Durham High School
End of Week Newsletter
Issue 25 – 30 March 2025
Dear Parents
May I apologise for the newsletter reaching you on Monday, rather than the end of the week. It has been an incredibly busy week at the High School, with lots of evening events, including the fabulous Parents and Friends Family Easter Quiz on Friday. It was a super evening, and our Parents and Friends Association were over joyed with the support for the event. It was great to see so many more families, staff and girls than last year. Thank you to our parent body who donated chocolate eggs for prizes for the raffle. To the bakers of beautiful, sweet treats you truly outdid yourselves! A big thank you to returning parent, Mrs Powell and Matthew her son for leading the quiz so brilliantly. We are excited to share that the event raised a fantastic £558.50!
Thursday evening was another delightful event which really showcased our Durham High Community and the dedication and commitment of staff and girls in Year 5 to Upper Sixth to the sporting life of school. Mrs Slane, our inspirational Director of Sport and the PE department gave parents, staff and girls, a fantastic Sports Presentation evening, at Ramside Hall Hotel, highlighting the sports round up for the year to date. It was our pleasure to welcome back Mica McNeill, a Durham High Old Girl, Olympic Silver Medallist and British Bobsledder to share her incredible story from the netball courts and hockey pitches at the High School, to the icy tracks of the Winter Olympics. Mica showed us all that success isn’t just about talent- it’s about resilience, determination and taking every opportunity that comes your way. Mica’s story is a powerful reminder that where you start does not define where you go. She didn’t just follow the welltrodden path, she carved out her own, pushing the boundaries for British Women in Bobsleigh and proving with hard work, records can be broken, and history can be made!
Mica left strong messages for everyone attending the event. Whether in sport, academics or any passion you pursue, “don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and give it a go. Say yes to challenges, embrace the setbacks as lessons, and most importantly, hold onto your self-belief and don’t underestimate yourself!” You can read more in the body of the newsletter.
Congratulations to all our Prep girls who gave their all in the Prep Swimming Gala at Freeman’s Quay on Friday. I was disappointed not to see the swimming but did make it in time for the prize giving. We had some excellent personal bests and school records broken by: India (Year 5) in Breaststroke, Zaria (Year 5) Butterfly and again in the Individual Medley. Well done to Tempest who were the overall winners. Thank you to Miss Cartwright and the PE staff for organising such a special event.
This week we heard from our second group of Lower Sixth girls, wishing to be considered for a place on the Prefect Team. Following the two hustings, Mrs Wheeler and I carried out interviews on Wednesday. Twenty Four girls have applied for positions, and it is not going to be an easy decision to make, with so many passionate and driven girls competing for these leadership roles. We are incredibly proud of their confidence and commitment to making a difference in our school. Best of luck to all as we move towards the final stages of the selection process this week.
Thank you to all the parents who have supported us at the many events and fixtures we have had in school this week. We know it isn’t always easy for you, but your support is hugely appreciated!
Together, we celebrate the incredible mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures who support, inspire, and nurture our girls every day. Your love, strength, and guidance make all the difference. Wishing you a wonderful Mother’s Day filled with love and appreciation.
To our Muslim families, who are celebrating Eid al-Fitr on Sunday, Eid Mubarak! Peace be upon you all.
I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the Year 7 and 8 Musical, Matilda Junior this week. It is going to be phenomenal. If you haven’t booked your tickets yet, there a very limited numbers available by booking here
Best wishes
Mrs Michelle Hill Headmistress
Co-Education Questions and Parent Forums
Thank you to the parents who have emailed questions or themes, either individually or collectively, in response to Durham High School moving to co-education. We are committed to working with our parents and will consider all themes in good faith, addressing them in the parent forums on Thursday at 4pm and Friday at 9am. If you haven’t submitted your questions, please do so by 12pm on Tuesday 1 April by emailing parents@dhsfg.org.uk
May I take this opportunity to remind you that the parent forums are only for existing parents. We will provide opportunities for Grandparents and Old Girls in due cause. To book your place, please click here. The bookings will close on Tuesday 1 April at 12pm. Unfortunately, if you haven’t booked a place, we can’t guarantee you a seat due to fire regulations. If we reach our capacity for one event, we will need to close bookings for that event, but you would be welcome to attend the other session
World Maths Day Fun in Pre-Prep & Prep!
Our Pre-Prep and Prep girls put their problem-solving skills to the test as they celebrated World Maths Day with a range of engaging activities!
The morning began in the Prep Computing Room, where pupils explored interactive maths challenges using technology. The excitement continued in the Year 6 classroom, where students worked together on problemsolving tasks, strengthening their reasoning and logic.
To round off the celebrations, Year 5 and Reception teamed up in the Reception classroom for a lively session of maths games. It was wonderful to see our older girls supporting the younger ones, making maths fun and interactive for all! Year 6 also had the special opportunity to visit Nursery, where they played maths games with the youngest members of our school, sharing their enthusiasm and knowledge.
World Maths Day was a fantastic opportunity for our girls to develop their numerical skills, think critically, and most importantly have fun with maths! Well done to everyone who took part.
8D Bring the French Revolution to Life!
After a term of studying the French Revolution, 8D put their knowledge into action by preparing and performing short drama pieces on the trial and execution of Louis XVI. Through their creative interpretations, students explored the key arguments, emotions, and events surrounding this historic moment.
This immersive approach allowed them to deepen their understanding of the revolution while developing their performance and critical thinking skills. A fantastic way to bring history to life well done, 8D!
Nursery Mini Bus Washing
There was a lot of water and giggles involved as some of our Nursery girls took on washing our school minibus. It’s fair to say an exclusion zone was in place. The girls have been doing a project on people in school who help others, and we are extremely grateful for our Transport team who make sure those who travel by minibus are safe and get to where they need to on time. We’re not too sure how clean the minibus was at the end of this session but we do know that it was a lot of fun!
In English lessons, girls from year 7 to 10 have been taking part in Poetry by Heart: a national poetry speaking competition for schools and colleges. The girls were asked to learn a poem of their choosing by heart to recite for their class. The winners from each class performed in a school final to select our top three to enter the national competition. We enjoyed a wide range of funny, moving performances, seeing girls challenge and surprise themselves. Learning poetry by heart has many cognitive
Poetry By Heart
benefits, but we hope it has also helped to develop confidence and pleasure in reading poetry.
Sports Presentation Evening
A special mention and heartfelt thanks to our incredible Sports Department, who once again organised a fantastic evening celebrating the sporting successes of all our girls. The Sports Awards Evening was a true testament to the dedication and talent shown across a wide range of disciplines throughout the year.
A wide variety of accolades were handed out across many sports including Tennis, Cricket, Netball, Football, and Hockey – each award thoroughly well deserved. It was a wonderful occasion to recognise the achievements of individual athletes and teams, as well as to express our gratitude to the dedicated PE teachers and staff who support our pupils every step of the way.
The evening was not only a celebration of sporting excellence but also of the vibrant, empowering environment our Sports Department continues to foster. Well done to all involved! Thank you to Ramside Hall Hotel for their hospitality.
Sports Update
Year 6 and 7 Shine at Padel Festival!
Well done to Ananya, Lydia, Shaan, Eva, Lemma, and Valeriia in Year 6 and 7, who represented Durham High at a Padel festival on Tuesday! The girls took part in activities to learn the rules of the game before putting their skills into practice in competitive matches. They had a fantastic time and thoroughly enjoyed the experience great work!
Netball Update
A huge well done to the U11 and U10 netball teams who played against St. Margaret's C of E School on Friday, marking our last netball games of the season. It was a brilliant afternoon of netball, and all teams showed great determination, skill, and teamwork. The effort and sportsmanship were outstanding, and it was a pleasure to watch everyone play. We finished with three wins, one draw, and two losses. Opposition Player of the Matches were awarded to India, Mia, Laura, Sienna, Lucy, and Zaria. Well done also to Coaches' Players Bea, Tara, Nancy, and Shaan.
On Tuesday, Year 5 and Year 6 enjoyed a wonderful afternoon in the sunshine playing House Netball. The matches were filled with excitement and didn’t disappoint, with some incredibly close games throughout the day.
A huge congratulations to Tempest, the overall winners, followed by Neville in second place, Booth in third, and Heath in fourth place.
Well done to all the girls you played brilliantly, and it was fantastic to see such great teamwork on display!
A-Level Drama Spotlight
Fienna, April, and Sophie, all Lower Sixth students, delivered a stunning performance of Brontë this week as part of their A-Level Drama and Theatre Studies Making Theatre unit. Their emotive and captivating portrayal brought the characters to life, showcasing their talent and dedication to their craft.
As part of their assessment, they will perform three plays from different genres and time periods this was a fantastic start. Well done to all three for an outstanding performance!
Prep Swimming Gala 2025
A huge well done to all the girls who took part in the Prep Swimming Gala for Years 4-6! It was a fabulous morning watching the girls showcase the incredible progress they’ve made in their swimming lessons. Their hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm were truly evident in every race.
A special congratulations to Tempest, who were the overall winners of the event well done to all the girls who contributed to this fantastic achievement!
The morning was filled with exciting races, impressive strokes, and plenty of team spirit as the girls gave it their all in the pool. Their hard work, determination, and enthusiasm shone through, making it a truly memorable event. A big thank you to all the staff and supporters who cheered them on your encouragement made the day even more special.
Rowing Success for Year 9
A huge congratulations to Poppy and Hannah in Year 9 for their outstanding performance at the recent Ponteland Head Race. Competing against two strong crews from Tees Rowing Club and St Leonards, the girls demonstrated exceptional teamwork and determination. Rowing with skill and precision, they secured an impressive 1st place finish with a remarkable time of 11 minutes and 2 seconds finishing more than 20 seconds ahead of their competitors. Poppy took on the vital role of stroke, setting the rhythm and pace for the race, while Hannah expertly navigated from the bow seat. A fantastic achievement – well done, girls!
Sharing the Spirit of Ramadan
This week, some of our students who celebrate Ramadan led a special assembly to share the meaning and significance of this holy month with the rest of the school. They spoke about the principles of fasting, reflection, and charity, helping everyone gain a deeper understanding of why Ramadan is so important to Muslims around the world.
The assembly was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate diversity within our school community, encourage empathy, and foster respect for different traditions. Well done to the students for their insightful and engaging presentation!
Careers Talks – A&E Consultant
A special thank you to Dr Kirtley, parent and ‘Old Girl’ who took the time to come into school and deliver a Careers talk about her journey from Durham High to A&E Consultant. A well-attended session, Dr Kirtley shared the harsh realities of the pathway into the profession, from full days of lectures to the multiple exams that need to be passed as well as the outcome of being a professional in a fast moving and rewarding career. Thank you Dr Kirtley for your professional insight and inspiration!
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!
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.
Key Dates up to the Easter Holidays
Please check the events calendar on our website for further dates.
Date Event Time (if relevant)
31 March Opening Night of Matilda Junior (Y7 and 8 Musical) 7.00 pm -9.30pm 1 April Year 9 Science Durham University Trip 9.00am-12.30pm
4 April School Closes for Easter Holiday Normal end of the day