23rd October 2026

Welcome to our weekly bulletin,

This is an exciting week for our school community as we begin the process of moving into our new school building. This marks a significant milestone for Durham Academy, and we are looking forward to the opportunities that our new facilities will bring for our students and staff. There is still plenty to organise as we prepare for the move, and we would like to thank you for your continued patience and support during this busy period. We will keep you updated throughout the week and look forward to welcoming our students into their new learning environment very soon.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our families and the wider local community for your continued support, patience and encouragement throughout this journey. Your support means a great deal to us as we take this important step forward together. Our new building represents an exciting future for our students, staff and community, providing opportunities to learn, grow and achieve for many years to come.

We look forward to sharing this next chapter with you and welcoming our students into their new learning environment very soon.

Key Dates for your Diary

Friday 23rd October 2026 and Monday 2nd November

All students working from home. School closed for students. Students will return to school on Tuesday 3rd November.

Tuesday 3rd November

Students return to their new school with their home learning.

Return to School - a reminder

We’re incredibly proud of our beautiful new Durham Academy building and look forward to beginning our new journey there on Tuesday 3 November.

The state-of-the-art facilities will create an inspiring environment for excellent teaching and learning, benefiting generations of pupils to come.

A reminder that we are looking forward to welcoming students back to Durham Academy on Tuesday 3rd November 2026 as we begin an exciting new chapter in our new school building. On arrival, students will be met by their tutors in what is currently our staff car park, where tutor groups will gather before being walked to the new building.

Each tutor group will have a guided tour to help students familiarise themselves with their new surroundings and find out where key areas and facilities are located. Students will have an extended tutor period on their first morning back to ensure they feel settled, confident and ready to begin learning in their new environment.

Following tutor time, students will go straight to Period 2 to continue with their normal timetable. We are excited for students to experience their new school and look forward to sharing more information with families as we approach the move.

Some key reminders:

Students must complete the work that they have been given during Friday 23rd October and Monday 2nd November. Student have paper copies of this work in case IT cannot be accessed.
We will continue to be confident, ambitious and respectful in our new building.
Student timetables will be given out on Tuesday 3rd November. Lessons and teachers have remained the same, rooms have changed.
Students must continue to wear their full school uniform, the gate checks will continue including being scanned before they enter the building.
No chewing gum is allowed on site. Our behaviour policy clearly states that chewing gum will be confiscated, if brought into school.

Autumn 1 Overview - Maths & English.pdf

Online Tutoring for Year 11 Pupils

We are delighted to offer a unique opportunity for Year 11 pupils across our ALP family of schools to access expert online tutoring in English and Maths, completely free of charge. These workshops will be deliveredby our ALP subject specialists and will support pupils to:

• strengthen key knowledge and skills

• build confidence and prepare effectively for their GCSE examinations

To join a session, pupils simply need to follow the relevant Microsoft Teams link and sign in using their school email address. All of your Year 11 pupils are invited to take advantage of this bespoke learning opportunity.

Please note that there are separate Foundation and Higher Options for Mathematics (same meeting link).

Nominations this week were:

Ashton in Year 10 was awarded Student of the Week because his self-analysis in the AOP document was highly insightful, and his detailed approach to progress metrics was excellent. Keep up the good work Ashton!

Work of the Week

Each week, we celebrate the outstanding work and achievements of our students across the school. Students whose work demonstrates exceptional effort, progress, creativity or application are recognised through our weekly rewards. As well as receiving Achievement Points and a certificate, students are invited to enjoy an early lunch as a special recognition of their success. It is fantastic to see students being celebrated for their hard work and commitment to learning.

PE Extra- Curricular Timetable

Career Information

Year 10 Work Experience – 28 June to 2 July

Please continue to encourage Year 10 students to secure a work experience placement for 28 June to 2 July. This is a valuable opportunity for students to gain first-hand experience of the workplace, develop important employability skills and explore potential career paths they may wish to pursue after leaving school. Your support in helping students find suitable placements is greatly appreciated.

Year 11 Mock Interviews – Preparing for the Future

Year 11 students recently had the opportunity to experience a real-life job interview, thanks to Durham Works. Seven ambassadors from a range of employment sectors met with students individually, asking questions designed to develop their interview skills and prepare them for life beyond school.

For many students, this was their first experience of a one-to-one interview with someone they had never met before. Students received both verbal and written feedback, highlighting their strengths and identifying areas for further development.

The ambassadors were incredibly impressed by the quality of students’ responses, and we are proud of the confidence and maturity they demonstrated. A huge thank you to Durham Works and all the ambassadors for providing such a valuable experience and helping our students prepare for their next steps.

Creating the Future

We are delighted to share an exciting October half-term opportunity for Year 10 & 11 students who are interested in a career in Media, Marketing and e-Sports – Creating the Future.

Young people will receive an introduction into the opportunities available within Media, Marketing and e-Sports through both college and employer visits, with lunch and a fun activity provided.

Support for Parents and Students

If you require any support or have a concern that you would like to discuss, please contact our Pastoral Team at pastoral@durhamacademy.org.uk. The team will be happy to offer advice and support or help direct you to the appropriate member of staff. Please continue to use our usual communication channels for reporting student absences and any urgent issues so that these can be dealt with promptly.