Blessed John Duckett School was opened on 6th May 1988. It replaced the old school of St. Joseph’s in Tow Law, which dated back over 100 years and St Thomas's in Wolsingham. BJD school is situated in the highest town of county Durham. We are a small but happy community and have outstanding views of the Deerness and Wear valleys. In 1998, the school celebrated its 10th Birthday. The children designed a commemorative plate which was made up with the help of a local potter.

MISSION STATEMENT

Blessed John Duckett School is a Catholic School and God’s love is at the centre of our Community. We experience prayer and worship together, share and recognise pupils understanding and deepening of the Christian faith. By working together we strive to meet the spiritual, pastoral and academic needs of our children and our community. We aim for respect, fairness and justice in all we do and say.

At Blessed John Duckett School, we aim to establish a secure environment in which children feel happy and are given the opportunities to reach their full potential, in a warm, Christian atmosphere. We believe the children learn from good example and we encourage co-operation and self-discipline at all times. We encourage children to take responsibility for their own actions and to show a caring attitude towards others. We aim to provide the children with a broad balanced curriculum and we use National Curriculum and Foundation Stage guidelines as a basis for all our teaching. We see children as individuals, and as individuals we cater for their specific needs.

Our Catholic faith underpins everything we do in school. We regard every child and person as precious and unique. The care, support and respect we offer each child are the cornerstone to build on their life skills. All staff shows an interest in pupils’ achievement and development and there are systems within school to celebrate successes and achievements. Children’s views are valued and they are given a voice within our School Council. At Blessed John Duckett School we promote the dignity and equality of all people. To support this we have the following policies: Religious Education, Equal Opportunities, Racial Equality, Positive Behaviour/Discipline, Anti-bullying and Social and Emotional Learning.