Dear Families
I hope this update finds you and those closest to you in the good health. As a community, we have had to come to terms with the saddest of news this week. For some students, they are mourning the loss of a friend, or a member of the community for others the news will have brought back memories of past losses. For many, they are personally unaffected, and their role has been to support others and to help create the right climate. This has allowed us all to deal with our grief in our own way. At this juncture I will acknowledge that grief is an unpredictable process that is different for everyone, therefore, if your child needs support, please do contact their Year Manager to see how we can assist. I would like to thank Mr Mushtaq who led prayers on Friday during lunchtime, I know this brought comfort to a lot of our young people and formed part of the support that has been offered to those in need throughout the week. Our thoughts remain with the family and anyone who is grieving at this time.
Year 11 Update
Year 11 mock examinations have now concluded with the ‘catch up’ sittings having taken place early this week. The students have been excellent in their approach and some of the early indications from subject staff are looking positive.
Year 11 parents’ evening: The Year 11 Parents’ Evening will be held on Wednesday, 4th December 2024. While appointments will continue to be booked via School Cloud, the event itself will take place in person. Appointment booking details along with login credentials were sent to parents on Wednesday, 20th November, and bookings will remain open until Tuesday, 3rd December. Please note that some teachers have multiple classes, so we recommend scheduling your appointments as early as possible. On the evening, Year 11 students can collect their mock exam results upon arrival, allowing you to discuss these with their respective teachers. In addition to the Parents’ Evening, a mini careers fair will also be hosted that night. this will feature a range of employers, colleges, and post-16 educational providers. We are also looking into selling some revision resources to year 11 on that night, however, more details will be sent to you about that next week.
Wave 2 intervention schedule: Wave 2 personalised intervention schedule letters have been sent to parents and students via their email accounts. Each letter invites students to specific subject support sessions. These sessions are designed to support your child in maximizing their preparation and achieving the best possible outcomes in their summer examinations. This wave runs until 19th December 2024. Spring term will see a new offer so please look out for those in your inboxes. Should you have any questions about either of the above please get in touch with Mrs Hrncic (Phase leader for years 9-11) or Mr Dhillon (Year manager for year 11).
Year 11 Theatre Trip
A number of Year 11 students will be visiting Derby Theatre on Monday to watch their performance of a Christmas Carol. This should be a great experience but will also help with students understanding of what is a key text on their English Literature specification.
Student travel Survey
We have been asked to share this survey from Sustrans, who are working in partnership with Derby City Council. The survey will be used to identify future opportunities for projects to enable active travel at Derby schools.
Anti-Bullying Week
Thank you to all our students and staff who actively contributed to raising awareness about the impact of bullying. Throughout the week, we undertook several impactful initiatives including:
- Assemblies on Bullying: These highlighted the importance of understanding, identifying, and addressing bullying, with a particular focus on cyberbullying.
- Tutor Programme Discussions: Tutors facilitated meaningful conversations about the effects of bullying and how we can create a safer and more inclusive school environment.
- ‘Caught You Being Kind’ Cards: Students were celebrated for demonstrating acts of kindness, showcasing the positive values we aim to foster.
- Peer-Support by Student Leaders: Our Student Leadership Team opened themselves to provide a supportive space for their peers, emphasizing the importance of listening and collaboration.
These efforts have strengthened our commitment to creating a safe and respectful learning environment for all. Together, we will continue to challenge behaviours that intend to harm others and build a culture rooted in kindness and mutual respect.
Attitude to Learning Rewards
This week we have enjoyed celebrating the efforts of our students who consistently demonstrate exceptional attitudes to learning. Students with the highest Attitude to Learning grades across their subjects will be recognised with either cakes at break with the Vice Principals or pizza at Lunch with myself. These rewards are more than just a gesture of appreciation; It also inspires other students to reflect on their own approach to learning and strive for excellence. If your child has come home with a gold or silver star, please ask them what it is for and encourage them to wear it on their lapel with pride.
E-Scooters and Derbyshire Police
You will likely know that E-Scooters are banned on our site and that the local police have an arrangement to collect any that arrive on site during the day. In addition to this, we have been asked to share the following message by Derbyshire Constabulary about E-scooters:
- It is illegal to use an e-scooter in public areas.
- An e-scooter can only legally be used on private land with the owner’s permission.
- Parents may also be liable for prosecution if their child is using a scooter.
As of November, officers who engage anyone using an e-scooter in a public place will seize the e-scooter, before sending it to be disposed after 14 days.
For further information on e-scooter usage, visit Derbyshire Constabulary’s website.
Community and road use
As part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining positive relationships with our local community, may I kindly request your consideration when parking near the school premises. In particular, drivers should avoid parking on Moorway Lane, but at the very least should ensure that driveways and pathways remain unobstructed for residents to access their homes safely. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Library Competition
Last week, students had the chance to win a signed copy of David Walliams’ new book, Super Sleuth. To win, students needed to earn the most SRP points on Sparx Reader. The winner will be announced next week.
Sports update
The U14 girls visited John Port to participate in their first tournament of the year last week. In the first game against St Benedict’s the girls went behind 1-0. A free kick saw them draw level at 1-1 and the girls pushed on to score the winning goal but were unfortunate to get caught on the break and lose 2-1. In the second game, they came up against a really strong John Port side and were beaten by the better team in the end. This was the first of 3 tournaments and the girls should be so proud of how they performed.
Boxing club has resumed on Wednesdays after school with a coach coming in to provide opportunities for all years to come and have a go. We hope to see some more new faces on Wednesday as we have the coach until the Christmas break. This term we have a boxing coach from Darley Boxing Club delivering sessions to students on a Wednesday afterschool 3.10-4.10pm. Students should meet outside the PE office afterschool and must have their PE kit to participate.
Boccia Event: On Thursday 21st November, two teams from DMSA competed in the Derby City Bocce Event for students with SEND. After several rounds of some close-scoring games, one of our teams won 2nd place, and made it to the regional competition in February!
You can find this week’s PE Extra-Curricular Timetable here.
Careers update
This week’s job of the week is a ‘Veterinary Surgeon’
Derby Moor Dispatch: The Dispatch is emailed to the students’ school email address, so it is important that they check this regularly. 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.
Rolls Royce: Derby Apprentice Open Evening: Degree & Higher Apprenticeships
EVENT DETAILS
Date: Wednesday 4th December, 2024
Time: 5pm-8pm (1-hour slots – the first hour is a neurodiverse-friendly slot, which will be geared at making the event more accessible to those who may need a less overstimulating environment to access the event)
Location: Rolls-Royce Learning & Development Centre, Willmore Road, Derby, DE24 9BD
Target Year Group: Year 13 only- 2 tickets per family.
Derby ‘Future Females’ Open Evening
The Future Females Open Evening is aimed at females and their parents/carers and will provide an amazing opportunity to come and learn about Rolls-Royce apprenticeships, meet other women doing similar roles, and find out what working at Rolls-Royce is like.
EVENT DETAILS
Date: Wednesday 11th December, 2024
Time: 4-7pm (1hr slots)
Location: Rolls-Royce Nuclear Skills Academy, Infinity Park Way, Infinity Park, Derby, DE24 9FU
Target Year Group: Year 10 to 13.
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.
Future Skills Questionnaire – Year 7: Next week our Year 7 students will 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 on 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).
‘Employability Skills Overview’ – Year 11: Next week during form time, Year 11 students will be working on their ‘Employability Skills Overview’. The aim is to support all our Year 11 students to have an up-to-date record to showcase their employability skills. This will support them with their applications and in readiness for interviews for apprenticeships, college or sixth form. Many students will have already started making applications and most will have interviews either later this term or in the spring term.
Final notes
The temperatures have dropped this week and, whilst next week looks slightly warmer, it does remind us that our children need warm coats for the journey to and from school and at breaks. A number of students asked why we were open on Tuesday in light of the wintery conditions. As a matter of course, we open. It is only in emergency circumstances where we would have to close. If this were the case we would post a message on twitter, send a text and follow this up with an email.
We have two shorter weeks coming up with school being closed to students on Friday 29th November and Monday 2nd December. Please make a note of this and the necessary arrangements on those days.
Best wishes,
Scott Doyle
Principal