St John’s Crowned Under 13s South West Durham Netball Champions
St John’s Catholic School and Sixth Form in Bishop Auckland are proud to announce that their Under 13s netball teams have been named South West Durham Netball Tournament Champions. It was an outstanding day of competition for the school’s Year 8 Netball teams, who once again secured tournament success. Throughout the event, the students represented St John’s with pride, demonstrating excellent teamwork, strong practical skills and growing confidence with every match.
St John’s Students Shine at Durham Gala Theatre Drama Festival
Students from St John’s Catholic School and Sixth Form in Bishop Auckland took to the stage with confidence this week as they performed at the Durham Gala Theatre as part of the second annual Schools Drama Festival.
A Spectacular Celebration of Talent: The Fourth Annual Jaquie Holloway Prize for Performing Arts at St John’s
What an incredible evening we have had for our fourth annual Jaquie Holloway Prize for Performing Arts. It was a truly inspiring event which showcased the absolutely amazing range and level of talent we have here at St John’s Catholic School & Sixth Form College. From our 12 finalists, each of whom performed with confidence, skill and passion, to our outstanding ensembles.
St John’s Students Shine at Regional National Schools Badminton Championships in York
Students from St John’s Catholic School and Sixth Form College in Bishop Auckland once again demonstrated their talent and dedication as they travelled to York for the North East and Yorkshire regional finals of the National Schools Badminton Championships.
Celebrating the Joy of Reading at St John’s in Bishop Auckland
On Thursday, St John’s in Bishop Auckland celebrated the joy of reading and the power of stories to spark imagination, build empathy and bring our community together. At St John’s, we are passionate about fostering a lifelong love of reading — from diving into new worlds and exploring new perspectives to enjoying a peaceful moment with a great book.
St John’s Cast Visit Sunderland University for Little Shop of Horrors Experience
The principal cast of this year’s St John’s school production of Little Shop of Horrors had the fantastic opportunity to visit Sunderland University to watch their performance of the musical live on stage. This visit offered our cast a valuable chance to see the show brought to life, helping them develop their own characterisation, vocals and performance skills ahead of our school production.
A Magical Evening at Matilda the Musical
Just before half term, a group of our talented Performing Arts students – including members of our school choir and the Little Shop of Horrors cast – enjoyed a spectacular trip to the Sunderland Empire to see the award‑winning Matilda the Musical.
Tom’s Talks: Year 10 Explore Positive Masculinity and the Power of Social Media
At St John’s Catholic Secondary School and Sixth Form, we are committed to developing confident, compassionate and responsible young people. As part of our ongoing personal development and character education programme, our Year 10 boys recently took part in an inspiring Tom’s Talks workshop led by speaker and youth educator, Tom. This thought‑provoking session tackled some of the most important issues facing young people today, including toxic masculinity, misogyny and the powerful influence of social media.
Sixth Form Theatre Trip to York: A Day of Culture, Creativity and Conversation
Our St John’s Sixth Form students enjoyed an unforgettable cultural experience this week as our Performing Arts and Art groups travelled to the historic city of York for a day filled with creativity, inspiration, and powerful theatre.
Inspiring Visit to St John’s Bishop Auckland: Year 10 Learn from Syrian Refugee Speaker
Last week at St John’s Catholic School & Sixth Form College in Bishop Auckland, our community had the privilege of welcoming Iman, a Syrian refugee who shared her powerful personal story with our entire Year 10 cohort. Since arriving in the UK in 2017, Iman and her children have faced challenges, change and incredible moments of resilience — and her visit offered our students a unique opportunity to learn directly from lived experience.
St John’s Sixth Form Launches 2027 Peru Expedition: A Life‑Changing Opportunity for Students
This week, excitement filled the room as more than 100 Year 11 and Year 12 students gathered for the official launch of the well‑established St John’s Sixth Form charitable expedition to Peru. This remarkable project—running every two years since 2009—continues to be one of the most transformative experiences offered to our students. Joe Plumb, long‑standing leader of the initiative, delivered an inspiring introduction to the aims and vision of the expedition, outlining what students can expect from the 2027 journey and why the project remains such an important part of St John’s Sixth Form life.
Year 7 Shine on Their Pure Padel PE Reward Trip
Last week, twelve of our Year 7 students enjoyed an exciting PE reward trip to Pure Padel Durham, where they had the chance to try out one of the fastest‑growing sports in the world. Throughout the visit, students took part in a range of skills‑based activities, learning the fundamentals of padel and building their confidence on the court. They then put their new techniques into action with some friendly match play, demonstrating great teamwork, enthusiasm, and sportsmanship.