Year 12 students at King James I Academy have won ‘The KEY+ Pitch Innovators of the Year’ award at The Key Awards 2026, which was held at Newcastle Crowne Plaza.

Members of our Sport and Healthy Lifestyles Ambassador Group have taken on a Ready, Steady, Cook challenge to design and prepare a healthy, balanced meal in just 60 minutes.

In our Science Department, teachers focus on planning creative and fun lessons to inspire students; and our Physics specialist and STEM Co-ordinator, Miss Thompson, organises a calendar of special activities and events to boost interest and engagement.

Last year, The Glove Project was one of our chosen year group charities and over the course of the academic year, students raised £1,252 through a variety of activities and events.

Today we welcomed Year 5 pupils from Etherley Lane, St Andrew's, Oakley Cross and Woodhouse Primary schools to King James.

There are a number of opportunities for Sixth Form students to take part in paid work whilst studying at King James. These offer not just a welcome source of income, but also a way to gain valuable work experience and a respected addition to their CV.

Our Library has a well-established Creative Writing Club for students in Key Stage 3. Students write short stories or poetry at lunchtime, or work on projects over a longer period of time such as the Mother Tongue, Other Tongue poetry competition.

Each year in the Summer term, speakers from various industry sectors visit King James to speak directly to Year 10s. Sessions are designed to help students make informed choices about their future.

Each year, as part of our extra-curricular programme, we give Year 8 students the opportunity to take part in Durham County Council’s Future Business Magnates Competition, which focuses on developing the young entrepreneurs of the future.

In July, over 160 Year 11 students and King James staff enjoyed a glittering Prom Night at Hallgarth Hotel.