Every year Durham Sixth Form Centre enters a team in the annual European Youth Parliament Inter – Schools Debating Competition. This year the North-East Regional final was held on Friday 8th March in the Armstrong Building at Newcastle University.

The Student Wellbeing Party orchestrated an extravaganza of activities aimed at lifting our spirits and spreading boundless joy across Durham Sixth Form Centre, in celebration of International Happiness Day on Wednesday 20th March. 

One of the highlights of the week was the creation of a vibrant mural in the VAC (Visual Arts Centre), a masterpiece that radiated positivity and creativity.

Three of our esteemed Student Executives, Emma Lindsey, Yves Tinnion, and Lizzie Briggs, recently travelled to Newcastle to participate in an extraordinary event called the Hope Hack. In addition, two of our students, Ellie Johnson and Arthur Golden-Shillaw, were in attendance representing North East Peer Action Collective – a research and social action project run by young people, to create a safer and fairer community. 

Every year students and staff from the Politics department visit the Houses of Parliament. The first part of the day consisted of a walk down Whitehall including a look at 10 Downing Street, numerous government departments and then lunch at Trafalgar Square.

On the 13th of March 2024, 12 students took a trip to the University of Sunderland to explore the subject of Biomedical Science. This trip served as a gateway to the future, offering a glimpse into the rigours and rewards of pursuing a degree in this field.

We are thrilled to share the incredible success of our recent fundraising event in support of Comic Relief. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our Charities Committee, along with the enthusiastic participation of both students and staff, we have managed to raise an impressive £375.43.

Over 400 Year 12 parents/carers attended our recent annual Parents Careers Conference, where they were informed of all the key information that they would need to support their young people through the various progression options which lie ahead.

During February half term, 40 Year 12 and Year 13 students and 4 members of staff hit the slopes of Andorra for an exciting skiing adventure. Andorra is a tiny principality between France and Spain and ski holidays there have been enticing skiers for decades.

In January, we invited DEN (Deaf Empowering Network) to host a 6 week course of workshops of BSL (British Sign Language) for students.

The course was developed for learners who wish to a acquire basic understanding of BSL for the purpose of holding a simple conversation with deaf people, including – family, friends, and colleagues.

This year, our annual Apprenticeship Week celebrations highlighted some of our successful alumni. Throughout the week, both teaching staff and the Careers, Progression and Aspirations Team welcomed ten organisations, with DSFC alumni leading the majority of sessions.