North Durham Academy is proud to announce achievements in this year’s GCSE results, with amazing successes for students across a range of subjects.

The school’s commitment to providing a high-quality education has translated into positive outcomes for its students. This is testament to the hard work and dedication of the students and staff at North Durham Academy working alongside parents and carers. Staff at North Durham Academy are dedicated to offering a well-rounded education that prepares students for a wide range of career paths.

Head Teacher Mark Gray comments ‘We are absolutely thrilled to witness our students’ remarkable achievements across a range of subjects. These results reflect our continued commitment to providing a diverse curriculum for the young people in our amazing community that prepares them for life after North Durham Academy.’

As North Durham Academy celebrates this success, all of the staff look forward to continuing to provide an excellent education and nurturing the talents of its students in the future.

Reading for pleasure is the single most reliable indicator of future success for a child, and here at North Durham Academy the success of our students is paramount. To start as we mean to go on, we gift every year 6 student joining us in September with a book to read over the summer.

This year our chosen book is the adventurous Cuckoo Summer by Jonathan Tulloch.

All year 6 students are asked to read this before September, either on their own or together with a parent, grandparent or sibling. Alongside their book they all receive a small activity booklet, full of small challenges and activities intended to help them think about the main themes of Cuckoo Summer, and prepare for this exciting new chapter of their lives at NDA.

The activities are optional, so they can complete as many or as few as they like. Golden Tickets will be awarded for completed activities in September, so make sure they bring their booklets in with them!

Here we have an electronic version of the booklet so that students can just click on the link, or print out another copy if they have lost theirs. Happy Reading!

Change is scary and we understand that North Durham Academy is bigger than your primary school.

The school may seem big and confusing but don’t worry! You’re not the only new starter so everyone is finding their feet.

You will be given a map of the school and there are signs around the school to help you. Your class will move together after lessons and there are teachers around to help you between classes.

Until you get chance to come to our Academy, take a look at our maps below –

Be part of something special! A once in a lifetime, potentially life changing, opportunity!

Would your child like to be part of our South Africa Project?

Wellfield School has had a long-established partnership with Schitsdrift School in Kwazulu-Natal which has had a huge impact on education in the Zulu partner school and made long lasting impressions on the Wellfield students and staff who have participated in the 6 previous visits so far. For the next visit, students from both North Durham Academy and Consett Academy are invited to join the team and start their own links with Schitsdrift School.

Previous project visits have not only led to strong friendships between the two schools but have also
resulted in the provision of a library, a chicken run and laying hens, a vegetable garden, a teaching
kitchen and, more recently, an interactive whiteboard to help develop the quality of teaching as well as
upcycled desks and new seating.

We are delighted to launch the next visit inviting students from Consett Academy and North Durham
Academy to participate in the tour which will take place in 2024, running from 11th – 24th February ‘24,
including the half term holiday. This is open to students who are currently in Years 7 and 8 at Wellfield,
Consett and North Durham. Also, students currently in Year 10 at Consett Academy, are invited to apply
to take part if they are intending to stay and study in the 6th form provision at Consett.

We are able to offer this wonderful experience at a fantastic TOTAL COST of £1,800. The price builds in the possible impact of inflation or change in exchange rates as well as the uncertainty about flight prices at this stage. This visit will have a maximum capacity of 12 students per school who can accompany the
visit, although a waiting list will also be compiled. If you would like your child to attend this visit, please
complete the expression of interest form at the end of this letter by Friday 20th May 2022. (Paper copies
will be available to collect at Student Reception).

We do expect significant interest in this visit so please do not hesitate to submit your interest. After the
deadline, a meeting will be set up for parents who have expressed an interest for them to find out more
details about the organisation of the trip, after which we will need confirmation that you would still like
your child to be included and the deposit paid as per the payment plan detailed below. If there are
significantly more students wanting to participate than we have places available, students may need to
apply via a short letter outlining why they should take part. Any places remaining available from one
school’s allocation will be offered to the other schools and we will also hold a waiting list in case a
student has to withdraw from the trip.

The £1800 of the tour DOES include the following:
• All flights from Newcastle to Johannesburg via a European or Dubai connection. Flight and visit
insurance.
• 11 nights’ accommodation at Spionkop Lodge near Winterton, Kwazulu-Natal.
• All meals – mostly self-catering but including some restaurant meals as well.
• Local travel and transfers; all activities, trips and excursions.
• Preparation of immigration documentation for children travelling without both parents to South Africa
and authorisation by a legal Notary.
• Project costs incurred when working in the project school – Schitsdrift School. (Supporting pupils in
class, teaching pupils, playing with them at break times, training teachers (!) and completing repairs
or basic construction tasks depending on the needs of the school at the time.)
• Any test required for return to the UK such as COVID PCRs IF there was a similar global health concern
at the time of departure or return to the U.K.

The price of the tour does NOT include the following:
• Return transfer from Newcastle Airport including on arrival back in the UK.
• Individual travel documentation – passport. Each student needs his or her own passport – please
check passport requirements re e.g., expiry date.
• Visa – however not currently required if travelling on a UK passport.
• Personal clothing, equipment, and travel inoculations, although none are currently required except
COVID vaccination and boosters for South Africa. Currently people entering South Africa who are not
fully vaccinated must present a negative PCR test.
• Spending money for souvenirs or additional drinks.

Whilst in South Africa, students will spend the mornings most days at the school helping the Zulu pupils with their work, especially improving their English, and building up strong friendship links.

However, the visit is also about having fun, personal development and finding out about the culture and
the area so there will be a number of activities and excursions for students to experience. The ‘in resort’
itinerary would probably include most of the following as well as other exciting opportunities:
• Spionkop Game Drive at Spionkop Game Reserve
• Thokoziza shopping trip and lunch
• Mount Alice walk and/or Battlefield Tour
• Nambiti safari at dawn
• Dinner at Bingelela, Bergville
• Walk and nature experience at Monks Cowl, Champagne Castle in the Drakensberg mountains
• Braais

Payment Plan
Once participation is confirmed an initial deposit of £150 will be payable by 6th June 2022 via Parentpay
in order to secure a place on the trip. The deposit is non-refundable unless a replacement can be found
should your child have to withdraw from the trip. Interim payments of varying amounts will then be due
by the following dates:
• Interim payment 1 of £150 by 5th July 2022. Interim payment 2 of £400 by 5th December 2022
• Interim payment 3 of £300 by 5th March 2023. Interim payment 4 of £400 by 5th July 2023
• Final payment of £400 by 5th December 2023

If you would like to find out more information about this visit to South Africa, please email the following
staff who are leading the visit from your schools:
Wellfield: a.mcallister@wellfieldschool.net
Consett: l.crawford@ncdat.org.uk
North Durham Academy: c.raper@ndacademy.co.uk

Register your interest here