Durham High School End of Week Newsletter Issue 17 – 26 January 2025
Dear Parents As I reflect on the week gone by, I must express how immensely proud I am of our Year 6 girls, who sat their 11+ entrance exams on Friday. They approached the challenge with remarkable maturity, and during their break, over juice and biscuits, some even shared how much they had enjoyed the experience! What stood out even more was the kindness and warmth they extended to the girls from other primary schools who joined us to sit the tests. It was heartening to see them all enjoying an afternoon of fun activities, including PE, Drama, and Art. Well done to each and every one of you! My heartfelt thanks go to our Marketing and Admissions Team for organising the day, our Teaching Staff for leading both the tests and the activities, and our Sixth Form representatives, who, as always, were simply outstanding. I thoroughly enjoyed our Excellence Book signings again this week, where I had the pleasure of meeting the girls nominated for their Norman Castle projects. It was a delight to hear them discuss their favourite aspects of the project and share their final designs. Additionally, I was thrilled to award two nominations for excellence in Art— congratulations to all the girls involved! You can read more about their achievements in the content below. This week also marked further Year 6 Parent Transition Meetings. It has been a joy to meet with so many families, discussing the key differences between our Prep and Senior Departments and how we continue to support your daughters as they embark on the next phase of their educational journey. I am very much looking forward to meeting with those of you booked in next week. Looking ahead, on Friday, 31 January, our Interact Group has organised a day of fundraising to support our upcoming Projects Abroad Trip to Sri Lanka in July. During this trip, our Year 10 to Upper Sixth girls will participate in a building and renovation project within a deprived community, such as constructing a classroom, play area, or enhancing local facilities for children. All funds raised will go directly towards this initiative. The day will include a whole-school non-uniform day, where girls from Nursery to Upper Sixth are encouraged to wear clothes in the colours of the Sri Lankan flag (gold, red, yellow, and green) in exchange for a £1 donation. There will also be a bake sale in the Senior Department during break time. If you are able to bake, we thank you in advance for your contributions but kindly ask that all items are sent in with an ingredients list and are nut-free to ensure the safety of pupils with severe nut allergies.