Dear Parents, Carers and Families,

This week a Year 9 student, when I asked them to pick up a plastic bottle, replied, “Why should I? I’m like Donald Trump me sir, I do what I want!” The student did say this with a smile and did pick up the bottle and put it in the bin, but this simple comment highlighted not only how the ‘real world’ can easily bleed into school life but also helps challenge an assumption that many hold of young people. I don’t know that the Year 9 student was responding to President Trump’s recent comments that he doesn’t “...need international law” and that his power is only constrained by his “own morality”, but leaders who do project a sense of unconstrained power can be appealing to many people, not just students, especially when they perceive someone doing something, anything, while others sit on their hands. The student was also demonstrating that, despite a popular narrative that young people don’t care about politics, they are engaged with it in ways that perhaps we too easily dismiss.

A report published by Public First two weeks ago was based around interviews with Year 8 students in Bristol and also here in County Durham. It reflects well what my own experience of young people suggests. Students' knowledge of political figures was uneven, much like the general population, but those with a high media profile are known to them. They are highly alert to misinformation and trust their parents and established sources like the BBC far more than what they see on social media; indeed, they’re perhaps more aware of disinformation than older generations. They also vary wildly in what they think of participation in the political process, with some very clear on how they could influence government and confident that they could do so, and others pessimistic about their ability as young people to have their voices heard. Perhaps most sadly, none of the young people surveyed knew that they would be able to vote in the next election. A quick survey of my own Year 9 class reflects this, the most prominent political figure they could identify being Boris Johnson, who was labeled by one young man as “some boy”, which I took to be a positive, and there was no sense that they knew they would be able to vote at the next general election but probably not for him.

There are students here who, just like many adults, will dismiss politicians and see them as “all the same” and “doing nothing.” I take heart from those who might think this and then think that they can do something about this. More young people are engaged in politics than we often give them credit for, even if they themselves might not realise that, for example, being part of the sustainability society here at school, and being actively involved in those issues, is a form of political engagement. They also all recognise that, on balance, rules and laws are there for their personal benefit, that it’s better to not just be able to do what you want, when you want, as while there might be some short-term gain to that, before long we’ll enter a Lord of the Flies situation and they will themselves suffer some very real consequences. I’ve worked in education for 25 years this year, and in every one of those years, a child at some point will have told me that one particular rule was “stupid”. Sometimes I’ll have agreed with them, sometimes I’ll have seen why they think that but not agreed, and sometimes I’ll have just fully disagreed. I don’t see this basic fact of school life changing in the next 25 years. What I look forward to most is those students who, when looking at other things that they think are stupid or wrong in the wider world, think, “I can do something about that.” They’re right.

Many thanks for your continued support of the school; I hope you all have a good weekend.

Michael Wright

Headteacher

Please find this week's key messages below. 

Buses

Since the withdrawal of one of the bus services last year, a number of parents have contacted me to complain about the issues this now creates for their children in terms of getting to and from school. The school has no direct control over either the public bus service network or the fleet of coaches that many of our students use, with these contracts existing between parents and carers and the bus companies directly. Many of the complaints have been about the unreliability of the public service buses, and I have shared these concerns directly with Durham County Council who have, in turn, raised them with the operator. In addition, I have attempted to raise these concerns with the North East Combined Authority, although I’m yet to receive any response. Within two different national organisations that have an education focus in which I have minor roles, I’ve repeatedly raised the fact that the North East as a region has the worst infrastructure in the country and that one of the biggest things local and central government could do to improve education in this region would be to invest in that directly, something acknowledged when I raised this issue with the Department for Education and in fairness something that is happening, although this will of course take many years to impact on people’s lives in this region. If anyone still has concerns or indeed alternative access to those with influence on this issue, please do get in touch. I remain optimistic in the political process to change this vital part, not just of school life, but life in general.

GCSE Options

This week, Year 9 have been learning about the different subject options that they can choose from in their lessons. This is the beginning of finding out more about the choices they have.

Parent/Carer GCSE Options Information Evening

Year 9 parents/carer and students are invited to a GCSE Options Information Evening that will take place in the main hall on Wednesday 21st January at 6.00 pm.

This is an opportunity for parents and carers to come along and hear all about the options process so that you can help your child make the right option decisions. There will be information talks from Mr Wright, Headteacher, Mrs Mersh-Roberts, Deputy Headteacher, and Mrs Moss, Careers Development Lead.

Progress Evenings

Year 9 Progress Evenings on Thursday 29th January between 4.00pm and 6.45pm for students in X Band, and Thursday 5th February between 4.00pm and 6.45pm for Y band, which is an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with teaching staff.   A letter explaining how to make appointments has been sent to parents/carers.

Information Options Booklet

The information booklet outlining all of the courses available for students to choose for their GCSE options is now available on the school website. Options | Framwellgate School Durham

Summer 2026 Exams – Contingency Day

All students taking GCSE, AS, or A‑Level examinations in summer 2026 must be available up to and including Wednesday 24th June 2026.

This date is known as the contingency day. It is set nationally by the exam boards and the Department for Education as a safeguard.

The contingency day is only used if there is a major disruption that prevents an examination from taking place as scheduled. This could include events such as:

  • severe weather
  • widespread transport disruption
  • a national emergency

If such a disruption occurs, affected examinations may be rescheduled to this contingency date.

Students should therefore avoid making travel or other commitments that would prevent them from being available on this date.

Mrs Mersh-Roberts, Deputy Headteacher

 

Uniform Expectations 

We have noticed an increasing amount of jewellery being worn by students in school, which does not align with our uniform policy. To ensure consistency and maintain safety standards, we have implemented a reset of our jewellery rules. Students should only wear one pair of small stud earrings. No other jewellery, including rings, necklaces, bracelets, or additional piercings, will be permitted. Each morning, Tutors, Year Leads and Pastoral Managers will check for compliance. Any additional jewellery will be confiscated and kept safely until the end of the school day, when students can collect it.

Why this is important:

  • Safety: Excess jewellery can pose a risk during physical activities, PE lessons, and in crowded spaces.
  • Uniform Standards: Maintaining a consistent appearance helps promote equality and reduces distractions.
  • Preventing Loss/Damage: Jewellery can easily be lost or broken in school, causing upset and inconvenience.

We appreciate your support in reinforcing these expectations at home. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s Year Lead.

Miss O'Neill, Assistant Headteacher

Raising Achievement Sessions (RAS)

RAS will be started on Monday 12th January and will run through until February half term, in preparation for the March mock series beginning on Monday 2nd March. These are targeted sessions designed to intervene where students struggle with key concepts and/or have knowledge gaps. If students have been selected by their teachers to attend a session it will appear on their Class Charts timetable and you will be able to see if they have attended or not. Students may be selected to attend up to 3/4 sessions a week and the majority of the sessions take place at lunchtime, after your child has had a break and time to eat. Some sessions occur after school. 90% of students attended RAS sessions last term, with 54% of students attending extra sessions on their own accord. Your support in getting your child to these sessions and maintaining these high attendance figures is paramount and much appreciated, thank you; last year there was a correlation between attendance at RAS and GCSE success.

There will be one final RAS block in April, including an Easter holiday study programme in the run up to the GCSE exam period. If your child doesn't have a session appear on their timetable for this block, it is likely they will be selected for one in the final RAS block. Students have had an assembly today, 9th January, reminding them of this information and the process.

Miss Lutynski, Assistant Headteacher

AI & Online Safety 

You may have seen recent news coverage about the UK government response to concerns about Grok, the AI chatbot developed and integrated into the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Grok’s ability to generate and manipulate images, including non-consensual, intimate deepfakes, has prompted widespread alarm, especially after reports of its misuse to create sexualised images of women and children. This issue has direct implications for safeguarding of all young people and online safety in schools and colleges. 
 
As a result of these concerns that have been raised, the Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced new legislation making it a criminal offence to create or request the creation of non-consensual intimate images using AI that would come into effect this week. This law targets both individuals and companies, including platforms like X, and classifies such offences as “priority” under the Online Safety Act.  I have attached this article about this emergency law change in this BBC article here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq845glnvl1o 
 
In school, we take online safety of our students very seriously and have robust filtering and monitoring systems on all school devices to keep our students safe and protect them from harmful content.  

Can we please kindly encourage you to have open discussions with your child regarding Generative AI and how to use this safely. For further support and guidance please see this link to our Online Safety Hub Online Safety Hub - Framwellgate School Durham 

Mrs Osborne, Director of Safeguarding 

What is my child learning?

A reminder that you can find curriculum details about what your child is studying here on our website: Curriculum Overview | Framwellgate School Durham

How to help support your child at home?

Students can use the link below to access resources that will help them study independently at home, such as:

  • Knowledge organisers
  • Revision checklists
  • Past exam papers
  • ‘How to Revise’ instructional videos

Students have been shown how to access this SharePoint site and a 'how to' sheet has been sent to you via ClassCharts. As parents and carers, you won’t be able to access this, but the link will work for all students. Students learning how to use this excellent resource early in their time here will be very beneficial to them later as they approach their GCSE studies. All GCSE students should be making regular use of it as a matter of course.

Resource Hub

For information about different A-Level and GCSE exam boards and programmes of study, please follow this link: Exams | Framwellgate School Durham