What a wonderful way to end the term—and to wrap up 2025—here at St John’s, Bishop Auckland. Our final day was filled with festive cheer, celebration, and a true sense of community spirit.
Christmas Jumpers & Festive Spirit
Staff and students alike embraced the Christmas mood, arriving in an array of colourful Christmas jumpers, accessories, and bright seasonal smiles. The atmosphere across school was warm, joyful and full of excitement as we prepared to start the Christmas break.
Celebrating Success in Our Reward Assemblies
Throughout the day, each year group gathered for their end‑of‑term reward assembly, recognising the many achievements our students have worked hard for this term. Awards celebrated:
- Excellent attendance
- Impressive progress and improvement
- Achievements in the Duke of Edinburgh Award
- Enrichment Champions for outstanding participation
- And our final Good Puds winners for December—students who make St John’s a kinder, happier place to be
These assemblies are a cherished tradition, offering staff the chance to celebrate the dedication, talent, and growth shown by our students.
Spreading Joy: Hand Chime Ensemble
One of the day’s highlights was our Hand Chime ensemble, who travelled around school performing festive pieces for our incredible support staff. These teams work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our school running smoothly—they are the quiet heroes of St John’s.
Including them in the celebrations meant a great deal, and some even joined in to play a few notes themselves!
A Heartwarming Wave-Off
To end the term, we continued our much-loved tradition of waving off the buses, wishing all students a safe journey home and a wonderful start to their Christmas holiday. It was the perfect finish to a special day.