A sense of tranquillity has settled over the House this week as our young gentlemen steadily get used to their timetables, new activities, and classroom locations. The frequency of pupils seeking guidance on timetables and initial network and Wi-Fi logins has noticeably declined, but there are still a number of pupils struggling to gain access to either MS Teams or the wireless network. If anyone is struggling with these, please contact your son's tutor in the first instance. 

The spotlight is now shifting towards House competitions, with the annual House Music competition poised to take place after in November. The competition will be themed around 'Weather,' with the House performing a unison song involving the full House and a part song involving 6–12 people. Auditions will begin in the next week or so. 

On the sports field, the House has been well represented on the rugby field. J. McBurnie, B. Hutchinson, T. Thirkell, A. Edwards, E. Renwick, L. Myers, O. Robinson, R. Fellows, M. Jones and G. Bolam displayed remarkable prowess in the first-team rugby fixture of the season, securing an impressive victory over Harrogate Grammar at Durham City last Friday evening. 

This morning saw the first 'beaches' competition of this academic year. New pupils were assigned to a beach team, and the teams were tasked with creating the best paper aeroplanes. Pictures and results will follow next week. 

I am excited to announce that we will be hosting a Pizza and Film evening for our new Year 7 students at the end of this half-term. Mrs. Gordon, Mr. Thompson, and I are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to spend quality time with the boys. This event will also provide our new students with a wonderful chance to get to know each other a little more. The date is yet to be confirmed, but the evening will start at 4:30pm and conclude at 6:30pm I kindly ask that the boys come dressed in comfortable clothing. Additionally, if they wish to bring along any sweets or popcorn, please feel free to do so; we encourage a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. 

As we approach the end of the second week, our pupil achievements have been commendable and consistently remarkable. The Caffinites list is certainly an impressive testament to their dedication and hard work! 

On a final note, could I please remind parents that the House will be open at 07:30 and close at 18:00 each day. If you need to make prior arrangements for pick-ups, please let either myself or Mr. Thompson know. 

Good luck to all of the Caffinites who are participating in sporting events this weekend. Have a great weekend 

Mr A. McMillan