School Wear Collection Times
New school wear can be collected on the dates and times listed below:

Friday 3 September, 10:00am - 2:00pm

QEHS leads the way in Climate Change Challenge

Energy saving ideas thought up by students from QEHS have seen them secure first place in a county wide school environmental competition.

Pupils formed a student-led group to introduce environmentally friendly projects around the school. These included organising an eco awareness day; using produce from the school's Walled Garden in the sixth form café; supporting the development of the new school orchard; and replacing polystyrene cups with mugs that the pupils brought in from home. The group also focused their attention on the school's Hydro building, aiming to improve recycling facilities and make the building more energy efficient.

The environmental competition was initiated and organised by Northumberland County Council's Youth Cabinet with the support of the council's climate change and sustainability team and the North East Climate Change Partnership. It complements work being done with staff and governors in schools across the county.

Hugh Clear Hill, Climate Change Officer at Northumberland County Council said: "This event was enormously valuable in encouraging students to think carefully about their potential impact on the environment and what changes they can make to reduce this impact. The standard of submissions was remarkably high and the enthusiasm and creativity shown by the pupils towards this project gives me great hope that the younger generation in Northumberland are ready, willing and able to make environmentally conscious choices."

The QEHS Climate Action group was given £500 to progress their project further. The young people involved also received a prize of £250. Sixth former Frances Waitt said "I think the project was a great idea as it is really important that my generation understands the fragility of our environment and the importance of looking after our world. The whole group really enjoyed taking part and thanks to staff member James Gray his help."

Tibetan Links Strengthened

Links between Hexham's Queen Elizabeth High School students and a Tibetan monastery school in India were reinforced in May when QEHS Headteacher Neil Morrison was presented with gifts from his Tibetan counterpart.

Mr Morrison's predecessor Tony Webster and his wife, former head of drama Kathy White-Webster, have recently returned from a month long visit to the Tashi Lhunpo monastery school. Kathy came into QEHS to hand over a special gift of incense and a traditional white scarf, called a kata, which had been blessed by the Principal of the Tashi Lhunpo school, Kachen Tsultrim. The colour symbolizes purity of intention and aspiration.

Kathy was pleased to meet some of the 100 students who regularly correspond with Tibetan penpals, both at the monastery and at the Tibetan Children’s Village School for refugees in south India. She said: "The Tibetan staff and students are extremely keen to maintain these links, they really feel in their hearts that they want to connect with you all. Anything you can send your penpals – letters, notes, postcards – will be much appreciated."

Through the Websters' involvement with Tashi Lhunpo, Tibetan monks have visited Hexham on several occasions during their tours around Britain to give demonstrations and workshops on their culture and beliefs to raise funds for their school. Their fabulous sand mandalas which symbolise the impermanence of everything are especially memorable.

Mr Morrison was delighted to receive his gifts: "I am both very pleased and very proud that so many of our students have taken up this very special opportunity and are forging links that we believe will be long lasting and exceedingly rewarding for the students at both schools. I know our two lead teachers in this link, John Hartshorne and Andy Brook, are working with great commitment and are looking at even more exciting ways of developing the partnership – a visit to India for our students has even been suggested!"