durham johnston comprehensive school
Durham
We are a happy and thriving school in the heart of Durham City. We believe that
each word in our school name is hugely important and is linked directly to our
ethos and values, and what we seek to do on a daily basis. We are proud to serve
the people of County Durham and our students are drawn from a wide geographical
area. We take our name from James Finley Weir Johnston, a successful scientist
who bequeathed money so that both boys and girls from Durham could access a
high-quality education. We have been providing a rich and varied academic
curriculum since 1901 and are proud to have a long and distinguished history.
Subject specific knowledge and an awareness of Britain and the wider world are
hugely important as students develop and learn. The quality of education that we
offer is comprehensive in terms of both breadth and scope. We are also a
comprehensive school in terms of the wide variety of backgrounds and
circumstances that members of our school community come from. Increasingly, our
students are drawn from a wide variety of nations and continents too. That
diversity is one of our greatest strengths Our staff are highly experienced and
combine subject specialism with a commitment to pastoral care and student
support. All students have equal access to a well-planned curriculum, a wide
range of opportunities for personal development and the chance to learn from the
others within our school community. We believe firmly in social justice and
equality of opportunity for all; when students cross our threshold each morning,
they have access to the same opportunities. As a school we believe in education
in its widest sense; students can learn a huge amount both in and beyond the
classroom, and, of equal importance, by interacting and working with others. The
personal development of each student is key to their future success, and we
offer a diverse range of extracurricular opportunities, as well as encouraging
participation in public service, particularly through our well established House
System. In their time with us we want all of our students to make excellent
academic progress based upon their starting points, to acquire knowledge, to
access opportunities regardless of previous experiences or circumstance, to
support others within and beyond our community and to leave us for further
success as adults. We are a big and busy comprehensive school, and all teaching
and support staff are united in wanting the best for our students. We work hard,
and look for ways to adapt, improve, and create new opportunities for our young
people. We don’t always get things right and sometimes encounter issues and
circumstances for which there aren't easy solutions, but we are honest about
that and seek to work closely with parents and carers. We want all students to
enjoy their time with us, to be successful and to look back on their time at
Durham Johnston Comprehensive School positively.
