Parish schools

Parish News and Announcements

3rd July News from our Parish Schools

4 days ago

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

https://stjosephsgilesgate.bwcet.com/

We would like to thank the children who attended the Annual Governance Conference Mass for the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle this week. The children were a credit to themselves, and our school and we are so proud of them. The event was a truly special moment, and we are grateful to have experienced it. Below is our calendar of events over the next two weeks:

Wednesday 8^th July

· EYFS will host their Sports day on the morning and KS2 will host their Sports Day on the afternoon in school. This will be a day of cheering and celebrating achievements together as a school.

· Year 5 and 6 will be attending Mass in church at 10am. All families and friends are welcome to attend.

· Thursday 9^th July at 2.30pm there will be a Celebration Assembly in the school hall. All families and friends are welcome to attend.

· Tuesday 14^th July at 10.30am we will be hosting a violin concert in the school hall. All families and friends are welcome to attend.

· Wednesday 15^th July

· we will be attending church for the Whole School End of term Mass at 10am. We will be hosting the Mass with St Thomas More School to say goodbye to our Year 6 children and to end our school year with hope, kindness and friendship. All families and friends are welcome to attend.

· at 1.30pm we will be hosting our Summer Fayre. All families and friends are welcome to attend.

· Thursday 16^th July at 9.30am Year 6 will host their Leavers Assembly in the school hall. All families and friends are welcome to attend.

St Godric's Catholic Primary School

https://stgodricsdurham.bwcet.com/

We can’t believe there are only two weeks left of the academic year — it’s flown by! Our Y6 pupils had a brilliant transition day at St. Leonard’s on Friday and are feeling excited and ready for the next chapter.

We’ve got plenty of lovely things planned as we head towards the end of term: Sports Day next Tuesday, a Y3 trip to the museum, and Y5 will be enjoying a taster day at St Leonard’s — complete with lunch, which they’re very excited about.

A quick reminder: This Sunday, 5^th July, St Godric’s will be holding its annual Summer Fair from 12 noon to 3pm on the school field. There will be toy and book stalls, children and adults tombolas, inflatables, refreshments (including delicious Mexican tacos), our ever‑popular Rainbow Raffle, and lots more. Everyone is welcome — we’d love to see you there.

St Thomas More Catholic Primary School

https://stthomasmorebelmont.bwcet.com/

Our first Frosty Friday was a fantastic success—thank you to everyone who contributed! Don’t forget, you can continue to support Team Solan Cancer Trust by sending in additional donations on Friday 3^rd, Friday 10^th, and Friday 17^th July. In return, your child will be able to enjoy a refreshing ice lolly treat—perfect for the sunny days ahead! We also have some exciting upcoming events across the school. On Friday 10^th July, our Year 5 pupils will be visiting St Leonard’s for a transition day. During their visit, they will take part in lessons and even have the opportunity to sample a delicious lunch prepared by St. Leonard’s catering team.

As the end of term approaches, we begin to celebrate and say our goodbyes to our Year 6 pupils. Their special leavers’ meal and bowling trip at Ramside will take place on Monday 13^th July, marking the start of their farewell celebrations.

Families are warmly invited to join us for the Year 6 Leavers’ Mass at 10:00am on Wednesday 15^th July at St Joseph’s Church—a meaningful occasion as we reflect on their time with us and wish them well for the future.

Finally, our Year 6 pupils will say their last—and undoubtedly emotional—goodbyes during the Leavers’ Assembly on Thursday 16^th July at 9:15am in the school hall.

We look forward to sharing these special moments with you as we celebrate the achievements and memories of this wonderful group of pupils.

St Leonard's Catholic Secondary School

https://stleonardsdurham.bwcet.com/

Mass at St. Leonard’s – 12^th July at 10.00am - St. Leonard’s School entrance and car park is accessed via the residential estate behind the school itself. Please note parking is limited but additional parking is available off site and at County Hall. Pupils and staff will be on hand in the car park to direct parishioners to the Sports Hall entrance where the Mass will be held. Refreshments will be served after Mass for all to enjoy.

St Leonard's 90^th Anniversary

St. Leonard's opened its doors for the first time on 26^th August 1936, and this summer the school will celebrate its 90^th anniversary. We will have a year of celebrations including events for parents, pupils and staff. We would like to begin the anniversary year though with an opportunity for former staff members to tour the new building. If you would like to book a place, please use the information below.

Former Staff Tour: Wednesday 26^th August 2026 - 10am-12noon. To book a place please use this link or use the QR code below.

26th June News from our Parish Schools

Jun 26

Parish School pages on our website

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

https://stjosephsgilesgate.bwcet.com/

We would like to thank the staff and team at the YMT Emmaus Youth Village for an amazing day working with the Year 6 children at the Leavers Festival. They enjoyed every moment of the event and are looking forward to moving on to Year 7 in September.

On Wednesday 1^st July, Year 3 and 4 will be attending Mass in church at 10am. All families and friends are welcome to attend.

On Friday 3^rd July the children in Year 6 will be visiting St Leonard's and Durham Johnson for a transition day. It will be Move Up day for the children in school, and they are so excited to spend a day in their new classrooms to prepare for the new school term in September.

St Godric's Catholic Primary School

https://stgodricsdurham.bwcet.com/

Our Y6 children participated in the annual youth festival along with other Y6 children from different primary schools. A lovely reflective day of prayer, dance and activities.

They were then meant to travel to London to visit parliament but due to the extreme temperatures, it was cancelled. Instead, they enjoyed some north-east sun, pizzas and water fun!

Next week, our Y5 children are off to Gateshead Stadium for a Celebration of Sport. We end the week with our annual FoSG summer fair on Sunday 5^th July 12-3. Please come along!

St Thomas More Catholic Primary School

https://stthomasmorebelmont.bwcet.com/

Our Year 6 pupils, who will be moving on to St. Leonard’s soon, take their first steps in this journey with a visit to the St. Leonard’s Open Evening on Monday 29^th June. This will be followed by a transition day on Friday 3^rd July, offering them a valuable opportunity to familiarise themselves with their new surroundings and begin to build confidence for the year ahead.

Friday 3^rd July will also be an important day for the rest of the school, as we host our annual “move-up” day. On this occasion, all pupils will spend time with their new class teachers in preparation for September—a wonderful opportunity to ease anxieties and foster excitement about the next stage of their learning.

There is also much to look forward to across school life. On Monday 29^th June, Class 2 and Class 3 will enjoy an exciting trip to South Shields beach, providing a chance for fun, fresh air, and shared memories.

Following the success of our first “Frosty Friday,” we are delighted to be hosting three additional sessions. The next will take place on Friday 3^rd July, and we are especially pleased to welcome Mark Solan, CEO of Team Solan Cancer Trust, who will be joining us. We encourage everyone to support this wonderful initiative by bringing along those pennies or pounds—every contribution will go directly to Team Solan Cancer Trust, a truly important and deserving local charity.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support in helping to make our school community such a vibrant and caring place.

St Leonard's Catholic Secondary School

https://stleonardsdurham.bwcet.com/

St Leonard's 90^th Anniversary

Former Staff Tour: Wednesday 26^th August 2026 - 10am-12noon. To book a place please use this link or use the QR code below.

First Holy Communion Celebration St Joseph's and St Thomas More

Jun 13

Our prayers and congratulations are with the children who received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion this morning in St Joseph's church. We pray they will be nourished and strengthened by the Eucharist. May they enjoy a lifelong friendship with Jesus as their growing faith is supported and nurtured by their family, friends and catechists within their school and parish communities.