We returned after Easter to see that our building is now wrapped in a protective layer which will act as barrier between the internal structure and the external finish. 

Our planning meetings included decision making about telephone ports and handsets to ensure effective communication is achieved in a safe environment. This lead to discussions about a future meeting which will agree the telephone message service and the options parents and carers are given when they contact the school. We would really like your opinion about this because there is nothing worse than ringing an organisation and being given a list of options that don't really meet your needs or being put on hold for a long time. To make sure our system is right we are inviting parents to take part in a planning meeting to consult on what our internal phone options should be. If you are interested in joining this group please email contact@durhamacademy.org.uk and state you'd like to join the working party for communication. 

All year 7 Parents and Carers are invited to discuss learning and progress next Thursday after school and if your child has special educational needs, their termly review will also take place with our SENCO. 

Please ensure that you have made appointments via School Cloud and don't hesitate to contact us if you need help doing this. 

The Year 11 Art Exam kick started the exam season and it must be said that Year 11 have been fantastic. 

This is the crunch point where the reality of the next few weeks kicks in and students start to realise that everything they have done in preparation now starts to pay off. 

All students have received their exam timetable and should now be aware that they have exam revision sessions prior to each exam as well as a warm up immediately before each exam starts. 

All students will be given breakfast and bottles of water and will be on first sitting for lunch every day so that they can attend the warm ups promptly, well fed and hydrated. 

Our SENCO is allocated to Year 11 at the start of every day until exams end to ensure those will additional access arrangements have everything in place and students have been given their Year 11 hoodies so they can wear these instead of blazers if they prefer. 

All mobile phones, airpods and watches must be handed in and will be locked away until the exam finishes.

This is a stressful time for students and our job as educators and parents is to make things as easy as possible for them. We have done this year after year so have a well rehearsed routine. All we need is for students to be on time to school and between 8.30am and 3pm we will do the rest. 

At home, we request that you:

1. Make sure you have a copy of the exam timetable handy so that you can check what your child is doing each day and what they need to revise

2. Ensure they have a quiet space to revise and sleep, free from distractions- no phones in bedrooms for example

3. Get them up slightly earlier that usual - this might mean they go to bed slightly earlier too to ensure they are rested at night but alert for a 9am exam start. This is especially important if they don't like eating straight after they wake up. Their brain will need some fuel before the exam starts

4. Help them avoid energy drinks - it's a false logic to think they will help as the come down from them causes fatigue. A better option is a hydration drink that should be sipped throughout the day

5. Ensure they have at least 30 minutes before bed that isn't revision focused. Watch something together, tell them to have a bath or warm shower to help them sleep or just tell them how proud you are of how hard they are working and chat about non-exam related things

6. Let Miss Hall know immediately if you are worried about your child or they wake up late/miss a bus and you can't transport them - we will collect them to reduce anxiety about arriving late

7. Make sure they attend every exam - missing one could completely wipe out a grade they have been working towards for two years. 

We are offering children aged between five and 17 who live in County Durham or Darlington the chance to win a unique Firefighter for a Day experience.

This initiative is designed to engage young people with their local fire and rescue service, help them understand fire safety, and give them an insight into the role of firefighters in their community.

The successful child will spend the day at a fire station with one of our crews and will have the opportunity to:

• Meet firefighters and learn about their role

• Explore a working fire station

• Take part in supervised activities, including having a go with a hose

• Try on firefighter protective clothing

• Sit in a fire engine

The child will also be able to bring a friend with them to share the experience.

Entry into the prize draw is available to those who complete our Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) public consultation.

In addition, adults aged 18 and over who complete the consultation will also have the chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher.

A link to the consultation is here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/CRMP26-30/

As you already know we are working towards a Leading Parent Partnership Award and hope to achieve this in the Autumn Term. 

As part of this we have listened to your feedback and will be making some changes to the way we share information. 

1) In the coming weeks we will include a link to an 'easy read' for letters and documents which will give a short explanation of what the full version says.

2) Where possible we will also add a link to an audio version so that letters and documents can be listened to instead of read.

3) If English is not your first language we will include a link for translation.

4) We will be running a weekly informal drop-in (9.30am-10.30am) on a Friday for any parent or carer to call in, have a coffee and get some help or advice. These sessions will be hosted by Simon Milligan but members of the pastoral team will also be available. We hope that these sessions will allow you get answers, share information or concerns quickly and allow us to stay in close contact with you so we understand. If you can not attend in person but would like a video meeting just contact contact@durhamacademy.org.uk and we will send you a video link or give you a ring. 

Helping Hands have helped us again. We have a number of house hold cleaning products availbable to families who might find them useful. 

Bags include washing up liquid, fabric softener, soap, toothpaste, shower gel and other necessities that increase the cost of a weekly shop. 

If you would like one of these please contact reception or call in. As the bags contain bleach, students are not able to take them home by themselves.  

Do you live in New Brancepeth?

Is your child glued to a device at night? 

Do you wish they had something to do that doesn't involve just being out and about the streets?

Why not encourage them to attend the Youth Club? 

Youth Clubs are a safe and dry space to be a kid without you having to worry about where they are and who they are with. 

Mr Talbot is sending out another plea to parents and carers of students who have not yet finalised their work experience. 

Work experience is essential because many young people don't really understand what it means to work before they have to find a job. Other young people sign up for courses at College or Sixthform without fully understanding the reality of what that career entails and then switch courses or drop out all together. We want every single student to embark on a pathway that they understand and are passionate about. 

If your child has selected something that is not related to their initial careers ideas or hasn't yet organised their placement they need to contact potential providers as a matter of urgency. 

The number of students who receive detentions is very low and we really would rather no student received at all however, part of becoming a responsible adult is learning that actions have consequences. 

If your child is late for school and there is not a valid reason to explain this they will need to make up the time after school because being late to work in the future could lead to dismissal. 

If your child receives an R4 related to behaviour they have already had 3 chances to avoid it, including at an R3 level, a detention within the school day to avoid one after school. 

The DfE has very clear rules around detentions for all schools and whilst we do not have to give 24 hours notice, we do to ensure parents and carers can discuss with their child how they will get home. 

This is part of our behaviour policy as outlined as part of our school induction for all students who join us. 

The final term of ACCESS launches this week and all students have been given the choice to sign up to a wide range of extra-curricular activities to broaden their skills, talents and interests. 

This term activities include:

• Mindfulness

• Textiles

• Jewellery Making

• Football

• Volley Ball

• Dance

• GYM

• Golf

• Dungeons and Dragons

• Lego 

• Robotics

• STEM Go Kart

• Theatre Skills

• Ecology

• Equine Studies

• Task Master

• Thinking like a Mathematician/Scientist

Any student who has selected a physical activity should bring full PE kit.

Year 11 have been allocated to English, Maths, Science and Exam Support sessions but have the option to attend Mindfulness and Yoga if they prefer as their timetable is already heavily loaded with revision and interventions in the lead up to exams.  

It is vital that all students visit a wide range of Post 16 destinations before they sign up to complete a course there. Whilst students might want to go with friends, we strongly recommend that you go with them. You know them best and they need to select a course that will give them the best possible career pathway. 

Please follow this link to register for a visit. 

https://www.newcollegedurham.ac.uk/events/event/139-information-advice-guidance-open-event-5-may-2026  

Telephone: 0191 3730336

Email: contact@durhamacademy.org.uk

For the most up to date information about what is going on in our school, please visit our website at:

https://durhamacademy.org.uk