Dear Parents, Carers and Families,
This week’s update is shorter than usual as we ask you to engage with us.
In November, we ran a Parent and Carer Survey and at the time promised to re-run it in June so that we can pick out trends over the course of the school year. We are also committed to doing this twice a year going forward. You can access the survey here at the link below.
Parent and Carer Survey June 2026 - Framwellgate School Durham
The survey is a version of the standard Ofsted parent survey that they issue when they inspect a school, but we’re running this for our own internal benefit. The survey will be open from today, Friday 12th June, until Friday 26th June. Brief feedback will be shared with you all prior to the summer holidays.
You can find the feedback we shared from the November survey here: Headteacher's Update 05.12.25 | Framwellgate School Durham
Please note that at the end of the survey, there are two open text boxes. Please feel free to fill these in, but note that the survey is anonymous, so we won’t be able to respond. We recommend that people use the contact section of our website to communicate when they want a direct response. You can find that section of our website here: Contact Us | Framwellgate School Durham
Some of you will have multiple children in school. Please feel free to complete the survey multiple times if that’s the case. I appreciate that you may have had different experiences and, therefore, views of the school relative to where your children find themselves on their educational journey.
Many thanks in advance to all of you who’ll take the time to complete the survey, it’s really helpful for us as a school to have an honest picture of how the school is seen by you all.
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.
Library fundraising
We have been partnering with The Sir Tom Allen Assembly Rooms and Collected Bookshop in Durham to raise money to buy books for our Library this year. We've held two fundraising projects so far and we received the news this week that the latest project (going to see Julius Caesar and Be More Chill), raised an incredible £964. This is way more than we had been hoping for! We are ordering some great Non-Fiction books and Manga novels to improve our selection - head to the Library to see what's new!
Thank you to everyone who has been to see a production this year, it has been a fantastic partnership for us and I hope you have enjoyed seeing some great young talent at the theatre.
Watch this space for the next project!
Mrs Morgan, LRC and Library Officer
Rewards Evening
Our whole school awards evening will take place on Thursday 18th June at the Gala Theatre in Durham, 6.00-8.00pm. Information has been sent out to parents and carers. It will be an excellent night of celebration, recognising the hard work and positive attitudes of our wonderful students.
Mr Sands, Curriculum Leader for PE, Sport and Health
End of Year Art Exhibition Invitation
You are warmly invited to our End of Year Art Show, celebrating the fantastic work of our Year 10, 11, 12 and 13 students.
The exhibition will take place on Friday 10th July from 4.30pm until 8.30pm.
This is a wonderful opportunity to see the creativity, skill, and dedication our students have shown throughout the year. As well as examination groups, work from students who have taken part in Art during Enrichment Week will also be showcased.
Everyone is very welcome to attend, and we hope you can join us in supporting and celebrating our students’ achievements.
Mr Carney, Curriculum Leader: Art & Design
World Cup & Family Pressures
As we approach the World Cup, we know that this can be an exciting time for many families and young people. However, we also recognise that large sporting events can sometimes bring added pressures at home, and for some, this may increase the risk of emotions running high, family tensions and non-school attendance for students.
We want to remind you that support is available. If you or someone you know is experiencing any difficulties at this time, you are not alone, and help is there when you need it, confidentially and also anonymously. Our school is committed to safeguarding the wellbeing of all our families, and we are here to listen and support if needed.
If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can also access support through the following national services:
County Durham Drug & Alcohol Recovery Services – 03000 266666 or cddars.adult@waythrough.org.uk
Stop Domestic Abuse – 03300 533630 or advice@stopdomesticabuse.uk
National Domestic Abuse Helpline (0808 2000 247) or www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk.
To report concerns anonymously, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111
First Contact Social Services 03000 267979
If you are in immediate danger, please call 999, or 101 for non-emergencies.
We care about the safety and wellbeing of every family in our community. Please reach out if you need support.
Mrs Osborne, Director of Safeguarding
Exam Stress
During exam season, stress for students becomes more prevalent. If you’re worried about how your child is coping with the stress and worries of exams and revision, please see the links below which you may find helpful.
Exam Time & Exam Stress | Parents Guide To Support | YoungMinds
Help your child beat exam stress - NHS
Mentally Healthy Schools’ Anna Freud also shares some practical advice and resources for young people with their mental health and wellbeing through independent self-care. The link below may help students create their own self-care plan my-self-care-plan-secondary.pdf and support them emotionally and socially.
Mrs Osborne, Director of Safeguarding
Year 6 Parents
If you have a child starting with us in Year 7 in September, a reminder to visit this section of our website: Transition | Framwellgate School Durham
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:
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severe weather
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widespread transport disruption
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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:
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Knowledge organisers
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Revision checklists
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Past exam papers
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‘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.