The weather has taken a turn for the autumnal and it is a shame that the rain put paid to some fixtures through the week. This weekend, we welcome a group of pupils from Ardvreck School at the foothills of the Highlands. They are boarding with us on Saturday night and will enjoy a tour of Durham and its environs on the Sunday morning. We also hope that they will attend the Big Sing, which is the concert being given by Nick Bright OD and his Miami Garage Choir in Chapel on Saturday night. It promises to be a fantastic evening of music, and I do urge you to come along if you can. Tickets are available from https://tickets.dcsf.org.uk

On the musical theme, preparations for House Music have begun in earnest and already the strains of School House's endeavours are reaching my ears. We are delighted that we are hosting the competition in the Cathedral this year, which means parents will be able to come along and support their children's houses, something which has not happened for a number of years. The competition takes place on November 18 and tickets will be available soon. 

Finally, parents' evenings for the L6 and Year 7 are looming in the next two weeks and I am looking forward to seeing parents there. I must say how well both year groups have settled in to the school: a number of staff have commented to me about how easily the pupils have adjusted to the new environment and how hard they are working. Well done.