Friday Bulletin

Dear Parents and Carers,

In preparation for our Full Governing Body meeting in school next week, our excellent Year Leaders (7-11) shared updates on their cohorts. All year leaders referenced how supportive parents and carers are of the school and the ethos that we continually promote. They said some lovely things about your children too, so I thought it was only right to share some highlights here with you.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs McFadden

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Mrs Banner - Year 7

I am very pleased to report that the current Year 7 cohort has made a very strong start to their secondary school journey. Since joining us in September, students have approached the transition from primary to secondary education with maturity and enthusiasm, rising well to the increased expectations and demands placed upon them.

Across the year group, attitudes to learning have been consistently positive. Students have shown resilience in adapting to a more structured timetable, a wider range of subjects, and higher academic expectations. While there have, at times, been challenges as students develop organisation, independence and homework routines, these have been met with determination and increasing confidence. As a result, the cohort is making strong progress both academically and socially.

The year group has also enjoyed notable success beyond the classroom, particularly in sport. Students have represented the school with distinction in football and rugby, and we are especially proud that both the Year 7 boys’ and girls’ teams are area champions in athletics. These achievements reflect not only talent, but also commitment, teamwork and a strong sense of pride in representing the school.

There has been a strong emphasis on building community and belonging within the year group. Students have participated enthusiastically in a wide range of activities, including movie nights, inter-form competitions such as dodgeball and Humberball, and events such as the Easter egg hunt in collaboration with Year 10 students. These opportunities have supported positive relationships across the year group and strengthened links with older students.

Students have also represented the school exceptionally well in wider contexts. Behaviour on the Málaga sports trip was exemplary, and their involvement in the recent Colour Run House event was outstanding, demonstrating enthusiasm, teamwork and a positive attitude.

In addition, whole-school events such as the recent football World Cup initiative led by our Assistant Year Lead Mr Kidd have further promoted collaboration and inclusion. Students worked together to form diverse teams of boys and girls, creating supporter banners, flags, door decorations and costumes. This has reinforced a strong sense of identity across the cohort.

At the heart of the year group is the theme of unity. This underpins our pastoral work and student development. While students are recognised as individuals with different strengths and needs, there is a clear culture in which every student is valued and encouraged to contribute. This sense of shared purpose has contributed significantly to their positive start.

We are also looking forward to celebrating students’ talents in the near future and beyond. We cannot wait to see a number of our fabulous Year 7 students perform in the Key Stage 3 talent show on 8 July, as well as their involvement in next year’s school production of Les Misérables.

In summary, this Year 7 cohort has made an excellent start to their secondary education. They have embraced opportunities, demonstrated strong values, and shown that they are well-equipped to continue their journey with confidence and success as they move into Year 8.

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Mrs Anderson - Year 8

This term, Year 8 have continued to role model the values and ethos of our cohort: S.P.A.R.K – Support, Positivity, Attitude, Respect and Kindness. We have had a big drive on kindness and peer relationships; celebrating friendships as well as supporting students to navigate difficulties. 

The introduction of our ‘Taskmaster’ project has provided opportunities for students to develop teamwork, problem-solving and creativity; from potato chickens (don’t ask!) to dramatisations of the Year Leader team, we truly have seen it all. These sessions have been well received and have contributed positively to student relationships and engagement across the cohort, as well as providing a fun outlet for Students and certainly some laughs for the teachers. 

Recognition of achievement remains a key strength. The Bright Sparks Awards, held termly, continue to celebrate students who exemplify the SPARK values. Students are recognised for a wide range of achievements, including academic progress, commitment to learning, high numbers of house points, personal improvement, outstanding conduct and contributions to the wider community. We have our end of year celebrations coming up – another opportunity to further reinforce our culture of recognition and aspiration. This will include musical performances from our talented musicians, the next Bright Sparks Awards, and an additional rewards event for those students who have achieved zero behaviour points across the year group. 

The cohort continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to community and charitable work. In addition to the previously successful Pudsey Run, a key highlight this term has been the Year 8 Colour Run, where students showed excellent enthusiasm and participation, raising over £1000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. 

Overall, a fantastic year for our Year 8 family! We feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful Cohort.

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Mr Digby - Year 9

As we come to the end of the year, we are pleased to reflect on the progress and achievements of our Year 9 students. This has been an important stage in their school journey, with the completion of options choices and growing preparation for the start of GCSEs. A key focus this term has been maintaining a positive lesson environment and strengthening classroom routines, helping students develop the habits they will need for success in Key Stage 4.

Year 9 is a talented and vibrant cohort, and their contributions to school life have been exceptional. We are looking to build on this enthusiasm by establishing a number of student‑led committees that will support key initiatives throughout Year 10 and into Year 11. These will include committees for Events, Fundraising, Academic Support, and longer‑term projects such as Prom and the Yearbook. We hope to see a broad cross‑section of students involved, and the application process is already open.

Students have excelled across sport, dance, art, theatre and drama, and their commitment to wider school events has been a real highlight. Some examples include:

• Gymnasts winning gold medals and competing in national events
• The boys’ football team winning both the league and cup competitions
• A student representing Newcastle United football team abroad
• A student securing a place on an advanced ballet training programme, a pre‑professional pathway
• Students representing local, regional and national teams across a range of sports
• Students taking part in senior maths challenges
• Students sitting GCSE exams early
• A student invited to the English National Swimming Championships, one of only 20 swimmers selected
• Students supporting community events such as the Durham Dash
• A student joining the England squad in both Kata and Kumite
• Many students involved in the school music shows currently taking place
• Students achieving academic awards and completing online courses outside of school

A particular highlight this year has been the enthusiasm shown for whole‑year events such as Taskmaster and the World Cup football competition, which have helped strengthen our sense of community.

As students look ahead to Year 10, we are confident that the foundations laid this year will support a smooth transition into GCSE study. We encourage them to rest, recharge and maintain good routines over the summer so they return ready for the opportunities and challenges ahead.

We are very proud of this cohort and look forward to working with them as they begin the next stage of their journey.

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Mr Briggs - Year 10

Our Year 10 Charity Champions have been hard at work again this year, aiming to raise money for the Great North Air Ambulance Service and St Cuthbert’s Hospice. They have organised a wide array of events, from Humberball competitions to our end of year Colour Run celebration. Last year, we completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks and this amazing group of students decided that a 24-mile challenge was a bit “short”, so planned another challenge for Year 10 on EPIC proportions. This was in the form of the Lyke Wake Walk, a gruelling 40-mile trek over the North York Moors in 20 hours. Our final total is yet to be determined but they have eclipsed the £2000 that they all raised last year. The motto from our wise students on this challenge was "Mama didn't raise a quitter, just a complainer who gets it done anyway!"

As for other events this year, Ms Anderson had organised, along with 10 of our students, to help create a plaque with information and a design to go on the benches being installed on the A167, they have all been spectacular in their efforts and were recognised for their efforts in research and design for the memorial.

It has (as usual!) been a very busy year, culminating in the Year 10’s first experience of mock exams, where they conducted themselves very well but organisation needs to improve for future exams.

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Mr Blake - Year 11

Since Christmas, our Year 11 students have shown exceptional focus, engagement and determination as they have worked towards their GCSE examinations. Their conduct has been exemplary throughout, particularly during an intense programme of mock exams, alongside the many intervention and revision sessions they have attended with real commitment.

Alongside their academic efforts, students have continued to thrive in extracurricular activities. Our boys’ football team crowned an outstanding five-year run with yet another cup victory, while other sporting teams have performed brilliantly both in and beyond school. We have also celebrated some remarkable individual achievements, including national success in rowing, top placements in the North East maths challenges, international swimming victories and leading the northern conference in basketball scoring, just to name a few.

When it came to the GCSE examinations themselves, our students truly rose to the challenge. They demonstrated maturity, confidence and resilience, making us immensely proud. Their dedication to attending tailored interventions right up to the final exams reflected their unwavering perseverance and determination to succeed.

More recently, we have shared some truly special moments as a year group. Our leavers’ assembly was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate everything that makes this cohort so unique, particularly the kindness and support they have consistently shown one another. It was, without doubt, an emotional occasion, the end of an era, with barely a dry eye in the hall. The prom was another highlight—a fantastic evening filled with energy and joy, with a packed dancefloor from start to finish and some memorable moves to Mr Brightside!

These events provided a fitting and joyful conclusion to this important chapter in our students’ lives. We wish them all a fantastic summer and every success in the future. Many will return to us for Sixth Form, while others will embark on new pathways, but all leave with our very best wishes. We look forward to hearing about their continued achievements—I have no doubt there will be many.

As we celebrate these endings, we also look ahead to new beginnings. Mr Humberstone, the form tutor team and I are excited to welcome our next cohort of Year 7 students. It has been a pleasure meeting many of them during our primary school visits, and we eagerly anticipate their induction day next week. We also look forward to our residential trip early in the autumn term, which will offer a fantastic opportunity for team building and bonding. We are excited to welcome them into our school community in September as the latest crop of Johnstonians embarking on a new and exciting adventure. 

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We have also been asked to share the following from the Department for Education: