stone) are better for focus than those with game-like components (like spinners) that can become distractions themselves. We do not allow putty or slime.

We have three rules for using fidgets in school:

  1. They must be silent.
  2. They must be discreet – used in one hand, under the table, whilst focusing on the teacher, board or their work.
  3. They must not cause a distraction to themselves or others.

If a fidget is being used correctly, the teacher will not even be aware that the student has it in their hand. If a student uses a fidget inappropriately or brings in one that is not silent, they will be asked to put it away in their bag and not bring it to school again. If they do not have the permission of their Year Lead to use a fidget, teachers will also ask them to put it away.

Thank you for your support in encouraging your child to keep any non-approved fidgets at home.

Mrs Forrest, SENCo

Alumni Visit

Three exceptional former students kindly gave up their time on Wednesday 17th December to talk about their experience in higher education, research and work since leaving Fram Sixth Form. They met with around 40 of our Year 11 students who are planning to study STEM subjects at a higher level, and also visited A-Level Computer Science, Maths and Psychology classes. Feedback following the visit was extremely positive, and a number of students said that it had helped with their planning for future studies and careers.

Mr Earnshaw, Teacher of Computer Science

Library Book Fundraising Project

There is still a chance to grab tickets to see Jane Eyre at The Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms in Durham - this is suitable for all secondary ages, so is a great chance to see a classic novel performed live.

There are performances next week on:

Thursday 15th - 7.30pm

Friday 16th - 7.30pm

Saturday 17th - 2.30pm or 7.30pm

£1 from every ticket sold goes to fund our book drive with Collected Books, to help us buy new books for our library.

How to join in:

  1. Search online for Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre.
  2. Click on Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre (top option on Google).
  3. Click on What’s On.
  4. Choose Jane Eyre.
  5. When you get to the payment page, you do not need to do anything extra, just pay for your tickets and £1 from each ticket sale will be automatically donated to our fundraiser.

Enjoy your show, knowing you’ve helped school too!

Any questions, just get in touch.

Mrs Morgan, LRC and Library Officer

Roblox Security Changes 

The introduction of the Online Safety Bill last year has brought welcome controls over what we and our children can access online. As internet speeds have increased and the digital world has expanded, the ability for anyone of any age to reach almost any content has grown at a pace far beyond our capacity to safeguard against it. The risks have become unmistakable. Adults now face increasingly sophisticated attacks from hackers and scammers, while children remain acutely vulnerable to online predators.

Although some internet services initially resisted tighter regulation, the government’s commitment to reducing online harm has ultimately prevailed. For children, one of the most persistent avenues for predatory behaviour has been online video games. These are spaces where young users gather, communicate, and interact, often with limited verification or oversight.

Roblox, a platform widely associated with younger players, is now beginning to address this by introducing facial analysis age checks and optional ID verification for users over 13. These real-world verification measures are designed to confirm a user’s age more accurately and to restrict interactions that could place children at risk. In practice, they signal an important shift in how major platforms are starting to manage online safety and respond to the expectations set out in the Bill.

If you would like to know more about this, you can read more about these checks on the SWGfL website here: Roblox facial age checks

Mrs Osborne, Director of Safeguarding

What is my child learning?

A reminder that you can find curriculum details about what your child is studying here on our website: Curriculum Overview | Framwellgate School Durham

How to help support your child at home?

Students can use the link below to access resources that will help them study independently at home, such as:

  • Knowledge organisers
  • Revision checklists
  • Past exam papers
  • ‘How to Revise’ instructional videos

Students have been shown how to access this SharePoint site and a 'how to' sheet has been sent to you via ClassCharts. As parents and carers, you won’t be able to access this, but the link will work for all students. Students learning how to use this excellent resource early in their time here will be very beneficial to them later as they approach their GCSE studies. All GCSE students should be making regular use of it as a matter of course. Resource Hub

For information about different A-Level and GCSE exam boards and programmes of study, please follow this link: Exams | Framwellgate School Durham