Dear Families
I hope this update finds you and those closest to you in the best of health. It’s been another busy week at the academy with a variety of activities and visitors including City Sports, a trio to Wimbledon and our Inclusion Quality Mark Centre of Excellence reaccreditation visit.
ICT Update
We are still experiencing some challenges around our IT provision most notably in regards to our communications systems. We are no longer able to send emails and texts via our usual systems and are having to use classcharts as an alternative to this. Whilst most of the major work is now complete, we are seeing intermittent periods of drop out with our internet, this impacts our phone systems which is why you may have faced some difficulty when contacting school. Again, we can only apologise for this and reassure you that our teams are working hard to establish more reliability as soon as possible.
Library Update
Following the appointment of our new librarian, we are excited to share with you the arrival of over 1000 new books on the back of student requests. The excitement, enthusiasm and help from the students has been overwhelming for Miss Jones and have been part of a great welcome to the academy for her. Other new additions to the Library include three new ‘comfy’ seats, that have been tested and verified for their comfort by students, and lights to create a cosy, welcoming space. To make way for the new books, we have had to say farewell to some of our older texts which we have donate to the Children’s Ward at Burton Hospital.
Science Update
Our Year 12 Biologists enjoyed an excellent field trip to Attenborough Nature Reserve this week. Only 40 minutes away from Derby Moor pupils saw the process of succession in action, where once barren land becomes populated with plants. They experienced mark-release-recapture technique to help estimate the populations of water snails, as well as sweep nets to analyse invertebrates to calculate biodiversity. They looked at how to prevent succession to keep the land as meadow grassland which the UK has lost 98% of since the industrial revolution. They also carried out their required practical for the A-Level course, constructing a transect to analyse an abiotic (non-living) factor on the distribution of a plant species. Pupils really enjoyed the experience with one students claiming that “I’m going to bring my family here over the summer.” Hopefully, they will become the next generation of David Attenborough and Jane Goodall helping to preserve natural habitats here and wider afield. In fact, this weekend is the opening weekend of the Big Butterfly Count across the UK to help analyse whether efforts to conserve these important pollinators is working. You can get involved by choosing 15 minutes over the summer to count and identify different butterflies – a more information is found here – Big Butterfly Count (butterfly-conservation.org).
Geography Update
This week the Year 12 Geography students visited the Holderness Coast for their annual residential. They had an action packed 3 days starting in Hornsea, where the group measured the erosional rates towards the north of the beach and compared it to the highly protected southern beach. They developed new skills including beach profiling, pebble sampling and long shore drift analysis. Afterwards, it was back to the hostel for tea and a very competitive game of ‘Pictionary’. Miss Gooderham’s elite team apparently came out victorious.
On the second day the weather took a turn for the worse. The group headed to Flamborough Head to view the headlands and bays then analysed the concordant material of the cliff. Next was a trip into Bridlington, a huge tourist town to assess the effectiveness of the coastal management. On the journey back to the hostel we visited Skipsea and Mappleton to look at sediment starvation and cliff recession. Back at the hostel we celebrated a very special birthday with a takeaway and party.
The final day the group visited Spurn Point, the spit that extends into the Humber Estuary. They viewed the sand dunes and watched seals swimming in the sea. The Year 12 students were an asset to the school and collected lots of data to use in their NEA, which starts in September.
Lost Property
Over the course of this year, we have accumulated a large amount of lost property including coats, bags, and shoes. To return these items to their rightful owners, items will be displayed until the end of term outside the Reprographics room. Smaller items such as keys, rings, watches, and glasses are held in Reception.
If your child has misplaced something, please remind them to check whether it has been left in lost property. To reduce the amount of property your child misplaces, we kindly ask parents and students to ensure all items, especially coats and bags, are marked with the student’s full name.
Alton Towers
Information regarding the Alton Towers trip on Monday 22nd July, along with student expectations have been sent out via class charts. Please do check for this if your child is due to travel.
PTFA – uniform donation
Just a reminder that the PTFA would welcome donations of clean Uniform. If you wish to donate, then please can the Uniform be clean and put into a carrier bag and placed in the Blue uniform bin at Main Reception.
Coffee Project
A former student and School Alumi member who has set up his own coffee business, has been working with yr12 students on an exciting new student leadership venture!
The 6th form are going to set up and run an in-school Barista style Coffee shop. Through this, will come the development of a wide range of leadership, business and entrepreneurial skills and experiences. There will be further details about this exciting and unique project, it’s safe to say that this idea has been percolating in students minds for some time and that they have been infused with energy about the project.
ADT Update
Art: Is your child passionate about Art? Are they creative, responsible and enjoy contributing to school events? If so, the Art Department are recruiting Art Ambassadors to get involved with art clubs, competitions, supporting at open evenings and promoting art across the school. If this sounds like something your child would enjoy, please encourage them to complete an application by creating a piece of art that describes either:
- Their favourite piece of art and why it is their favourite
- The artist they are most inspired by and why, or;
- Why they love art.
Applications are available for all students and can be handed to your child’s Art teacher no later than Wednesday 17th July. We have had some stunning applications so far!
Hospitality and Catering: This week, Year 10 Hospitality and Catering students completed their first three-hour practical mock exam. Students were given a scenario and had to plan, cook and present two dishes that considered the nutritional needs of teenagers and adults. The students did exceptionally well, made all components from scratch and created high quality dishes to be proud of! The Technology Department would like to thank parents for providing students with their ingredients.
GCSE Textiles: Mrs Calvert will be holding Textiles intervention for Year 10 students until 5.30pm on Friday 19th July. If your child studies GCSE Textiles, please ensure they attend to make use of resources and equipment whilst receiving support from their teacher to help them complete outstanding pieces of coursework. This intervention will be a beneficial tool in ensuring students are prepared to progress with their coursework in Year 11. If you have any questions, please email Mrs Calvert.
Sports Update
City Sports: On 10th July, a number of students from Derby Moor attended the annual Derby City Sports Athletics competition, where 14 schools competed in a number of different running, jumping and throwing events at Moorways Stadium. This year felt particularly special with the upcoming Olympics in Paris.
All students were really proud to represent our academy and were a credit to themselves. We achieved 13 podium finishes across all years and events which is a massive improvement on last year. Below is a list of all events that we achieved a top 3 finish in.
Year 7
- HS – First Place in the Year 7 Boys Javelin (25m throw)
Year 8
- KT – First Place in the Year 8 Girls Long Jump (3.99m)
- IC – Second Place in the Year 8 Girls High Jump (1.15m)
- RS – Third Place in the Year 8 Boys Long Jump (4.2m)
- IS, AB, EG and EM – Third Place in the Year 8 Girls 4x100m Relay (59.03 seconds)
Year 9
- MS – First Place in the Year 9 Girls 100m (13.15 seconds)
- MS, OK, KO and SH – First Place in the Year 9 Girls 4x100m Relay (56.87 seconds)
- KO – Third Place in the Year 9 Girls 800m (3:03 mins)
Year 10
- IW – First Place in the Year 10 Girls Long Jump (4.68m)
- RM – Second Place in the Year 10 Boys 100m (12.20 seconds)
- MSM – Third Place in the Year 10 Girls 200m (31.33 seconds)
- CA – Third Place in the Year 10 Boys 200m (24.84 seconds)
- KW, CA, OP and RM – Third Place in the Year 10 Boys 4x100m Relay (49.95 seconds)
Wimbledon: Last Monday we took 8 outstanding students to Wimbledon as a rewards trip in PE. We had tickets to court no2 and were able to see 3 incredible matches throughout the day. Students watched the men’s world no25 Musetti win in 4 sets, as well as the women’s no21 win in 2. The final match was a surprise entry where the students were able to watch Jamie Murray. Mr Kamp’s highlight of the day wasn’t in fact the tennis, but at the end of the day when the students were in the club shop and a member of the public came up to him to tell him how polite and kind our students were. Each student represented the school really well and Mr Kamp said “it was a privilege to take them to such an amazing event.”
Careers Update
Visit of Paul Stewart: On Thursday, 11th July we welcomed Paul Stewart, a senior civil servant in London and former student back to Derby Moor. Paul spent the day with students from Years 7-12, helping them to understand the variety of work carried out by civil servants from advising government ministers to working in the local tax office. Students were excited to learn about the ranges of jobs in civil sector and some have already started researching their future careers. Paul had a really wonderful day and is already booked time on the calendar to return next year.
Year 12 Employability Mentoring: On Tuesday, Year 12 students spent time with a range of employers who came into the school to discuss their CV, interview skills and career aspirations. All students were challenged to think about what employers seek during an interview or an application process and gained feedback to help them progress with their future applications to university, apprenticeships, and employment. We would like to thank E4E and all of the employers involved for providing our students with such an amazing experience. The students were extremely positive about their mentoring session and enjoyed meeting professionals from a variety of industries.
Year 12 Preparation for Work Event: Throughout this week, year 12 students embarked on an exciting three-day programme – ‘Preparation for Work’ designed to simulate the real-life experience of working on a project for a client or organisation. Seven valued employers partnered with us to challenge our students to develop their employability skills and showcase their creative problem-solving abilities. The participating employers were Silk Road Coffee, Derby County Community Trust, Derbion, Weightmans, the Civil Service, JCB, and Alstom – each one bringing their unique expertise.
Throughout the three days, students were tasked with tackling real-life briefs set by these employers, which required them to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions. The students worked together in teams, honing their communication, teamwork, and time management skills. The employers were impressed by the students’ creativity and enthusiasm, offering valuable feedback that will undoubtedly aid their progress in future application processes. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all employers involve and for taking time out of their busy working schedule to provide our students with this valuable experience.
The event was a resounding success, with students having an enjoyable time while gaining valuable insights into what it takes to succeed in the world of work. We’re thrilled to have had such an amazing lineup of employers on board, who not only provided an authentic experience but also shared their expertise and knowledge with our students. We can’t wait to see how this experience will shape their future applications and help them take the next step in their career journey.
Staff Spotlight
This week we shine the Staff Spotlight on one of our Specialist Teaching Assistants, Miss Bird.
Q) How long have you worked at Derby Moor Spencer Academy?
A) I have worked at Derby Moor since November 2023, after deciding to change my career to help and support children and young people.
Q) What is your role and what does it entail?
A) My role is a Specialist Teaching Assistant (part of the SEND team) in mainstream education. There are many duties associated with my role, but the main aspects are: working as part of a team of TA’s who look after and support many students with SEND needs inside and outside of the classroom.
Q) What is your favourite thing about working here?
A) The students and staff and the fact that no two days are the same.
Q) Tell us a fact about yourself.
A) I love rollercoasters, building Lego, playing video games (especially Zelda) and I have two black cats called Mario and Luigi.
Q) What other interesting roles or experiences have you had?
A) I previously worked as an IT and Infrastructure Project Manager, delivering projects for Rolls-Royce globally.
Final notes
We have had so many visitors to the academy again this week, but it is always a joy to welcome reviewers from the Inclusion Quality Mark to talk all things inclusion. You will be aware that we were designated as a Centre of Excellence for Inclusion last year and that we have a significant building project underway to house some of our provision in a more modern, purpose-built accommodation. Our assessor visited to see how we have progressed towards our targets for this year and to view our provision for herself. Whilst we will await the final report, I can share that it was a really positive experience for all involved and I’m confident the report will capture the scope and value of the additional services we provide to make all of our young people feel included and able to thrive.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Scott Doyle
Principal