Dear Families,
I hope this update finds you and those closest to you in the best of health. The end of half term three has arrived in what feels like the blink of an eye. I know our staff and students will looking forward to a little time away from the academy to rest and recharge, although a number of them will be in school next week preparing for the upcoming Year 11 mock examination series. With that in mind, it is worth noting that there are planned road closures within the community around The Hollow & Hillsway next week, so any students attending sessions will need to allow extra time when travelling into school. Details on the sessions for next week can be found below.
Year 10 Update
Year 10 have had a positive and productive half term, with several key initiatives continuing to support both progress and aspiration. Our engagement with Unifrog is ongoing and students are using the platform well to explore future pathways, careers and post-16 options. This has been particularly valuable in helping students begin to think more seriously about their long-term goals and how their current studies link to these ambitions. Alongside this, Reading Plus intervention has now begun for selected students, providing targeted support to improve reading fluency and comprehension, which will help them access the demands of GCSE study across all subjects.
Overall, it has been a strong half term for the year group, with many students demonstrating excellent commitment and maturity. As we approach the final week before February half term, we are continuing to remind students of the importance of Year 10 as a foundation year for GCSE success. Establishing strong revision habits, maintaining consistent effort in class and completing independent study will be key moving forward. We are proud of the positive start Year 10 have made and encourage them to maintain focus and determination as they continue their journey through this important academic year.
Year 7 & 8 Progress Update – Mid Year Reports
We are now halfway through the academic year, and your child should have received their Mid-Year Progress Report. This report provides an overview of how they are working across their subjects, including:
- Attitude to Learning – how well they are engaging with lessons and taking responsibility for their learning.
- Progress – whether they are working towards their expected outcomes based on classwork, assessments, and teacher judgement.
- Homework completion – the consistency and quality of work completed outside of lessons.
- Behaviour and Contribution – how they contribute to lessons and demonstrate our school values.
We encourage you to take time to discuss the report with your child, celebrating the positives and identifying areas where they can make further progress. Small changes made now will make a big difference as they move toward Year 8 or Year 9.
If you have any queries or require more information regarding this report, please watch this video that will be able to answer any questions you might have.
Spring Term and Year 8 Options
The spring term is an important time for Year 8 students. For the first time, they will have the opportunity to make some decisions about the subjects they will study in Year 9, and potentially continue into Key Stage 4 (GCSE).
These choices will be made within the following areas:
- Creative Arts
- Technology
- Human Development
Information about the options process has been sent home via email to all Year 8 parents. Please ensure you have read this information and take the time to speak with your child about their interests, strengths, and the subjects they may want to pursue.
Your support at this stage is incredibly valuable in helping them make informed and confident choices.
Thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions regarding the report or the options process, please do not hesitate to get in with the KS3 lead, Miss Gooderham, Mr Helan (Progress Leader for Year 7) or Miss Hodgkinson (Year Manager for Year 8).
Year 9 Update
Parents evening/Pathways: We would like to invite you to attend our Year 9 Parents’ Evening on Wednesday 11th March 2026. This is an important evening, providing an opportunity to speak to subject staff about your child’s progress so far and the expectations going forward. In addition, this evening will support Year 9 students in finalising their subject choices for Year 10 and Year 11. Parents are encouraged to discuss their child’s current performance but may also wish to ask about subject content for the next two years.
Assessments and data point 2: As you will be aware, year 9 students have completed a series of in class assessments on topic areas studied throughout the year so far. This Data will inform their school report, which will be shared with you just before Parents Evening.
Sparx Reader Superstars
We are continuing to build strong reading habits through our weekly KS3 English homework on Sparx Reader, helping students to broaden their vocabulary, strengthen their understanding and grow in confidence as readers.
Each week, the top three boys and top three girls are recognised as our “Sparx Reader Superstars.” They receive a shout-out in tutor time, on school screens and in assemblies, along with a small chocolate reward. If your child’s name appears on the list, they can collect their reward from Ms Bowker in SO1a or speak to their English teacher.
If your child is finding it challenging to complete their Sparx Reader homework, support is available at Sparx Reader Club every Wednesday lunchtime in SO20, where staff are happy to help.
Although Sparx Reader is set as homework for KS3, KS4 students can also access the platform to revise key literature texts, including Macbeth and A Christmas Carol, to support their GCSE preparation. They can log in using their Sparx Maths username and password.
Thank you for your continued support in encouraging regular reading at home.
Year 11 update
As previously communicated, we have a number of planned intervention sessions during next week’s half term holiday. A copy of the timetable can be found here. You will have received a letter if your child is required to attend the session. Thank you for your ongoing support as we move closer to the Year 11 exam period.
In summary for this week we have the following taking place:
Monday: History (am)
Tuesday: Business (am) and GCSE PE/BTEC sport (pm)
Thursday: Maths (see schedule for classes and timings)
Friday: English Language (am) and English Literature (pm)
Computing Update
This week, the Computing Department led a series of successful initiatives to celebrate Safer Internet Day. The theme for this year focused on navigating the evolving digital landscape and empowering students to manage their online safety with confidence and critical thinking.
Key Activities & Highlights
- Whole-School Engagement: We designed and delivered bespoke tutor time activities for all KS3 students. These sessions focused on healthy digital habits and provided structured discussion points to help students reflect on their personal social media use and online footprint.
- In-Lesson Competitions: We ran various challenges within Computing lessons. Students participated with great enthusiasm, and we were delighted to award prizes to those who demonstrated exceptional insight and creative problem-solving regarding cybersecurity and online ethics.
- Student Support & Outreach: We hosted a dedicated “Safety Drop-in” session at lunchtime. This provided an informal, safe space where students from all year groups could pose questions, report concerns, or seek advice on privacy settings and digital wellbeing.
The week was a fantastic success, with students showing a mature and proactive approach to staying safe in an increasingly connected world.
Student Leadership Update
National Storytelling Week: As part of National Storytelling Week, we have been encouraging students across all year groups to rediscover the power of stories — whether through reading, writing, performing or sharing personal experiences.
To help inspire everyone to get involved, we were thrilled to receive encouragement from Scott Innes, best known as the voice of Scooby-Doo. Scott shared an uplifting message with our students about confidence, creativity, and finding their voice. Hearing from a professional storyteller and voice actor reminded us that storytelling comes in many forms — from books and podcasts to animation and performance.
Celebrating Chinese New Year: We also came together to celebrate Chinese New Year, recognising and appreciating the rich traditions of Chinese culture. As part of our celebrations, students wrote thoughtful “good luck” messages inside traditional red envelopes to send to our Sister School, Hefei No.8 Senior High School. This was a meaningful way to strengthen our international partnership and share messages of prosperity and friendship for the year ahead.
The celebrations also included fun and competitive chopstick games, where students tested their dexterity and teamwork skills. The activities created a vibrant atmosphere across the school and encouraged cultural curiosity and learning.
We also used this opportunity to launch the next prospective visit to China. Students were introduced to the incredible opportunity to visit our sister school, experience life in China first-hand, and further develop global connections. Interest has already been high, and we look forward to sharing more details soon.
Careers Update
This week’s job of the week is a ‘sleep technologist’
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.
Final notes
As Half Term three comes to an end, we have noted how wet and challenging the weather has been. It is a mark of our community and how engaged our students are with the routines and clarity across the academy when you see how well they cope with changes such as a wet break or lunch. Sometimes these are called last minute, sometimes during lunch when there has been a significant downpour and we have run some hybrid arrangements. As always, our staff give up their time to ensure supervision is in place and our students show their agility to move to the right place at the right time. Hopefully the next half term will be a little drier and more settled from a weather perspective.
Wishing you a wonderful half term break,
Scott Doyle
Principal