Durham High School
End of Week Newsletter
Issue 24 – 23 March 2025
Dear Parents
We have enjoyed yet another brilliant week here at school, combining fun and learning across all areas of the curriculum. It’s always a pleasure to see the girls embracing opportunities with such enthusiasm, and this week has been no exception.
On Monday, our Senior Department took part in their Study Skills Workshops, led by Elevate Education, in preparation for Exam Week in May. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and are already beginning to practise the techniques during tutor time activities. I do hope that those of you who were able to join the parent webinar also found it helpful in supporting your daughter both in the lead-up to exams and throughout the revision process. A heartfelt thank you once again to our generous Parents and Friends Association for funding this invaluable experience for the girls.
Tuesday brought a flurry of excitement as our ‘Robo Queens’ and ‘She Can Code Society’ competed in the Regional Lego League. I am absolutely delighted to share that the ‘Robo Queens’ were awarded the ‘Core Values Award’ for their exceptional demonstration of teamwork, respect and enthusiasm throughout the event. Meanwhile, the ‘She Can Code Society’ won the ‘Best Innovation Project Award’ and secured an impressive 2nd place overall in the regional competition. This is an incredible achievement particularly as it marks our first year of entering the event. My congratulations to both teams! You can read more about the competition from Miss Turner in the main section of the newsletter.
It was equally wonderful to witness the talents of our Year 5 and 6 girls during their Music Concert this week. The girls performed with great confidence, showcasing a variety of ensemble and solo pieces. From dynamic drumbeats and electric guitar solos to beautiful vocal performances, it truly was a joy to watch. Thank you to everyone who came along to support the event it was lovely to chat with so many of you afterwards. My thanks also to Mrs Crinson, our Joint Head of Music, and to all our visiting peripatetic teachers for preparing the girls so expertly.
Best wishes
Mrs Michelle Hill Headmistress
Finally, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to our U13 Netballers, who delivered a superb performance to win the Tyne and Wear Tournament. A fantastic result and a testament to their dedication and teamwork well done, girls!
Wishing you all a good week ahead.
School Announcement regarding school fees and Co-Education
Please ensure you check your emails for an important letter outlining our fee structure and changes to sibling discounts for the academic year 2025-2026 and exciting developments for the future of Durham High School.
Mr Nick Grenfell Marten and the Senior Leadership Team are available on Thursday 3 April at 4pm and Friday 4 April at 9am, should any existing parents wish to come and ask any questions regarding our Co-Education plans, in an open forum setting.
We are here to listen, and we would encourage you to send any questions you would like addressing in this meeting to: headmistress@dhsfg.org.uk beforehand. Please book your place here.
If any of our existing parents wish to enquire about their son joining Durham High School, we are holding an open week and places can be booked here.
Matilda the Musical- Book your tickets
It is almost showtime. The girls continue to work super hard to provide us with a super show. Tickets are available by booking here
Open Morning feedback
Thank you to all our staff and pupils for the parts they played last weekend at our Open Morning. We have had some super feedback, including the comments below:
I was very impressed with Durham High; the facilities we saw were of a high standard; we had some excellent student guides, and the staff were very friendly and welcoming.
A massive thank you for Saturday morning. We were made to feel so welcome, xxxx loved looking around and xxxxx was certainly impressed by absolutely everything. It really was a lovely and very informative morning.
The girls, were an absolute credit to the school. Such lovely, kind and polite girls who made a real impact on xxxx. They were the type of girls we hope xxxx will be one day. Please pass on another massive thank you to both girls.
Year 3 and 4 Segedunum History Excitement
Last Friday, Year 3 and 4 visited Segedunum as part of their History topic on the Romans.
As part of the day, the girls took part in an exciting workshop where they pretended to be new recruits in the Roman Army. They learned how to march and drill for a battle and attended a kit training session where Miss Skelton dressed up in some
very heavy armour! The girls found out about the different jobs they would be expected to do, handled an original artefact found at the fort and asked many fantastic questions. After the most awaited part of the day (lunch!), the girls climbed the stairs to the Tower to view the Fort site. They then enjoyed fieldwork around the Fort itself and visiting the final part of Hadrian’s Wall – just a stone’s throw from the fort. The day finished with a trip to the Roman Gallery. The girls enjoyed exploring the exhibits which focussed on Sedgedunum’s place within the Roman Empire and the Hadrian’s Wall frontier. The girls had a brilliant day steeped in History. They were
inquisitive and represented our school so well, we are incredibly proud of them!
Success at the Regional First Lego League Competition!
On Tuesday, 18 March, two teams from our school took part in the Regional First Lego League competition at Aspire Technologies in Gateshead. This was an exciting first-time experience for both teams; Robo Queens from Prep and She Can Code Society from Seniors, and they represented our school with incredible enthusiasm and skill.
Both teams were fantastic ambassadors, impressing venue staff with their kindness, consideration, and teamwork. At the end of the day, our pupils went above and beyond by helping tidy not only their own pit areas but also the event’s activities. Their gracious professionalism was evident throughout, particularly during the robot games, where they gained confidence and improved across the three rounds.
After lunch, both teams presented their innovation projects and robot designs to the judges. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with judges commending their clear explanations, passion for their projects, and the development of their skills over the past year.
At the awards ceremony, ‘Robo Queens’ were delighted to receive the Core Values Award for their outstanding demonstration of teamwork, respect, and enthusiasm throughout the event. Meanwhile, ‘She Can Code Society’ was thrilled to win the Best Innovation Project Award. A special highlight was the organiser's comment that the judges, who have been part of this competition for years, said that “the innovation project presented by She Can Code Society was the best they had ever seen”, which is a testament to the dedication and effort of every girl on the team.
Additionally, She Can Code Society secured an impressive 2nd place overall in the regional event. The team is eager to continue developing their skills over the summer term as they prepare for the next season in September.
We are excited to expand our robotics programmes next year! Places will be available in
‘Robo Queens’ for Year 5 and 6 and ‘She Can Code Society’ for Senior girls. In addition, we are looking forward to launching a new KS4 Robotics Team in the upcoming academic year.
Congratulations to both teams on their incredible achievements, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for our school’s young engineers!
There were so many lovely photos of the day we have created an album which you can view here
Nursery Stay & Play Session
A heartfelt thank you to all the wonderful parents, both prospective and current, who joined us for our recent Nursery Stay and Play event. It was a joy to see the little ones exploring, learning, and having fun. The sunshine made it even more special, allowing us to enjoy some fantastic outdoor activities too.
We hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into life at Durham High Nursery and experiencing the warm, nurturing environment we provide for our youngest learners.
Book our next Stay and Play event on 13 May, we would love to welcome you again soon.
Congratulations to our U13 and U15 Swimming teams on their impressive performances at the Tyne and Wear Swimming Gala. The girls represented our school with pride and raced brilliantly against swimmers from Dame Allan’s School, Newcastle High School, RGS and Whitburn Academy
Senior Sports Update
Our U18 team played in the Easter Netball Tournament hosted by Durham School marking the end of their Netball season. This was an opportunity to enjoy three highly competitive games, and the team gave a focused and determined performance. This was the last time our Upper Sixth players will represent the High School on the netball court. We would like to thank them for their years of dedication, and we hope they continue to enjoy the game in the future.
Our U12 Football Team showcased their skills at the Tyne and Wear Football Tournament on Wednesday night. They played outstanding football, made incredible tackles, and scored a fantastic goal! The girls gave their all in every game, securing a 1-0 victory against St. Thomas Moore B Team. Despite their best efforts, they narrowly lost their other three matches, but their determination and teamwork were truly commendable! Well done!'
Prep Sports News
What a fantastic display of netball from the U11A team at the NHSFG Invitational Tournament! Out of 8 teams, the girls came joint third, and this placement was well and truly deserved based on their performances. Well done to the players nominated by the team; India, Olivia, Sofia and Tara and coaches player was Bea. Well done girls!
Pre-Prep and Prep Pupils of the Week
This week’s Pupils of the Week in Pre-Prep and Prep were:
Nursery: Harriet Mc for lots of smiles and non-stop talking (where once she was shy and quiet!)
Reception: Jessica for super sound work especially in recognising rhyming words.
Y1&2: Georgia for lots of imagination and great vocabulary in her writing and for participation in our trip to Seven Stories.
Y3&4: Mina for writing a wonderful recount of our trip to Segedunum. It was packed with expert vocabulary.
Y5: Rosie for being a fantastic guide on Open Morning, for performing confidently at this week’s Music Concert and for her teamwork in the Robo Queen’s competition.
Y6: Sienna for always displaying a good attitude towards her work both in school and at home; her homework is always completed beautifully and to a high standard.
Mrs Hopper presented Ananya in Year 6 with a Headteacher’s Award for speaking so confidently at last week’s Open Morning.
Future Business Magnates
In addition, Rose’s hard work with her Buddy was recognised.
Verity was this week’s Lingotot’s Star of the Week.
Outside of school, Seren MT’s skiing success and Lily’s results from her recent dancing exams were celebrated.
marketing, selling, and presentation skills, all while aligning their work with the FBM Year 8 competition theme. This initiative helps raise awareness of the Business Competition organised by Business Durham, which students will have the opportunity to enter in Year 8.
The event wrapped up with a winning team, who impressed the judges with their innovative
This week our Year 7 girls took part in the FBM Freshers Workshop. It was an exciting afternoon filled with enterprise activities! The workshop challenged pupils to solve everyday problems, from missing socks to improving rain-soaked umbrellas, through creativity and teamwork.
Throughout the day, pupils explored idea generation, design development,
solution and were rewarded with a voucher to spend on the High Street!
Looking ahead, our Year 8 FBM team will be launching their business idea on 21 May at Beamish Museum. We would love your support come along and cast your vote for us!
Bonjour! Celebrating French Language Day at Durham High
At Durham High, we believe in the power of language learning from an early age. Our Nursery and Reception girls start their French journey with Lingotots at just three years old, laying the foundation for a lifelong love of languages.
To celebrate French Language Day, our youngest learners joined their French teacher to share a joyful “Bonjour! Happy French Language Day!” in a special video. Learning French not only enhances communication skills but also fosters cultural appreciation and global awareness et c’est fantastique! Take a look on our social media to see our little linguists in action!
Sixth form Prefect Hustings Round 1
On Friday in assembly, our girls in Lower Sixth gave their speeches to the school as part of the selection process for the Sixth Form Prefect Team, including the positions of Head Girl, Deputy Head Girl, House Captain, Sports Captain, School Council Prefect, Mental Health Prefect, to name but a few. Each girl shared very eloquently why they should be elected and what new initiatives they were going to introduce. We look forward to Monday’s Hustings, where we will hear from the rest of the girls applying for positions. Good Luck to everyone it is going to be a very hard decision.
Embracing Sustainability at Durham High
This Earth Hour, millions around the world switched off the lights and took a moment to reflect on the impact we have on our planet.
One of the ways we’re making a difference is by recycling our cooking fuel to create biodiesel a greener alternative to fossil fuels. By turning waste into energy, we are reducing our environmental footprint and embracing innovative solutions for a more sustainable future.
Earth Hour is a reminder that small actions can lead to big change. Whether it’s switching off unnecessary lights, reducing waste, or making more eco-conscious choices, we can all play a part in protecting our planet.
Netball Camps Return to Durham High School This Easter!
Netball Camps are returning to Durham High School during the Easter holidays, now open to pupils aged 8-12 years. The camp will run on Thursday, 10th April; Tuesday, 15th April; and Thursday, 24th April, from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM. The camp is open to all girls both those who attend Durham High School and girls who attend other schools. Activities will include games, group drills, individual player development, and plenty of match play. To book a place for your daughter click here, or email NetballCoachingCamps@gmail.com for further information.
Parents and Friends Association upcoming events. Easter Quiz
Tickets are now available for this year's Easter Quiz! Join us for this beloved family event in the Main Hall at 6pm on Friday, 28 March 25. It is open to the entire school community where no question is too challenging, and no child is too young to participate! You can purchase tickets through the following link: https://form.jotform.com/250574654243357
Come and put your Easter knowledge to the test, enjoy engaging games, and, as always, participate in a game of Bingo! We will also be selling raffle tickets during the evening for our fantastic Easter Raffle, offering prizes that range from adorable stuffed bunnies to gourmet chocolates.
If you can contribute any Easter Eggs for the raffle, we would greatly appreciate it. Please ensure that all donations are submitted to the school Reception by Friday, March 21st.
Annual
School Ball – A Night
to
Remember! Join us on May 3rd for our Hollywood Glamour Ball! It’s the perfect opportunity to get together with friends and celebrate as a school community Don’t miss out tickets are now available! Scan the QR code below to get yours today. We can’t wait to see you there!
Key Dates up to the Easter Holidays
Please check the events calendar on our website for further dates. Date
24 March Year 9 HPV Vaccination
24 March Year 7 Parents’ Evening 4.30pm – 7pm
–
– 9pm
2 April Matilda Junior (Y7 and 8 Musical) 7.00 pm -9.30pm
4 April Year 10, 11 and Lower Sixth Grade sheets to parents
4 April School Closes for Easter Holiday Normal end of the day