CHILDREN from one of the region’s newest schools attended one of the oldest historical venues for an awe-inspiring service of dedication.
The Durham Free School staged the inaugural service at Durham Cathedral addressed by its Dean, The Very Revd Michael Sadgrove.
Parents and governors joined students and staff in a celebration which featured hymns, readings and speeches.
They were joined by teachers and pupils from All Saints C of E Academy, Stockton, and Grindon Hall School, Sunderland.
Children began at the new school in September, which is based at the former Gilesgate Sports College site, following a campaign for a school to serve families to the south east of the city and to meet demand in the city for a fully inclusive Christian secondary school.
Headteacher Peter Cantley told the congregation: “We are delighted to be here in this awe-inspiring and much loved cathedral.
“We opened our doors to offer parents and children the choice of a school with a Christian ethos, but also one which welcomes pupils from all faiths and of all abilities and backgrounds.
“We have been greatly heartened by how our vision has resonated with parents.”
Chairman of Governors John Denning said it was an immense privilege to be in a building that had been at the heart of Christian education for centuries.
“We are amazed at what the students have achieved so far,” he said. “The Durham Free School is a happy place where kindness is shown to one another.
“We are expecting great things, but we are about so much more than just academic results. We want to help students engage with the real world and respond in the right way.”
In his address, the Dean told the children that education was vital to help them develop wisdom and understand where they belonged in the world. It also helped give life purpose and provided them with the opportunity to make a positive difference.
“It is not what we know, it is what we do with that knowledge,” he said.
The students were presented with Bibles by David Keith, a consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Sunderland Royal Hospital, on behalf of the Gideons and in memory of former GP George Munro, who died last year.
