Dear Families,
I hope this update finds you well and having enjoyed a warm spring extended weekend. During a shorter but no less productive week at the Academy, we saw the start of the BTEC examinations for our Year 11 and Year 13 students. Year 11 students also took advantage of additional revision sessions, including a number of Fish and Chip suppers for those involved. A full programme of intervention sessions, both before and after school, has been shared with students to support them as fully as possible in the weeks ahead. We were also privileged to host students from a number of Sixth Forms on Thursday as part of the Spires Programme, led by colleagues from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
Exam Timetables
Examination timetables have been sent out via email to all Year 11 and Year 13 students and their families. It is important that students check the timetables and arrive at the correct time for the exams.
Sixth Form Update
On Thursday, we were delighted to welcome Year 12 students from schools across Derbyshire who are part of the Trust’s Spires Programme for the final conference of the year. We were especially pleased to host representatives from the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge, who delivered a series of inspiring workshops focused on applications to leading universities, academic enrichment, and the financial support available to students.
Throughout the day, students were challenged by engaging academic sessions, collaborated with peers from other schools, and gained valuable insight into studying at some of the world’s leading universities. We encourage students to reflect on their experiences and consider what the very best next steps and pathways could look like for them. We look forward to supporting them as they begin preparing successful applications to a range of high-quality destinations.
We are encouraging all Year 12 students to make the most of enrichment opportunities and to complete their Astral Programme so they have a wealth of experiences and achievements to draw upon as they prepare their UCAS applications so they can successfully apply to the very best destinations. If students or parents would like any further information or guidance regarding applications to competitive universities, please do not hesitate to contact the Sixth Form Team
Year 11 update
The summer examination series has started: With the exam season in full swing now, please be aware that students will be receiving a letter w/c 18th May confirming any invites to the Half Term Interventions taking place over May Half Term. On top of these interventions, Faculty Leaders would like to invite students into school from 8am for any last minute prep/tips or even a place to regulate on the days where they have an exam in the morning. There will be food available at these breakfast interventions, taking place on the following days:
- Monday 11th May (English)
- Wednesday 13th May (Geography)
- Thursday 14th May (Maths)
- Friday 15th May (History)
- Monday 18th May (Chemistry)
- Tuesday 19th May (English)
- Wednesday 20th May (French)
- Thursday 21st May (English)
- Tuesday 2nd June (Physics)
- Wednesday 3rd June (Maths)
- Thursday 4th June (History)
- Friday 5th June (English)
- Monday 8th June (Biology)
- Tuesday 9th June (Spanish)
- Wednesday 10th June (Maths)
- Thursday 11th June (Geography)
- Friday 12th June (Chemistry)
- Monday 15th June (Physics)
- Wednesday 17th June (Spanish)
Year 11 English Literature – Exam Breakfast: Year 11 students are invited to a pre-exam breakfast in the Dining Hall from 8:00am on Monday morning, 11th May. The English Faculty will be on hand to offer last-minute tips and reassurance ahead of the first English Literature exam, covering Macbeth and A Christmas Carol. Students are encouraged to come along for some breakfast, final advice, and a calm, positive start to the morning before the exam begins.
Year 10 Update
Burton College (BSDC) will be hosting a dedicated Year 10 Open Evening on Monday 29th June, 4pm–7pm, at the Town Centre Campus. This event is designed to support students and families as they begin considering post-16 choices, including BTECs, T Levels and apprenticeships. Visitors will have the opportunity to tour facilities, meet expert tutors and receive practical advice about future pathways, careers and university routes.
Families can book their place here: Options – Year 10 Open Evening, Monday 29th June, 4pm–7pm.
Year 9 Update
Mock Exams: Year 9 students will start their end of year mocks on the 1st June. These exams will take place over a 3 week period and will include Maths, English, Science, and Geography or History.
Students will need to start preparing for these mocks as they will have impact on year 10 teaching groups and class settings. We have engaged students with how to revise materials and will continue to do so, over the process of the term
Twycross Zoo: Year 9 Geography students have been invited to attend a trip to Twycross Zoo on Monday 13th July to investigate biodiversity and conservation as part of their GCSE topic “Living World”. Letters have been given to students and can also be found here. There are only 80 places available so please complete the reply slip if you would like your child to take part.
Year 8 Vaccinations
A reminder that the Year 8 Vaccination programme will continue on 21st May with the HPV Vaccine. Staff from the NHS will be in school to administer the vaccines and students should have already returned the consent form.
Key Stage 3 Update
This week, students attended an assembly focused on the importance of volunteering and helping others, reflecting our school value of community. The assembly encouraged students to think beyond themselves and consider how small actions can make a meaningful difference to those around them.
Volunteering helps students develop empathy, responsibility, and a sense of belonging. By giving time or support to others—whether in school, at home, or in the wider community—students learn that community is built through kindness, cooperation, and respect. These experiences also help young people develop important life skills such as teamwork, communication, and leadership.
We are proud to promote opportunities that encourage students to contribute positively and recognise the impact they can have. Acts of service, both big and small, strengthen our school community and help students grow into caring, socially responsible individuals.
We encourage families to talk with their children about ways they can support others and live out our community values every day. For Year 8 students, this is one of the links to the Derby Moor Award that students can demonstrate.
Year 7 Parents Evening: We would like to remind families about Year 7 Parents’ Evening, which will take place on Wednesday 13th May 2026. Appointments can be booked online, with booking opening from Wednesday 28th April. Please refer to the information that has already been emailed to you for full details on how to access the booking system. We would encourage you to attend this evening to discuss your child’s start to secondary school and to discuss progress and attitude. Uniform (both new and pre-loved) will be available on the evening as well. Please note that the ‘preloved’ uniform will be cash only.
Student Leadership Team Update
Earth Day – Great Global Clean Up begins: This week, members of our Student Leadership Team met with our Global Clean Up team and began training in preparation for launching our local action project as part of Global Clean Up. We are looking forward to completing the final stage of our training next Thursday and getting out into the school grounds and wider local community very soon to begin making a positive difference.
Mental Health Awareness Week: Next week marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week, and the Student Leadership Team has planned a full calendar of activities to support wellbeing and raise awareness across the school:
Monday – Form time activities to raise awareness and understanding of mental health.
Tuesday – Launch of our Talk Tuesday initiative in the Learning Hub at lunchtime. Our trained Mental Health Ambassadors will be available for students who would like to talk about wellbeing or any concerns they may have.
Wednesday – We begin our Positivity Tree, where students will be invited to write positive affirmations on leaves to encourage and support one another.
Thursday – Bee Positive day, giving students the opportunity to collect a positive affirmation from our tree.
Friday – Box Your Ideas initiative. Students will be encouraged to leave suggestions on how we can continue to raise awareness of mental health across the school. An ideas box will be available in the Learning Hub throughout the day.
The Big Bang Competition
This week, three teams from Years 9 and 10 successfully made it through to the finals of The Big Bang Competition. As part of the competition, students delivered presentations to leading experts within their fields of design and innovation and confidently answered a range of challenging questions about their projects.
Our students represented Derby Moor exceptionally well throughout the process, demonstrating creativity, teamwork and professionalism. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and now have everything crossed that they achieve a placing in this prestigious national competition.
Equipment for exams
Students are still able to purchase Casio Scientific Calculators directly from the maths department at a discounted price in preparation for their upcoming exams. These calculators are the same models used in lessons and offer excellent functionality to support effective learning. Calculators can be bought using Arbor Pay, ensuring all students have the tools they need to succeed in their exams.
Sports update
As we are now in the summer term, students tend to choose to wear shorts in PE. Please can all families ensure that all shorts for PE are loose fitting shorts. No cycling or tight fitted shorts are permitted. A further reminder to bring sun cream, hay fever medication and caps to protect themselves as much as possible in anticipation of warm and sunny weather.
Careers Update
This week’s job of the week is a “Marketing Manager”
Apprenticeship Guide: If your child is considering looking at apprenticeships, the following link will take you to a useful guide for both parents and students.
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.
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
The examination period always brings a noticeable shift in the rhythm of school life, particularly for students in Years 11 and 13 as they enter one of the most challenging and influential phases of their education so far. It is also felt by younger Year Groups, who see first‑hand what this stage looks like — students moving purposefully to exam halls, using independent time to revise, and reflecting thoughtfully after each assessment. I know from conversations with our Year 10 students this week that this has already brought a new sense of focus and motivation to their own studies.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Scott Doyle
Principal