Durham High School End of Week Newsletter
Issue 18 – 02 February 2025
Dear Parents
As we reflect on the events of the week, I am filled with pride and admiration for our girls and their unwavering commitment to learning, kindness, and cultural appreciation.
We began the week by observing Holocaust Memorial Day, marking the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on 27 January 1945. This year’s theme, ‘For A Better Future’, gave us an important opportunity to reflect on the lessons of history. Senior Department students were moved by the incredible story of the Cook sisters from Sunderland, who risked everything to help at least 29 Jews escape Nazi Germany. Their bravery serves as a powerful reminder to stand up against injustice, inspiring us all to lead with compassion and courage. A special thank you to Mr Coates for organising and delivering this poignant assembly.
I was also delighted to meet with more of our girls who were nominated for Excellence Book signings this week. It is always a pleasure to hear about the fantastic work and achievements they are producing, and the pride they take in their contributions. There is more on the Excellence Book within the newsletter, but I would like to take a moment to commend the exceptional artwork created by Mercy and Leila as part of their GCSE Fine Art portrait topic – truly inspiring!
In another wonderful display of teamwork and innovation, our Year 5 and 6 Robo Queens Coding Club invited me, Mrs Platt (Head of Science), and Ruth (our Upper Sixth Computing student) to a presentation about their Lego League robot. Their research into Coral Reefs and the importance of protecting them was impressive, and their confidence, effort, and collaborative spirit were truly commendable. I look forward to seeing them in action during the competition next month!
On Friday, our Interact Club hosted a fantastic Sri Lankathemed day, which featured quizzes about Sri Lanka’s culture and heritage, a delectable bake sale, and a nonuniform day where girls wore colourful outfits inspired by the Sri Lankan flag. The funds raised will go towards our renovation project in Sri Lanka this summer. I am continually amazed by the enthusiasm and dedication of our Durham High community. Thank you for ingredients lists and nut free bakes. It is appreciated to keep all our girls with allergies safe.
This week, we also celebrated Chinese New Year with our Peripatetic Mandarin girls, who prepared a captivating assembly for both the Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior Departments. They taught us about the significance of the celebrations, including traditional food, cultural events, and the New Year wishes shared during this time. We were all treated to a Fortune Cookie at the end of the assembly. Congratulations to the girls for their exceptional delivery, including their pronunciation in Mandarin and the enriching cultural experience they provided us all.
Thank you to those parents who attended our Lower Sixth Parents’ Evening on Thursday. It was a pleasure to chat with some of you and discuss how your daughters have adapted to the transition from GCSE to A Level. Their approach has been exemplary, and they are settling into Sixth Form life with enthusiasm and determination.
Looking ahead, next week promises to be just as exciting, with two evenings of Scholars’ Concerts showcasing the immense talent of our Music, Drama, and Performing Arts Scholars. The girls have been working hard to finalise their performances, and I am certain it will be a truly memorable experience. I look forward to seeing many of you there!
If you haven’t got your tickets yet, there are limited seats still available via: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/EKEG
Best wishes
Mrs Michelle Hill
Headmistress
STEM Career Talk: Inspiring Girls in Engineering with Newcastle University
On Monday, we welcomed Chloe Hinchliffe, Research Associate, from Newcastle University, who gave an inspiring career in STEM talk to girls in Year 9 and above, highlighting the work of the Translational and Clinical Research Institute Chloe works in ‘Wearable Technology’ which helps to measure fatigue in patients with chronic illnesses and aims to better help pharmacists develop treatment plans to support them.
The event was well attended and provided valuable insights into Chloe's education and career path in engineering.
Chloe shared her journey, highlighting the challenges and opportunities she faced, and offered advice on succeeding in a traditionally male-dominated field. Her story emphasised
perseverance, innovation, and the importance of representation, leaving the audience feeling motivated and empowered to explore STEM pathways.
Nursery and Reception celebrate Chinese New Year
We had a wonderful afternoon in Nursery and Reception celebrating Chinese New Year! The girls enjoyed a range of exciting activities, including attempting Chinese writing, creating lucky lanterns, and performing traditional lion dances.
Eco Council
A highlight of the afternoon was sampling delicious Chinese cuisine, giving everyone a chance to experience new flavours. Charlotte in Reception shared how her family celebrates the occasion, and we were fascinated to see photographs of the incredible dishes prepared by her mum.
It was a fantastic celebration, full of fun and learning, and a wonderful way to explore this special festival.
This week saw the turn of the Senior Department EcoCouncil convening to discuss the results of their recent school survey. The council had shared a survey amongst the school asking which eco-project they felt was a priority. Amongst the options were birdwatching, gardening club and creating an econewsletter. However, the survey results very much favoured sponsoring an endangered animal as the top priority. The council will fully consider the results before making their final decisions.
We were delighted to welcome Charisse, our facilitator from the Coram Shakespeare Society, on Tuesday afternoon to work with the girls and staff in Senior Department.
During the session, the girls had the opportunity to share their work-in-progress and receive invaluable feedback and suggestions. Their hard work and dedication to A Midsummer Night’s Dream were evident, and the guidance provided will no doubt help refine their performance further.
Shakespeare in the Spotlight
Excitement is building as they look ahead to taking the stage at the Gala Theatre on Tuesday, 4th March.
Prep & Pre-prep Pupils of the week
This week’s Pupils of the Week in Pre-Prep and Prep were:
Nursery: Hattie for settling into Nursery so well; she is making new friends and is always smiling!
Reception: Charlotte for confidently sharing her knowledge about Chinese New Year.
Y1&2: Jemima for always being a calm, sensible member of the class who listens carefully to instructions so that she is able to work with wonderful independence.
Y3&4: Emelia for working exceptionally hard to improve her writing in English. Her description was fantastic!
Y5: India for incredible work in Maths where she has created reasoning problems and helped other pupils.
Y6: There were two awards this week as the Year 6 girls were not in last week’s Celebration Assembly:
Olivia T for creating an informative PowerPoint about endangered animals which was used in the Eco Council’s recent assembly.
Tara for displaying a mature attitude towards her learning. She listens carefully to feedback and tries hard to act upon it in order to improve her work.
Hattie was this weeks Lingotot’s Star of the Week. Olivia was awarded a certificate for working with her Buddy at breaktimes.
In addition, we celebrated the hard work of Honey in her swimming lessons where she was awarded ‘Swimmer of the Week’, and Neive was awarded two Brownie badges.
Well done to everyone!
Celebrating Excellence at Durham High
This week, we have had the pleasure of celebrating the extraordinary achievements and contributions of our Senior Department girls through two special sessions of signing the Excellence Book. This tradition allows Mrs Hill, Headmistress to consider nominations from subject teachers and then meet with the girls sharing juice and cookies and hearing all about their spectacular achievements. Here is a look at some of this week’s honourees:
Darcy D – For participating in the National Gallery’s Articulation Competition heats. Darcy’s articulate and insightful presentation secured her a place in the next round in March an incredible achievement.
Georgie F – For her outstanding progress in Art, demonstrating remarkable dedication and skill. Mrs Sutcliffe has praised her commitment and the exceptional quality of her work.
Harriet H – For her breathtaking solo performance of Once in Royal David’s City at our Carol Service in Durham Cathedral. Her precision and clarity left a lasting impression, moving the entire congregation.
Mio S – For her remarkable exploration of a variety of artistic media, producing excellence in both sculpture and mixed media.
Holly C – For an exceptional piece of coding, creating an interactive drawing pad with an advanced GUI (Graphical User Interface). Holly’s ingenuity and problem-solving skills were truly impressive.
Leila C – For her fabulously ambitious work in Art, showcasing a high level of painting skill on a large scale.
Mercy H – For her recent progress and dedication in mixed media portraiture, producing outstanding results.
Yasmeen H – For delivering an inspiring presentation to Year 8 about her experience in volunteering and how it is shaping her future career. Yasmeen spoke with clarity and passion, engaging her audience and thoughtfully answering their questions.
Exploring Careers in Arts & Culture
This week, our girls had the opportunity to attend an inspiring career talk that opened their eyes to the many possibilities within the Arts and Culture sector. Many thanks to Ross from Durham University. He and his team collaborate closely with curatorial, archives, and library colleagues to bring collections to life, ensuring that history, heritage, and contemporary culture are shared and celebrated.
The talk was an eye-opening experience for our girls, highlighting the rewarding and varied opportunities available in this sector both in the UK and abroad. A huge thank you to Ross for taking the time to visit and inspire the next generation of arts and culture professionals!
Thank you to Miss Morales-Salum, our Careers Lead for organising the inspiring talk.
Senior Sports Update
Our U15 and U18 teams enjoyed a fantastic afternoon of Netball, playing teams from Yarm School on Wednesday. The girls played a mixture of teams in equally competitive games, and it was wonderful to see superb effort and attitude displayed by all players.
The U14 and U15 Netball teams played in league matches against Framwellgate Moor School on Thursday. Despite a determined performance in a close game, the U14's lost 5-8. The U15's dominated their game showing skill and speed, winning 38-0. Well done to all players.
Dual Success for Water Sports Star Poppy
This week we celebrate Poppy Holmes-Morris who is celebrating after winning Gold, in the York Small Boats Head Rowing Competition and securing second place in the Durham City Aquatics Swimming Medley Challenge.
The 13-year-old, who trains in swimming eight times a week with Durham City Aquatics and rows four times a week at Durham Amateur Rowing Club, raced 3.5km with her 3 team mates to secure victory in York, finishing 50 seconds ahead of their rivals.
Poppy, a dedicated athlete, also achieved a personal best in the 200m individual swimming medley, completing two lengths of Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle despite a recent leg injury.
She enjoys both sports and hopes to qualify for national competitions, including the Junior Inter-Regional Regatta in March. Alongside swimming and rowing, Poppy plays badminton and is an active member of the school’s Innovate Her and SheCanCode clubs.
Year 7 Get Creative with History-Inspired Album Covers!
This week, Year 7H have been putting their creativity to the test with a unique History homework task. Their challenge was to design album covers and song lists that reflect the turbulent relationship between Thomas Becket and Henry II.
Starting as close friends, their bond was gradually torn apart by conflicts over crowning Henry’s son king, excommunicating bishops, and reforming Church courts. This escalating tension ultimately led to Becket’s tragic murder an act Henry would later deeply regret.
Pupils explored this dramatic historical feud through music-inspired designs, visually capturing the highs and lows of their relationship. Featured in this week’s newsletter are standout album covers by Eva A, Freya L-H, and Annabel C.
The full collection will soon be on display in Mrs Almond’s classroom a brilliant way to combine history with artistic expression! Our favourite playlist features song titles such as, ‘Fake Friend’, ‘If only I knew’ and ‘Sorry not Sorry’!
Children’s Mental Health Week
Next week marks Mental Health Awareness Week, and we encourage all girls to take part in activities built into our extracurricular timetable each week, designed to promote relaxation, connection, and physical wellbeing.
Our Mental Health Clubs offer a fantastic opportunity to unwind, socialise, and stay active:
• Wednesday (Breaktime) – Wellbeing Drop-in (Wellbeing Room): A chance to have a chat or enjoy some quiet company in a supportive environment.
• Thursday (1st Half of Lunch) – ZenZone (Studio): Relaxing activities, including mindfulness, to help girls destress and reset.
• Friday (Breaktime) – Friday Fun (Main Hall): A lively and energetic session featuring Just Dance and other physical activities to boost mood and wellbeing.
These sessions provide a great way to focus on mental wellness, so we encourage everyone to come along and take part. Looking after our mental health is just as important as looking after our physical health let’s make this week one of positivity and self-care!
Half Term Netball Sessions
Organised and led by our very own Miss Cartwright as a separate enterprise.
The camp take place at Durham High School in the school grounds and is open to girls in Year 3-7 from Durham High School and other schools across the region.
For more information or to book your daughter’s place, please scan the QR code or send an e-mail to: netballcoachingcamps@gmail.com
February Key Dates
Please check the events calendar on our website for further dates.
Date
1 February D of E First Aid Gold training 9.00am
4 February Scholars’ Concert 7.00pm
5 February Scholars’ Concert 7.00pm
11 February Year 11 Parents’ Evening 4.30pm
14 February Pre-Prep and Prep Valentine’s Disco 4.00pm
17 February Careers – Applying for Medicine and Dentistry 1.05pm
17 February Year 9 Parents’ Evening 4.30pm
21 February Break up for Half Term