We started this half term with the unveiling of our fabulous 140th Anniversary Timeline. We welcomed back some Old Girls, and it was lovely having representatives of each year in school, from Nursery to Upper Sixth, to watch Miss Blair, an Old Girl and Phoebe, our current Head Girl, cut the ribbons. The timeline, which features on the stairs up to the Main Hall, showcases the key moments of DHS history from 1884 to the present day. We have lots of lovely celebrations planned for the rest of this academic year, as we look towards our 140th anniversary on Monday 29 April. We will need to get planning our 150 years of educating girls soon!
We are also thrilled with the new murals that are now on display in our Prep and Senior Libraries. These displays are superb additions to these popular spaces, which are used by all girls across the school, and really help to bring the rooms alive. Prep Library is undergoing further renovations, thanks to funds from our Parents and Friends Association. We will reveal the finished space as soon as it is complete.
I’d like to thank those girls that came into school on Tuesday to take part in our 7+ Entrance Examinations. The girls enjoyed a lovely day in school with their future classmates and we look forward to welcoming them to DHS in September. Also, the 11+ Entrance and Scholarship letters went out to internal and external parents in Year 6 this morning. There was a strong field of applicants, and there were some very difficult decisions to make regarding scholarships. However, we are sure that all girls will thrive in Senior Department!
The highlight of my week has to be the production of Evita at Durham’s Gala Theatre. Wow! I was blown away by the performances of all our girls. They have such tremendous talents and they have taken a technically difficult production to perform, and made it look effortless. I am so proud of each and every one who has been part of the production of this show, both on-stage and behind the scenes helping with lighting, sound, hair and makeup, back stage crewing, costume and general support of our girls. Thank you also to our band who generate such emotion and power with their musical accompaniment. You have all done the High School proud! It is a real privilege to see each performance. Team Lloyd, were exceptional last night and I am sure team Webber will be equally as outstanding tonight.
None of this of course would have been possible without our dedicated Performing Arts team, led by Mrs Lonsdale and Mrs Lawrence-Wills, Mrs Hawkins, Mrs Wildish and Mr Bell. Let the curtains rise on our next 3 performances. I’m sure it isn’t too late to get your tickets at the Gala website if you haven’t already. You may need to bring some tissues too! I look forward to seeing you at the show.
Swimming Success
Congratulations to Megan in Year 8, who took home 2 silver medals at the Stanley Derwentside Meet on Saturday. Megan won the accolades in the 50m and 100m breaststroke, and has qualified for North East Regionals. She will be competing in the 50m breaststroke at the event, in the 14-year-old category. This event will take place in Leeds in April. Good luck!
Ukrainian Workshop
The Modern Languages department have been running a series of lunch time workshops to inspire budding linguists. The girls involved have showcased their talents beautifully.
This week, Yuliia showcased her mother tongue – Ukrainian – giving girls and staff the opportunity to learn some basic words and phrases. Well done to Yuliia and all the girls leading workshops!
Social Media Enrichment Talk
Pupils in the Sixth Form were treated to an informative talk about Social Media Marketing, from Dr Wee Thiam Low, a Lecturer in Digital Marketing at Teesside University. The session was part of the Sixth Form enrichment programme, and during his talk, Dr Low explored topics including developing a content strategy, influencer marketing and viral media.
Eco Council
The girls in the Pre-Prep and Prep Eco Council recently led an Assembly about recycling. The winners of the follow-up competition to make a woodland animal from recyclable materials were announced this week: Kira and Emma in Pre-Prep, and Milla and Scarlett C in Prep. Well done to everyone who entered! All the entries were very impressive and are now being proudly displayed outside the Prep Library.
Sport Update
On Tuesday, our U10 Netballers enjoyed competitive matches against Newcastle High School. Well done to all players and congratulations to our Players of the Match, Mariam and Caia.
Congratulations to our U11 Netball Team who took part in a Festival at Mowden Hall on Wednesday. It provided an excellent opportunity to test their skill against new opposition such as Longridge Towers, St. Mary’s Melrose and Ovingham Middle School. Well done to Antonia who was our Player of the Tournament.
Our U8 and U9 Netball Teams played in a friendly fixture against Durham School on Thursday afternoon. We secured two wins and two draws and it was wonderful to see lots of goals being scored. Congratulations to all players.
The U10 and U11 Football teams had a fantastic afternoon playing against RGS on Friday afternoon. It was a brilliant opportunity to gain valuable match play experience and the girls had lots of fun.
Annual School Ball
The School Ball is back for 2024! Join us for the Journey to Atlantis Ball on Saturday 27 April at 7pm at Ramside Hall Hotel. This wonderful evening is for all members of the school community, with parents from all year groups invited, as well as Year 12 & 13 pupils, staff, Governors and Old Girls who are aged 17+. This year, tickets cost £50 for students and staff (early bird offer £45) and £65 for parents and friends (early bird offer £60). So, come and help us celebrate our 140th birthday and join our Sixth Form pupils who are leaving Durham High in the summer for new adventures. Booking forms went out with pupils today, or you can easily book your place online by clicking here.
Summer Camps at Durham High School
We are delighted to be partnering with Kings Camps to offer activity camps for 5-17- year olds at Durham High School this summer. Since 1991, Kings has offered week-long programmes with a focus on being active and having fun. Kings Camps are here this summer to make school holidays enjoyable and memorable. The Multi-Active programme is designed for 5-14-year olds, with activities running 8.15am to 5.30pm. The amazing Red Tops kick off each week with a whole camp warm up, group games and activities. Throughout
the week children enjoy core sports sessions, as well as active games and activities that foster friendships and learning. Each week ends with the Kings Games – an opportunity for families to see what their children have been up to.
For 15-17-year olds there is the Rookie Academy, which is a programme that provides practical coaching and work experience as well as participation in sport with like-minded friends. Rookies work alongside the Red Tops, many who go on to work for Kings and is a great addition to Records of Achievement, and a perfect start for a career working with children. The sessions at Durham High School this year will run from 5-9 August, and 12-16 August. For dates, prices and to book, visit the website or call Kings Camps Membership Team on 01142632160.
Smallpeice Trust engineering courses
These engineering course from the Smallpeice Trust enable students to fuel their passion for STEM subjects. These multi-day courses give an insight into life beyond the classroom and introduce students to industry leaders and get young people with similar interests working together on hands-on projects.
A number of our students have valued and enjoyed these courses in previous years. Please see below booking links for summer 2024 in case any other students are interested:
Years 8-9
Girls Into Engineering 2024 (residential) (smallpeicetrust.org.uk)
Engineering Experience – Midlands 2024 (residential) (smallpeicetrust.org.uk)
Year 10
Aerospace Engineering 2024 (non-residential) (smallpeicetrust.org.uk)
Modern Structures 2024 (residential) (smallpeicetrust.org.uk)
Human Habitat on Mars 2024 (virtual) (smallpeicetrust.org.uk)
Explore Engineering 2024 (residential) (smallpeicetrust.org.uk)
Year 12
Climate Friendly Engineering 2024 (Residential) (smallpeicetrust.org.uk)
Computing, Electronics and Robotics 2024 (residential) (smallpeicetrust.org.uk)
STEM events at Newcastle University
There is an exciting STEM event coming up at Newcastle University, which is free to access:
Teens in AI Techathon: Saturday 9 – Sunday 10 March 2024
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Teens in AI run annual, distributed Global Techathons inspiring teens aged 12-18 to come together to collaboratively solve a real-world problem through the use of AI and Data Science for social good. This hackathon-style programme is a virtual hybrid event, with challenges centred around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Subjects covered – computing
Audience: teens aged 12-18
Location: Urban Sciences Building, Newcastle University
Individual booking: – https://bit.ly/IWD2024_Newcastle
If you have any questions, please feel free to email [email protected].
