Dear Parents, Carers and Families,
In my assembly to Year 9 students on Monday this week, I spoke about the Dunnes Stores strike in 1984. The then 21-year-old shop worker, Mary Manning, sparked a three-year boycott of South African goods when she refused to sell someone two grapefruits in protest at the apartheid regime then in power. I knew that all our Year 9 students had recently studied apartheid, so could understand the wider context, but the point I was focusing on was the power of saying no to something, something that was wrong, when the easy option in front of you was to just go along with the flow. Some of you may have seen the recent documentary “Inside the Manosphere” and I suggested to Year 9 that some of the issues with the men featured in this programme was that they didn’t say no to anything, deliberately wanted to be seen as having no limits and pushed things to extremes, looking for acceptance and therefore, in my opinion, were actually quite sad individuals as nothing they did seemed to bring them any calm or solitude. There’s a dignity in the calm, quiet resolution of people like Mary Manning that I admire, but seems entirely absent from some of these cartoon-like online figures.
Fortunately, most of our students don’t feel the need to live at any end of these extremes. I’ve spoken this week to a young man about his pet dog and how much he loves taking her for walks, and how she curls up on his lap on the sofa in the house, even though “my mam doesn’t like him on the chairs”. I’ve heard a thousand variations on the conversations that will have been had across the North East following the derby day football last weekend – my favourite line by far being the young man who told his Newcastle supporting friend it was “Daylight Brobbery”, a line I think he’d taken from elsewhere, but still a great one. And I’ve come across a group of 6th Form students who were literally practicing a dance in the corridor. The girls had the good grace to look suitably embarrassed, but they were in fairness doing the sort of normal, everyday things we want all our children to do (although maybe not in the corridor).
When we deliver assemblies like the one about Mary Manning, the aim is to educate students but also to inspire them to realise that the world is full of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. What those extraordinary things are can be different for every young person. A student spoke to me this week, upset at a recent diagnosis they’d had for a neurological condition. We talked it through together, and I said that I thought the diagnosis was positive. They had this condition the day before the diagnosis, and they still had it today. Knowing what it was maybe didn’t make it better, but it did mean that people could start to offer them the help they needed and, most importantly, that they could begin to understand why, for example, they seemed to forget things more than others and could now start to do something about that, rather than just accepting the fact that they would lose things all the time. This young person might have a slightly steeper mountain to climb than others, but with calm, quiet resolution, they’ll get to the top.
This is the last update of this term as the school closes for the Easter break next Thursday. We open as normal for students on Monday 20th April.
Many thanks as always to you all 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 Parents
The parents and carers of Year 6 students across Durham received their secondary school places this week. We’ll be sharing information with all our key primary schools but if this applies to you, please visit this section of our website: Transition | Framwellgate School Durham
Parent Neurodevelopmental Information Evening
We havea large number of students who are, or could be, neurodivergent, and the waiting lists for assessment are lengthy. In school, we work on a ‘needs led’ basis rather than a ‘diagnosis led’ one, which means that we consider the needs of students who may be neurodivergent and try to put appropriate support in place. In addition to the support that school can offer, there are a number of agencies who can support students and their families while they await an assessment, or once a diagnosis has been given.
We are holding an Information Evening for parents on Wednesday 29th April at the Sjovoll Centre at 6pm. School staff will be present, along with representatives from the SEND and Inclusion Team, to advise on the support available in school and in the community.
Mrs Forrest, SENCo
Parking
A local resident has been in touch to ask us to remind people to be considerate in their parking, specifically on Priory Road, but we would extend that to all of the local residential streets.
Upcoming Assessment Dates
KS3 Assessment Week will take place during lesson time, in the week beginning Monday 1st June.
Year 10 Option Subjects' Assessments will take place in lesson time between Monday 20th April and Friday 8th May.
Year 10 Core Mock Exams in the Main Hall will take place from Monday 27th April to Thursday 30th April.
An assessment timetable can be found here: Exams | Framwellgate School Durham
Year 12 Mock Exams will take place during week beginning 30th March and the week beginning 20th April at the Sjovoll Centre.
Summer GCSE/A level/BTEC Examinations
Students will receive their personal timetable over the next two weeks. A general overview of the examinations can be found here: Exams | Framwellgate School Durham
Children's Online Safety
Over the past couple of weeks, you may have been following the ongoing national debate surrounding children’s online safety.
This intensified after MPs voted to reject a House of Lords amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that proposed a blanket ban on social media use for under-16s. However, the Commons did support a government amendment granting the Science Secretary powers to introduce future restrictions or bans, thereby leaving open the possibility of further action.
The Government has also launched a consultation titled Growing up in the online world: a national consultation, which seeks views on how best to support children in navigating an increasingly digital and rapidly evolving technological landscape. Proposals under consideration include potential age restrictions on social media and related services – such as gaming platforms and AI chatbots – alongside measures to limit addictive design features, reduce exposure to harmful functionalities, and strengthen support for parents and families. You can access the consultation here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/growing-up-in-the-online-world-a-national-consultation
Upon following the link, you will find a range of surveys tailored to different audiences. There is a survey for parents and carers of young people under 21, as well as a separate survey for children and young people aged 10 to 21, which your child may wish to complete.
For participants aged 15 and under, parental consent is required. Parents must complete the initial section before their child can proceed to share their views.
This consultation presents a valuable opportunity for both you and our students to contribute meaningfully to a conversation of significant importance, ensuring that your perspectives help shape future policy in this critical area of online safety, and I felt it was important to share this with parents and carers as an opportunity to have your voices heard on an issue that matters deeply to many of us.
Mrs Osborne, Director of Safeguarding
Year 11 Easter RAS
During the Easter break, students need to keep on top of their revision and exam prep, as well as have a well-earned rest. To help, many teachers have offered to run sessions to help focus students during this holiday period, as some may find it difficult to revise at home and prefer to come into school to work with friends and subject specialists. Please see below a comprehensive Easter study programme that all Year 11 students can access during the upcoming Easter holiday.
Please look at this with your child and decide together which sessions they are able to attend. Students can then factor this into their own revision schedules and start to plan their Easter break to make the most of this time.
To attend - students must use the link sent out to them via ClassCharts
Miss Lutynski, Assistant Headteacher
GCSE Photography Exams
- Monday 30th March and Wednesday 1st April
It is essential that all pupils are in school on these allocated exam days and that they arrive fully prepared with all of their prep work and materials they need for the two days.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Mr Carney, Curriculum Leader of Art & Design
Progress Evening
Year 8 - Thursday 7th May
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
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.
For information about different A-Level and GCSE exam boards and programmes of study, please follow this link: Exams | Framwellgate School Durham