Dear Parents, Carers and Families, 

Assemblies in school in the past week have focused on both the importance of friendship and the difficulty in trying to define it. The boxer Muhammad Ali said, "Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school, but if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you haven't learned anything." I agree with most of this message, but in reality, students do learn a lot about friendship in school, even if it’s not part of the taught curriculum. Younger students in particular can find the shifting sands of social interaction difficult to navigate, and the impact of peer pressure is well understood but rarely effectively addressed. As part of these assemblies, I spoke about the friendship between the former Rugby League players, Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield. Friends since their teenage years, when Rob developed Motor Neurone Disease in 2019, both men engaged in charity work to raise awareness and demonstrated very clearly the deep bond of their friendship. I shared with students this quote from Kevin, which he gave after Rob sadly died in 2024. “If we can all try to be a bit of a better friend from time to time, I think we’ll have a bit of a better place to live in.” 

Fortunately, many of us won’t have our friendship tested in this way, but the sentiment of being a better friend and this leading to a better world for all, is one I thoroughly agree with. At heart, true, real friendship is about empathy, empathy that goes both ways. The world is sadly full of examples of an absence of empathy, and I would draw a link between this and one of our other themes here in school this week, Holocaust Memorial Day. It is, of course, overly simplistic to say that the Holocaust happened just because of a lack of empathy, but the dehumanisation of others was a crucial step in allowing those terrible events to unfold. Not having empathy for others is the first step in dismissing them, in othering them and seeing them as lesser. The theme of Holocaust Memorial Day this year was ‘Bridging Generations’ with the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust reminding us all that ‘the responsibility of remembrance does not end with the survivors - it lives on through their children, their grandchildren and all of us.’ This is true empathy in action. Below is a short piece from two of our Sixth Form students who visited Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps and share their experiences here.  

We were both extremely fortunate to be a part of the ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ educational and commemorative project in the Autumn of 2025. The project offers post-16 students the opportunity to learn about the Holocaust and consider its relevance for today through a bespoke interactive online platform, two seminars and a one-day visit to Poland. 

Visiting the former Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps was undoubtedly one of the most challenging and profound experiences of our lives. We had studied the Holocaust before, but nothing could have prepared us for the reality of standing in the place where so many lives were taken in such abhorrent circumstances. The atmosphere was quiet and heavy, as if the site itself remembers what happened there. 

Walking through the gate with the “Arbeit macht frei” sign made us feel a combination of disbelief and sadness. We had seen it in textbooks, but standing beneath it in real life made the history feel painfully close. Inside the museum, we saw rooms filled with belongings: suitcases, shoes, even children’s toys. This was the hardest part for both of us; it highlighted to us that the victims weren’t simply numbers or distant historical figures; they were ordinary people with families, hopes, and their whole lives ahead of them. Seeing those family names printed in the Book of Names at the end of our visit only served to reinforce this further. 

At Birkenau, the sheer scale of the camp was difficult to comprehend. The imposing rows of wooden barracks seemed endless. Our guide explained the conditions in which prisoners lived, and it was almost impossible to imagine how anyone could survive such conditions. Standing on the railway tracks where so many people once arrived to meet an unimaginable fate made us feel a deep responsibility to remember what happened there. 

Towards the end of our visit to Birkenau, we experienced a moment of unexpected poignancy. As our group stood beside the ruins of one of the camp’s gas chambers, a young fox appeared at the top of the rubble and began to make its way towards us. Eventually, it stopped just a few feet away. The juxtaposition between the innocence of nature and the remnants of malevolence that surrounded us, created an almost poetic reminder of the evil of which humanity is capable. 

We also valued that the visit wasn’t focused solely on the past. Our discussions explored prejudice, discrimination, and how quickly human rights can be eroded when people stay silent. It reminded us why learning about the Holocaust – and, crucially, understanding how it came to happen – is still so vital today. 

Leaving Auschwitz, we carried with us a complex mix of emotions: overwhelming sadness for the lives lost; gratitude for the chance to learn directly from history; determination to speak out against hatred in all its forms. This visit will undoubtedly stay with us forever, and we are deeply grateful that we had the opportunity to learn in such a powerful and meaningful way. 

Sylvie and Georgia, Year 13  

Many thanks as always to you all for your continued support of the school and a special thanks to Sylvie and Georgia for sharing their thoughts; I hope you all have a good weekend. 

Michael Wright 

Headteacher 

Please find this week's key messages below.   

Sixth Form 

We would like to offer a huge well done to all our Year 13 students for the mature and focused way in which they have approached their mock exams over the past two weeks. It has been an intensive period, but one that will undoubtedly support them as they move into the final, crucial months of teaching and learning before their summer exams. 

Our Year 12 students have also risen impressively to the challenge of their second round of formal assessments, demonstrating strong independent study habits and an excellent attitude throughout. They are now turning their attention to organising or finalising their work‑experience placements for April, with many students already securing excellent opportunities. This week, we also launched our Broadening Horizons Award, designed to develop students' academic skills, deepen their subject knowledge, and encourage engagement in a wide range of super‑curricular activities. 

It has been a genuine pleasure to meet with over 100 of our Year 11 students (alongside a number of very welcome external applicants) over the past two weeks as we completed our sixth‑form interviews. It has been a privilege to hear about their interests and ambitions. We are delighted that so many are planning to join us in September, and we wish all Year 11 students the very best of luck in their upcoming mock and final exams. 

Mrs King, Head of Sixth Form 

Fram Robotics 

Fram Robotics is a hugely popular extra-curricular club, and our VEX V5 teams have been particularly successful, qualifying for the UK National Championships for two years running. Our students will be representing Framwellgate School in the National VEX Robotics Finals during the February half-term. 

We are extremely grateful for previous contributions from parents, carers and friends of the school, and charitable grants from the Reece Foundation and the Lord Crew Charity. This year, we have already invested in a tournament arena, match control equipment and an additional robot kit, which will all be put to good use for many years to come. More information on the teams is available via the links below, and photos and videos of recent events are posted on our Instagram site. 

Fram VEX Robotics Fundraising - JustGiving  

https://www.robotevents.com/teams/V5RC/10042F 

https://www.robotevents.com/teams/V5RC/10042H 

https://www.instagram.com/fram_computer_science/ 

Taking part in the VEX V5 competition every year is expensive because the game changes each season, so the robots need to be able to perform different tasks, and parts wear out or break, which in turn requires funds to buy replacement parts and additional equipment if teams are to continue to compete at the highest level. 

Thank you in advance for your support. We guarantee that your donations will be put to good use! 

Mr Earnshaw, Teacher of Computer Science

 Locket Widget  

You may be aware of a new trend known as the Locket. Locket is a widget that is designed to let people share photos instantly with other users they have connected with. Instead of sending photos via an app, the photos automatically appear on the other person’s phone screen on the ‘widget’. It’s a bit like a private social media platform on your home screen. Locket is free to download but offers in-app purchases. 

How does it work? 

Users can choose up to 20 friends to connect with, all of whom must also have downloaded the Locket Widget app. Once connected, the users’ photos are shared with each other via their phone’s home screen widget. Essentially, users are allowing contacts to place pictures directly onto each other’s iPhone home screen. 

We would like to highlight some important safeguarding concerns and risks associated with this. 

Weak Age Verification:   

Locket’s terms of service says that a user must be 13 years of age or older to create an account or use the services. However, there is no age verification process. Users simply have to tick a box agreeing that they have parental permission to use it. For children who are eager to use the widget, they could simply tick this box and continue to use Locket. 

No Parental Controls: 

A child or young person could be vulnerable to seeing inappropriate images as photographs will appear instantly on their phone, without further permission needed to send, receive, or view them.      

Image Sharing: 

Once an image is sent, there is no way to retrieve or delete it. The other user will have access to the photo in their history and on their widget. Once it has been sent, there isn’t a way to take it back via the widget. 

In the terms and conditions, it states that all photos uploaded can be reused by Locket for other purposes, such as for marketing use. Although this may not be a likely scenario, it’s worth noting, as children and young people may not realise this or fully understand how their images may be used, so please be aware of the risks involved and monitor your child’s online activity regularly. 

More information can be found here: What is Locket? - Ineqe Safeguarding Group 

Mrs Osborne, Director of Safeguarding 

A Message from a Channel 4 Production Company 

"Channel 4’s ‘The Dog House’ is looking for local families to offer a loving home to a rescue dog and share their reasons why on the show! If you’re interested, find out more here: https://c4thedoghousetakepart.co.uk or email thedoghouse@fivemilefilms.co.uk."  

Year 11 Summer Study Leave 

All Year 11 students will be expected to attend school and all timetabled lessons until Friday 22nd May. A leavers’ assembly will be held for students on this final day. Further details and information will follow from the year team. A quick-tips and grade booster timetable that will support students while completing exams in school will follow. 

Year 11 Leavers’ Prom 

The prom will take place on Monday 29th June at Ramside Hall. Invitations will be sent at a later date. Students are required to have 2000 positive achievement points to receive their invitation. Students’ behaviour and attendance will also be taken into account by the year team and SLT. Any further queries about the prom will be addressed by the year team. 

Summer 2026 Exams – Contingency Day 

All students taking GCSE, AS, or A‑Level examinations in summer 2026 must be available up to and including Wednesday 24th June 2026. 

This date is known as the contingency day. It is set nationally by the exam boards and the Department for Education as a safeguard. 

The contingency day is only used if there is a major disruption that prevents an examination from taking place as scheduled. This could include events such as: 

  • severe weather 

  • widespread transport disruption 

  • a national emergency 

If such a disruption occurs, affected examinations may be rescheduled to this contingency date. 

Students should therefore avoid making travel or other commitments that would prevent them from being available on this date. 

Mrs Mersh-Roberts, Deputy Headteacher

 Raising Achievement Sessions (RAS) 

RAS started 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 of 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 of 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 reminding them of this information and the process. 

Miss Lutynski, Assistant Headteacher 

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