Durham High School
End of Week Newsletter
Issue 10 – November 24, 2024
Dear Parents
What a wonderfully busy and exciting week it has been, filled with achievements, creativity, and a sense of anticipation, as we approach the festive season. The highlight for many of us is the upcoming Senior Musical, Chicago, which opens next week. I could not be prouder of the incredible effort our girls in Year 9 to Upper Sixth and staff have put into this production. Their dedication, teamwork, and talent will no doubt make it an unforgettable experience. If you haven’t already secured your tickets, don’t delay they are selling fast! You can purchase them here.
On Thursday, I was thrilled to see the confidence and professionalism displayed by our Upper Sixth girls during their Interview Evening. These sessions are not for the faint-hearted, as they are conducted by external professionals who are leaders in their respective fields. The interviewers represented a diverse range of industries, including Business, Education, Psychology, Public Health, Pharmacy, and Engineering, among others. This invaluable experience aims to prepare our students for the challenges of professional and university interviews, equipping them with confidence and practical skills for their
future endeavours. My sincere thanks to Mrs. Wheeler and our guest interviewers for making this evening such a success.
I would like to congratulate our Year 6 girls who have been working very hard, competing in the Primary Maths Challenge, run by the Mathematical Association this week. It is a fantastic way to demonstrate their problem-solving skills! Congratulations to Mariam on achieving a Gold Award, Nadia for achieving a Silver Award and Olivia T, Ananya and Alba for all achieving a Bronze Award.
In Senior Department Assembly today, we were finally able to award our Bake Off winners. Our Star Baker badges had gone missing in the post, and we had been on a mission to track them down. We finally found them in an unused mailbox. It was a real pleasure presenting the badges and certificates to our winners who have waited very patiently. You can see who our winners were further on in the newsletter.
In addition to our classroom successes, our girls have been busy embracing opportunities outside the classroom too. Year 10–Upper Sixth girls enjoyed an inspiring trip to the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show, where they interacted with textile artists, explored creative techniques, and left buzzing with ideas for their projects. When they returned it was wonderful seeing their excitement as they showed me their shopping hauls. There are going to be a lot of jewelled projects being created judging by the number of pretty beads they had purchased.
Meanwhile, our Year 3 and 4 girls visited the Centre for Life, where they dived into the wonders of space, tackled engineering challenges, and asked insightful questions during their exploration of the exhibits. I’m always so proud of the curiosity and enthusiasm our girls bring to these experiences.
On the sports front, despite some disruption due to the weather, we’ve had some great successes this week. From victories in U12 & U13 netball matches to outstanding performances at the U11 hockey tournament, it’s fantastic to see our girls’ determination and teamwork shine through.
Looking ahead to next week, I am excited to welcome you to the Christmas Fayre this Friday at 2.30pm in the Sports Hall, where our Prep Choir will begin our festivities with some Christmas songs. With Santa’s Grotto, festive stalls, and plenty of delicious treats, it promises to be an afternoon of fun and cheer for the whole family. Events like this are such a wonderful reminder of the sense of community that makes our school so special.
Finally, we are collecting sweets again to make hampers for the Feeding Families Charity. Please send any donations into Reception, marked ‘Feeding Families Donations’. All sweets must be wrapped, and vegan and Halal sweets would be very much appreciated.
I know how hard it is trying to balance home and work life, especially at this time of year, so have included at the end of the Newsletter, key dates up to the end of term. I am hoping to see you at the events, but appreciate it isn’t always possible with work commitments. We will try and take as many photos as we can so those of you who can’t join us, can view the photo galleries.
With best wishes
Road Safety Assembly
This week, Mrs Gellately’s Upper Sixth Form delivered a road safety assembly to raise awareness about the importance of staying vigilant and making responsible choices on the roads and whilst travelling as a passenger. This is especially important now as the nights grow ever darker. They highlighted essential safety tips for pedestrians, emphasising the use of Zebra and Pelican crossings, wearing reflective gear, and avoiding distractions like mobile phones. Many thanks to Mrs Gellately for her excellent cameo demonstration skills, which the girls recorded to share good road safety practice and some not so good!
Bake Off Winners
On Friday, with much trepidation, the long-awaited Bake-Off winners were announced in assembly. So, drum roll please, the winners are –
Overall Star Baker: Aroosh for her chocolate shard cake
2nd place Star Baker: Georgie for her victoria sponge with white chocolate strawberries
3rd place: Lemma for her three tier butterfly cake
Cupcake winner: Grace H for her monster cupcakes
The following girls received a special mention certificate for their presentation:
Abigail for her pumpkin cake
Annabel for her sheep cupcakes
Ginny for her white chocolate and raspberry cake
Eliana for her double decker smash cake
Rosalind for her white flower rainbow cake
Staff Star Baker was Mrs Almond for her chocolate brownies and salted caramel dipping sauce
Pre-Prep and Prep Sports Update
The week our normally busy sports schedule was a little bit disrupted due to the weather, however we still managed to get a few victories under our belt.
Senior Department Sports Update
A big thank you to our Under 11’s, who participated in the Durham High School Hockey Tournament at Maiden Castle, last Friday. Congratulations to our brilliant Year 5 and Year 6 girls for representing our U11 hockey team so well. Their hard work, dedication, and team spirit were truly impressive. Well done, girls – we are incredibly proud of you!
Our U12 and U13 netball teams secured two fantastic wins on Monday night in league matches against Durham Johnston. The U13's won 32-1 and the U12's won 10-8. This was a challenging game, and the team worked with determination and control throughout the second half to take the win. Congratulations to all players and to our Players of the Match, U12 Heidi and U13 Esmée.
Our U18 netball team gave a sterling performance at the County Schools' Netball Tournament on Wednesday. Unfortunately, not at full strength, they faced tough opposition but rose to the challenge with determination and positivity. Well done to all players and congratulations to our Players’ Player, Izzy and Coaches' Player, Ellie.
Year 5 and 6 storyteller visit.
The girls in Years 5 & 6 enjoyed listening to storyteller Elizabeth Baker, when she came into school this week. Year 6 heard about Bella, whose husband was away fighting in World War II. The girls had the opportunity to handle real artefacts including household objects and photos and to try their hand at sewing a design for a postcard. Year 5 heard about a Victorian maid called Minnie, and learnt how to
perform some of the everyday tasks servants were expected to do. Thank you to Parents and Friends for funding this opportunity
Pre-Prep and Prep Stars of the Week
This week’s Pupils of the Week in Pre-Prep and Prep were:
Nursery: Alicia for positivity and politeness and for always being friendly.
Reception: Charlotte for excellent letter formation and creativity.
Years 1 and 2: Seren M for super listening and attitude to her work and for being a kind and responsible member of the class.
Years 3 and 4: Annabelle for showing kindness to others every single day.
Year 5: Mia for amazing confidence and lovely writing in English.
Year 6: Olivia T for increased confidence in lessons.
Freya was this week’s Lingotot’s Star of the Week.
Outside of school, Neive was performer of the week at her dance school, whilst Thora was a runner up in a competition. Kira has gained her Angelfish badge in swimming.
Well done, everyone!
Senior Department Mathematician of the Month – November
Congratulations to our Mathematicians of the Month. The reasons for the nominations can be found on the Mathematician of the Month Notice Board in the Maths Corridor Well done to the following girls:
Lemma – Year 7
Katie – Year 8
Salma – Year 9
Lyla – Year 10
Freya – Year 11
Jasmine – Lower Sixth
Ruth – Upper Sixth
Years 3 and 4 Centre For Life Trip
On Tuesday 19 November, Year 3 and 4 girls visited the Centre for Life, to learn about the beauty and wonder of space. They took part in an exciting workshop called Destination Space which helped them to discover what life was like for astronauts on board the International Space Station. As part of the workshop, the girls tested the properties of materials using a range of lab equipment, took part in an engineering challenge to remove solar panels using a robot and taste tested different types of strawberries. The most exciting part was the rocket launch, even though they had to cover their ears because of the noise!
In addition to the workshop, the girls enjoyed exploring the different areas within the Centre for Life and asked many interesting questions. They particularly enjoyed visiting the festive themed planetarium and learning about local inventors at the science show.
CyberFirst Girls
All girls were wonderful role models and demonstrated endless amounts of curiosity. Miss Skelton and Mrs Ćehić were very proud of them all!
Excitement continues with our Year 8 girls as they take part in the CyberFirst Girls Competition run by GCHQ. This prestigious national competition is designed to inspire and encourage young women to explore careers in cyber security, one of the fastest growing and most vital industries today. Throughout the competition, the girls will engage in a series of fun and challenging tasks, testing their problem-solving, teamwork, and technical skills.
What do our girls think of CyberFirst?
• "It's a good opportunity to work together,” said Rosa.
• "It tests our problem-solving skills," said Kate.
• "It challenges our brains to work to the best of our ability," said Carola Elin
Future Business Magnates
Challenge two for the FBM team took our students to Beamish Museum, where they explored the fascinating world of business, marketing, and product development from the past. They also gained valuable insights into how modern museums operate and generate revenue today. This eye-opening experience sparked creative ideas for the girls as they worked on their 'Reimagining the High Street' project.
Back at school, the FBM teams Thursday session focused on team-building activities. These exercises helped participants discover each other's strengths and skills, laying the groundwork for effective teamwork and role assignments. The students will now write reports on their findings to prepare for upcoming challenges.
With new tasks every week, the FBM competition offers a fun, interactive, and competitive learning experience that continues to inspire and engage!
Many thanks to Parents and Friends who kindly organised the Prep and Pre-Prep disco on Friday 15 November. Lots of sparkles, laughter and great dance moves made it a great way to end the week.
Parents and Friends Neon Disco
Senior Department Bin Bag Fashion Show
Our Interact Club organised our annual Bin Bag Fashion Show on Friday. The theme this year was ‘Films’. Each form group decided on their film title and using recyclable bin bags, construction of the creative outfits began. I’m sure you’ll agree that a huge effort was made by each form.
Women in Entrepreneurship
On Thursday we welcomed a speaker into the school to advocate for empowering women in enterprise and entrepreneurship. With a national drive to increase the number of business startups, our Year 11 and L6 students were invited to participate in a funded Level 1 award on Social Enterprise and Skills Development through a digital accreditation programme, Understanding Enterprise, and Employment. This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone interested in enterprise, starting their own business, or engaging in social action. The course runs for seven weeks on Monday evenings, from 17:30 to 19:30, with start dates in January. As the programme is entirely online, students will need access to a computer to take part. We strongly encourage all Year 12 students to consider this exciting opportunity! For more details, please contact kim@youarefirst.co.uk
Upcoming Senior Musical Production: Chicago
A reminder that tickets are going fast for next week's senior musical which everyone in school is looking forward to. Giving the legacy of previous performances, we are feeling this year's performance is going to be talked about for months to come. It would be great if you could join us.
Performances are on 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th of November.
Tickets are available here
Tickets: Adults £10, Concessions £8. Don’t miss out join us in celebrating the hard work of our talented students and an evening of dazzling musical theatre!
Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show 2024
Our GCSE and A-Level textiles students had a fabulous time at the Harrogate Convention Centre, where textile artists and craftspeople showcased their work alongside a myriad of craft stalls. The girls participated in collaborative embroidery pieces with The Royal School of Needlework and The Embroiderers’ Guild, engaged with artists and students about their creative processes, and stocked up on an inordinate number of beads for their project work. A highlight of the day was meeting the legendary textile artist Diane Bates, who shared her incredible skull commission an extraordinary piece inspired by an AIgenerated video about a beheaded 19th-century prince. It doesn’t get much wackier than that! Everyone left feeling incredibly inspired and, in some cases, covered in wool.
Annual Carol Service
A reminder that our annual Carol Service is planned for 11 December within the beautiful setting of Durham Cathedral. This year, we warmly invite you to join us. Doors will open for visitors at 1:30 pm with the service starting at 2:15pm. A collection will be taken during the service in aid of The Brain Tumour Charity, a vital organisation dedicated to funding groundbreaking research, providing support for those affected by brain tumours, and raising awareness about this condition. Further information can be found by clicking the link www.thebraintumourcharity.org. You can donate on the day or can donate in advance by scanning the QR code.
Science Sparks!
This week marked the start of Science Sparks, and we were thrilled to welcome pupils from Year 6 at Durham High alongside those from other schools in the area. Over the next four weeks, our budding scientists will have the chance to immerse themselves in the world of laboratory life. They will participate in exciting activities such as slime-making and fire writing, while also developing fundamental skills, including how to use measuring equipment and handle Bunsen burners safely.
Parents and Friends Events
The festive season is set to begin with our much-anticipated Christmas Fayre on 29 November! Come along at 2.30pm for an afternoon packed with festive fun for all the family. Highlights include a magical Santa’s Grotto, a raffle with fantastic prizes, and a tempting selection of hot dogs, cakes, and bakes. There will also be a tombola and a variety of stalls offering wonderful gifts and treats for the season. Entry is free, and we kindly remind everyone that this is a nut-free event. We look forward to welcoming you as we kick off the festive season in style! For information on volunteering, please visit the Classlist app. If you are not yet on Classlist, simply email dhsparentsandfriends@outlook.com and we will help you get set up.
Key Dates Round up
With Festive activities getting well underway here is a rundown of key dates and activities.
Date
November 26, 27, 28 and 29 Chicago Teen Edition Musical 7.00pm
November 27 Sixth Form Taster Day All Day
November 29 Christmas Fayre 2.30pm – 4.30pm
December 2 Yr 3 & 4 Christmas Concert 2.00pm
December 2 Upper Sixth Parents’ Evening 4.30pm – 7.00pm
December 3 Yr 5 & 6 Christmas Concert 2.00pm
December 4 Y1 and 2 Christmas Concert 2.00pm
December 4 Senior Department Christmas Concert 7.00pm
December 5 Nursery & Reception Christmas Concert 2.00pm
December 6 Pre-Prep & Prep Elf Run Morning
December 6 Y10 – U6 Christmas Shopping Trip 11.30am -7pm
December 6 Year 8 and 9 Christmas Cinema Trip 12.30pm –3.55pm
December 6 Year 7 Winter Walk followed by their Christmas Party 1.30pm – 5.00pm
December 9 Christmas Dinner Normal Times
December 9 Year 3 and 4 Christmas Party 2.00pm
December 10 Yr 5 & 6 Christmas Party 1.30pm
December 11 Carol Service at Durham Cathedral 2.15pm
December 11 Nursery and Reception Christmas Party 1.30pm
December 11 Year 1 and 2 Christmas Party 1.30pm
December 12 Parents and Friends Carols round the Tree- Pre-Prep and Prep Hall 3.00pm
December 13 Interact Christmas Jumper Day (£1 donation) All Day
December 13 End of Term 11.30am for Nursery and Reception 11.45 for Pre-Prep and Prep 12.00 pm for Seniors