Dear Families
I hope this update finds you and those closest to you in the good health. Half Term Two has started well with Year 11 settling into their mock examination fortnight, our new Inclusion Building has officially opened and there is a genuine excitement amongst those students who are looking forward to their rewards next week for receiving zero B points in the first half term. There is more detail below as well a debut section from our Student Leadership Team.
Inclusion Building Opening
Our opening ceremony for our new Inclusion Centre of Excellence took place on Thursday 7th November. We grateful to our local MP, Baggy Shanker and our former student and now local councillor, Gurkiran Kaur who joined us to celebrate the unveiling of our new accommodation. It was lovely to hear our Inclusion Team talk about the work they do to support our young people and their families and for our guests to recognise that the work we do to here is not commonplace. Students will begin to use the building from Monday next week to access our additional services.
Year 11 Update
Year 11 have started the mock examination fortnight well. They are clearly motivated, prepared and have shown the kind of maturity towards the process that we have come to expect. Students will receive their grades at the Parents’ evening on 4th December, and this will provide you with an opportunity to discuss their performance with class teachers and to agree strategies to support them going forward. Appointments will go live from the week commencing 18th November.
Youth Mayor Applications
Four students from Derby Moor applied for the post of Youth Mayor for Derby City in October – MA from Yr7, AB from Year 10, MR from Yr11 and LS from Yr12. MR from Year 11 has been shortlisted to represent Derby Moor in the next stage of the elections where she will give a 3 minute speech explaining her priorities for supporting the young people of Derby to the Voices in Action Committee.
Each of the other candidates received a letter praising them for their application saying, “The shortlisting panel were impressed with the strength of all the applications received and the passion demonstrated by young people for their city. We really appreciated the time and effort you put in to submitting your application. The extremely high standard of applications clearly demonstrates that young people have so much to offer. We hope you will continue to take part in initiatives at school and in the wider community, helping to make sure the needs of young people are represented in Derby. We would still like you to be a member of Voices in Action Youth Council where you will have the opportunity to get involved in many different discussions and focus groups to ensure improvements can be made to services for children and young people.”
Consequently we now have four of our students ensuring that the voice of young people from our school will be represented across the city.
Year 7 update
Thank you to all families who attended the Year 7 Settling In Evening. It was a very successful evening which highlighted the amazing work ethic and commitment of our Year 7 cohort. If you have not logged into Class Charts, please check your emails. We have sent information to assist you. Class Charts is an online platform which allows us to share information with parents in real time, ultimately supporting student success and well-being. If you have any difficulty logging in, please contact Ms Hodgkinson, the Year Manager for Year 7.
With the great success of our Foodbank Fridays, Year 7 are now collecting small gifts so they can be wrapped and handed to the foodbank when we visit on the 18th of December. If you would like to donate an item, that could be wrapped as a gift please ask your child to hand it to your their form tutor.
Student Leadership Update
Our student leadership team have asked me to share the update below to chronicle the work they have been doing across the school recently:
Celebrating Diwali: We have had a wonderful time celebrating Diwali, the Festival of Lights, with our students. The school was filled with joy and excitement as we marked this special occasion. Sweets were handed out at the entrance, bringing a smile to many faces as they entered the building. Our Samosa Shack at lunchtime was a big hit, offering a tasty treat that was enjoyed by all. Students also had the opportunity to explore beautiful henna designs and vibrant Rangoli patterns created on the Learning Hub, which added a festive atmosphere.
Remembrance: As we approach Remembrance Day, poppies have been available for purchase in the FLC and with our student leadership team visiting forms. All donations going to support The Royal British Legion. This is an important time for our school community to reflect on the sacrifices made by others and to honour their memory.
Anti-Bullying Week: Next week, we will be observing Anti-Bullying Week, a time to focus on promoting kindness, respect, and understanding across our school. Throughout the week, our student leadership team will be wearing blue high-visibility vests during break and lunchtime. These leaders are here to support our students, and the vests will make it easy for anyone who needs someone to talk to or who may be looking for support to find a friendly face. Our message is clear: “If you need someone to talk to, find a student leader in blue.”
Duke of Edinburgh
DofE students are taking part in first aid and emergency procedure workshops over the next few Thursday’s to prepare them for their expedition. Those completing silver award will also be receiving a letter over the coming week about attendance at Thursday sessions.
Sports update
Extra curricular is still running across the PE department with different sports and activities on most days. Unfortunately, due to the sports hall being used for exams there will be no basketball, indoor cricket or badminton club but we should be back up and running from the 18th of November. Next week the U14 girls are participating in their first football tournament of the year at John Port.
Careers update
This week’s job of the week is a ‘Tattoo Artist.’
Derby Moor Dispatch: The Derby Moor Dispatch goes out weekly 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.
Luminate Careers: Our independent and impartial Careers Advisers from Luminate Careers have an excellent website with a wealth of useful information Please have a look at these links designed for parents/carers about careers conversation starters and Post 16 Options. All Year 11 students will be receiving a helpful booklet produced by Luminate Careers about Post 16 Options shortly.
Final notes
This is always a busy half term with the days getting shorter and the temperature dropping outside. You will have noted form about that we will be observing both remembrance and anti-bullying week next week. The mock examinations will continue for Year 11, NGRT tests will conclude for Year 7 and I will be touring the school with a number of Headteachers and guests form other schools on both Tuesday and Friday.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Scott Doyle
Principal