We’re pleased to share that the April edition of our Careers Newsletter is now available, bringing together the latest updates, insights, and opportunities to support students as they plan their next steps.
This month’s edition features exciting recent events at Duke’s, keeping our community up to date with what’s been happening across the school. We also shine a spotlight on higher education, offering useful guidance and information for students considering university pathways.
In addition, the newsletter explores what’s currently happening across the North East, highlighting regional opportunities and trends that could shape future career choices. A key focus this month is the importance of understanding labour market information—helping students and families make informed decisions by looking at employment trends, growth sectors, and skills in demand.
We encourage all students and parents/carers to take some time to read through the newsletter and engage with the valuable resources included.
We’re excited to share that the March edition of our Careers Newsletter is now available!
This month’s theme, “Navigating Your Future,” is packed with useful insights, guidance, and opportunities to help students take their next steps with confidence.
Inside this edition, you’ll find:
Highlights from National Careers Week
A look at World of Work Day
Support with last-minute work experience placements
Helpful advice for students leaving secondary school (Y11 & Y13)
Guidance on travel planning for apprenticeships
Updates on what’s been happening at Dukes
Whether you’re exploring career options, preparing for the future, or looking for practical tips, there’s something here for everyone.
Check out the full newsletter now and stay informed about all things careers!
Streaming services have become the go-to entertainment choice for many families, with children often favouring on-demand platforms over traditional television. This edition explores the realities behind these services, from rising subscription costs and advert-supported tiers to the impact of autoplay and endless content libraries on young viewers’ screen time and wellbeing.
It also highlights key safeguarding concerns, including age-inappropriate material, binge watching, algorithm-driven recommendations and phishing scams. With clear, practical advice for setting profiles, PINs and time limits – alongside tips for discussing algorithms and stereotypes – this guide supports parents and educators in promoting safer, healthier streaming habits.
We kicked off our celebrations on Tuesday when we welcomed author and filmmaker Henry Vyner-Brooks and his Great Northern Tour. His workshops for Years 7, 8, and 9 focused on more than just writing, (although they did get lots of useful tips); they focused on resilience.
Henry shared his story of overcoming severe dyslexia to find success in the literary world, which deeply inspired everyone. He did a presentation about his books and films, shared some extremely useful tips for writing and then concluded the session with a creative writing challenge for our students – focused on suspense and tension, which he then judged.
Noah, Leigha, Jack, Mollie and Oliver were all given signed books as prizes!
English Lessons
This week, our English department transformed into a hub of literary celebration! To mark World Book Day, our staff shared their personal love for reading by displaying their favorite titles in every classroom.
The festivities took a creative turn with our “Shelfie” Challenge, where students turned detective to match teachers with their home bookshelves. We also took a peek into the minds of our educators through their “Desert Island Books”—a great starting point for some brilliant classroom discussions.
Get Involved!
The excitement isn’t over yet. Students can still enter our two headline competitions:
Write a Book Review
Design a Book Cover
Both competitions are open until March 27, 2026, with £10 Amazon vouchers up for grabs for the winners. Show us your creativity!
Thursday 5th March 2026: World Book Day!
World Book Day on March 5th was a whirlwind of activity, bringing together students, visitors, and families to celebrate the power of the written word.
We kicked off the day in Period 1 by welcoming students from The Castle School. It was a joy to see them exploring our shelves, picking out new favorite reads, and diving into book-themed jigsaws.
By Period 3, the focus shifted to the “why” behind the “what.” Our student group engaged in a lively debate about how reading shapes our future prospects. The consensus was clear: whether you want to be an astronaut or an artist, reading is the ultimate superpower for any career!
The session wrapped up with a high-energy reading quiz and a “Favorite Book” writing competition.
A huge congratulations to our winners, judged by Ms. Everton:
Year Group
Top 3 Finalists
Overall Winner
Year 7
Hanna, Sherrie, and Oliver
Oliver
Year 8
Lola, Sophie, and Zara
Zara
Connecting with Families
We were delighted to welcome 12 parents and carers for a special Period 5 session. This was a fantastic opportunity for families to tour our facilities and hear from Mrs. Bonham regarding the National Year of Reading 2026.
The library truly came to life with:
Interactive Exhibits: Including a popular display of Harry Potter memorabilia and authentic film props.
The Big Quiz: A friendly but competitive round! Well done to our top three scorers: Thomas, Oliver, and Rubi.
It was wonderful to see so many families engaging with our staff and seeing first-hand where their children’s literacy journeys take place.
At Duke’s some Y7 and Y8 students took part in a creative workshop. It is one of many workshops created to work with different community partners to explore people’s connections to the coast. It was a puppetry workshop to get hands on The puppets designed and created in the workshop could then be taken home or go forward to form part of a professional theatrical production that will tour seaside locations in May.
This is linked to a project called ‘Strong Shores’. This initiative is a Defra-funded, nature-based coastal resilience project that aims to strengthen British coastlines and communities against flooding, erosion, and climate change by harnessing the power of natural marine habitats.
The students who took part learnt a lot about how our coasts help protect the environment and then created their own puppets and were shown how to use them properly.
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