On Wednesday, it was a delight to welcome the Y6 pupils from Choristers for their familiarisation day with a range of activities designed to make the place and people at Durham School more familiar, and give a feel of what school will be like from September. It was an excellent day with breakfast in Big School, a visit to the Houses, an Enterprise activity, Games, Science session, Art workshop, and I hope all left with a clear sense of what awaits them in the future. Similarly, we greeted parents on Thursday evening to introduce the School and our provision more formally, and it was a privilege to meet and talk about the next steps on their children's Durham journey.

The arrival of trees this week highlighted the already approaching end of term, and the imminent arrival of perhaps the busiest weeks in the School year. For those of you whose children will be performing in one of the many concerts, shows, and services, rehearsals and practices will already be underway as we prepare for the feast of Christmas. I offer my best wishes to all the choristers singing in this weekend's Advent Processions.

After a week of biting cold and unseasonably warm days, I hope the weather remains fair for Saturday's Rutherford Head the block fixtures against Scarborough College.