Dear Families
I hope this update finds you and those closest to you in the very best of health. It’s been another busy week at the academy with a number of visitors on site again. On Thursday and Friday, I was involved in recruiting a new Assistant Principal to our Senior Leadership Team. Details of the outcome will be shared next week. Hosting experienced colleagues from other schools for a day or two in our academy is always an interesting experience – in this case it was humbling to hear their opinions of the school and, most notably, our community. I’ve shared some of their direct quotes from feedback below:
- “Thank you for a wonderful experience Derby Moor.”
- “I have met such kind and genuine students and staff.”
- “The Derby Moor Community is truly inspiring.”
- “Community is the word that resonates most strongly with me after my day at the school.”
- “Derby Moor Spencer Academy has showcased how an inclusive and diverse community creates an environment both staff and students can be proud of.”
- “The ethos of ‘once a Derby Moor Student, always a Derby Moor student’ is palpable in all parts of school life.”
- “The sense of community really shines through with Derby Moor being an inclusive and nurturing environment that provides a platform for all students to excel.”
- “Students politely and respectfully interact with each other and staff. Nowhere is a motto for a school, ‘Together We Succeed’ more apt.”
China Exchange Trip
Thank you to families who attended the launch of the China Exchange trip this week. A reminder that the parental expression of interest deadline is Friday 19th April 2024. For those who were unable to attend the meeting, letters are available from reception Monday 25th March – Thursday 28th March 2024.
Sixth Form Interviews
On Wednesday Evening we invited external applicants to interview for a place in our Sixth Form next year. It was a busy evening with over 150 students attending from schools across the city. From a personal perspective, it was lovely to connect with some impressive young people and to hear why they see their future studies should be here, at Derby Moor. Thank you to all our staff and student leaders who helped make the event happen and to our visiting prospective students and families for taking time out to visit us.
Advanced Mathematics Support Programme – Year 10 Maths Feast
Fantastic news from the annual AMSP Maths Feast. Derby Moor proudly clinched 3rd place out of 15 local schools, narrowly missing the top spot by just 2 points. Congratulations to our incredible Year 10 students for their outstanding effort and achievement.
Science Visit to Ivy House
On Thursday 21st March, our science technicians visited Ivy House to demonstrate a range of experiments. The iodine clock went from colourless to blue-black, students were able to feel the difference between a hand warmer and a medical chemical ice pack and they got to smell essential oils of various scents. The final experiments were conducted outside due to the nature of them – northern lights produced a woosh from the hydrogen gas that made everyone giggle and the elephant’s toothpaste reaction produced a cylinder of foam which cascaded down the side.
Fifa20 Tournament
Fixtures have now been rescheduled for Years 7 and 8 and will start on Monday and Thursday of next week. Students can see the arrangements on the TV screens around school. The Years 9 and 10 Tournament will restart after Easter.
Yr11/12 Peer Mentoring
The Year 11/12 Peer mentoring started last week and is now gaining momentum. A large number of yr12 students have offered to support yr11 by becoming a Peer Mentor. If any Yr11 students are interested in having some additional support on a Tuesday and Thursday morning during Tutor period, focusing on one subject with a year12 student, they should contact Mr Scott via email. There is limited space left for Maths, Science, History and Geography.
Principal’s Coffee Morning
The latest Principal’s coffee morning took place on Wednesday 20th March, with a focus on Year 8 options and feedback from Parent and Student Voice. Thanks to everyone who came along and shared their thoughts with myself and Mr Scott.
Future dates for your diary include:
- Parents Forum – Wednesday 1st May – 6.30 – 7.30pm Agenda –4Rs – Presentation by the winning student teams
- Principal’s coffee Morning – Wednesday 26th June – 9.40 – 10.40am – Agenda tbc.
Summer Student Reward – July ‘24
Next week, Mr Scott will announce this year’s Summer Reward for Students. As you would expect, this is being decided via student voice. Students have been surveyed between going to Alton Towers (potential cost of Approx £35 (ticket and transport) or a Derby Moor Fun Day (Free – Inflatables, Laser Shooting, Wipeout, Fun fair style stalls etc). The access level for either of these activities is likely to be around 1000 NET positive Points (Difference between Positive and Negative Points). The options have come about from feedback following last year’s trip and ideas from our student leaders about alternative options to a theme park trip.
Careers Update
Career of the Week: This week’s job of the week is a ‘Utility Manager’.
Derby Moor Dispatch: The Derby Moor Dispatch goes out every Monday to all students in Year 11, 12 and 13. The Dispatch contains a wide range of opportunities for work experience, summer schools, careers related webinars and so on. Please do have a look at the latest edition. The Dispatch is emailed to the students’ school email address, so it is important that they check this regularly on a Monday. You can also view the Dispatch via the Careers page of the Derby Moor website. Please take a look at the website as there is a wealth of useful information including a specific page for parents.
Future Skills Questionnaire
This week Year 7 students have be completing the Future Skills Questionnaire (FSQ) during their IT lessons. This will help us evaluate the school’s careers programme, plan future careers activities and target learners who may need additional support. Students complete the 15-minute questionnaire which asks questions about their career related knowledge and skills. This should be an enjoyable activity and encourage them to begin thinking about future careers and next steps after school. We use a third-party tool called Compass+ to administer the questionnaire. All learner data is processed in compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Outward Bound Residential preparation day
On Tuesday, our partners from DHL were in school working with the Year 10 students who have been selected to attend the outward bound residential to Wales this May. The students were given a lot of information about the exciting range of activities that they may take part in such as water sports and an expedition as well as tips on what to expect. The focus as always was on developing those key employability skills (the 4Rs) such as teamwork, problem solving and speaking and listening. The students are excited and ready to take part in what sounds like a great adventure.
Unlock Oxford
Next week we have students in Year 10 and Year 12 visiting St. Edmund Hall, Oxford as part of the ‘Unlock Oxford’ programme. The programme will follow the selected students from Year 10 and 12 through to when they leave our school. The programme offers them the chance to engage with and learn about Oxford University, as well as helping them to make an application if they choose to do so in the future.
Staff Spotlight
This week, we shine the Staff Spotlight on Ms Ciaravino:
- Q) How long have you worked at Derby Moor Spencer Academy?
- A) I have been working at DMSA since 2019.
- Q) What is your role and what does it entail?
- A) I am a Spanish and French teacher and also Second in Department. I plan and deliver lessons that are tailored to my students’ needs. I collaborate with colleagues, Year managers, progress leaders, parents and other parties to monitor and encourage student’s academic and personal development. As second in department, I work closely with the Head of department to develop my leadership skills and to further improve the language provision by applying the most recent research-based learning techniques.
- Q) What is your favourite thing about working here?
- A) I love being a witness of students’ growth as people. Getting to know them in Y7 and see how they become young women and men and being part of this development is rewarding. I was particularly proud to see our Spanish results sit in the top 2% in the country last summer.
- Q) Tell us a fact about yourself.
- A) I was born in Italy where I spent most of my life, but during my university years, I took part to the Erasmus project which allowed me to study and live in France, specifically in Tours, Indre et Loire, where I had the most exciting adventure of my life.
- Q) What other interesting roles or experiences have you had?
- A) I have recently collaborated with a group of Italian teachers. We translated a grammar book from Spanish to Italian.
Final notes
The final week of this term is shorter than usual with school closing for the Easter break after students leave on Thursday. Before then, we have a host of visitors on site delivering workshops for our students, trips to Oxford and Derby University as well as the Year 11 Parents Evening on Wednesday. If you have had any issues making appointments for that, please contact the Year Team as soon as possible. Attendance at this event is critical for families of Year 11 students as it will help to plan the steps required in preparation for the final run in to the summer examinations.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Scott Doyle
Principal