Press Releases

Statement on Horsemeat Found In Processed Meat Products

Durham Johnston Catering can confirm that comprehensive written statements have been received from all of our suppliers of beef and processed meat products. We are therefore able to state that no products used in catering at Durham Johnston have been sourced from any of the implicated processors, manufacturers or distributors to date.

In addition to the on-going rigorous food safety measures we apply, we have now contacted all of the suppliers from whom we source products containing beef to ensure absolute security throughout our raw meat and processed meat supply chains.

When we took the decision to undertake our own catering provision, the business plan embodied the principle of sourcing high quality produce from local suppliers wherever possible. We avoid the use of low quality, low cost produce which appears to have been an effective strategy in this case.

Helen Charlton
Business Manager

SSAT Commends Durham Johnston School

SSAT COMMENDS DURHAM JOHNSTON SCHOOL

 FOR ACHIEVING SOME OF THE BEST 2011 GCSE RESULTS IN THE COUNTRY

Durham Johnston Comprehensive School has received national recognition for the proportion of top grades achieved by its pupils in the GCSE examinations in 2011.

Durham Johnston Comprehensive School qualified as one of the top 10% of non-selective schools in England where at least 19% of students gained 5A*-A grades including English and Maths in 2011.

Every school in the country has been ranked according to how well they performed in their GCSE results in 2011 in new rankings released by SSAT – the representative body for schools.

The new ranking, calculated by SSAT using official data, raise the bar for schools by only counting the school’s performance at the highest GCSE grades – A* and A – reflecting the schools’ desire to achieve the very best results for their students.

“Durham Johnston Comprehensive School should be congratulated for their stunning achievement in securing some of the best GCSE results in the country.

Durham Johnston Comprehensive School has proved itself to be one of the best schools in the country at securing superb GCSE outcomes for their students.  There is plenty that other schools could learn from Durham Johnston School’s success.

These results are testament to the commitment and hard work of the students, teachers and leadership team of the school and a vindication of their belief in high expectation, good teaching and ambition for every young person.”

Head Teacher, Carolyn Roberts said “I am delighted that our hard work has been recognised in this way”.

Jubilee Cake Sales Raise Much Needed Funds For Durham Foodbank

Pupils who are members of Durham Johnston’s  KS3 Textile Club were excited to be given the opportunity to take part in a community fund-raising project as part of the school’s Jubilee celebrations.  Their brief was to bake and ice a huge Jubilee themed cake to sell to students during morning break at the end of term to raise money for the Durham Foodbank.

Over a period of two weeks the pupils, with some assistance from  year 11 Textiles pupils and Mrs Bradley and Mrs Scott from the Technology department, prepared large red, white and blue marbled sponge cakes which were then assembled,  iced and decorated.   The stunning cake was displayed in the foyer before being portioned and sold to pupils and staff. 

Members of the club have been invited to visit the Foodbank’s main foodstore based at the Evangel Church in Chester-le-Street on Monday 18 June, where they will meet staff and volunteers and learn about the work of the charity.  The pupils will present the Head of the Durham Foodbank, Peter MacLellan,  with a cheque for £376.00.

Durham Johnston Olympic Club Host Mandeville

On Thursday the Olympic mascot Mandeville joined students from our Olympic Club to officially launch our new, state of the art, disabled access minibus. The minibus was specifically chosen to allow our disabled students and young sportspeople to travel to sporting fixtures and other events alongside their able bodied peers.

It is fitting that Mandeville visited for this occasion; his name comes from Stoke Mandeville Hospitalin Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England which held The Stoke Mandeville Games, the inspiration for the Paralympics. Mandeville wears a pink stopwatch on his wrist which on models reads 0:20:12. His helmet-like head with three points coloured blue, red and green represents the agitos, the Paralympic Symbol.