Dear Families
I hope this update finds you and those closest to you in the best of health. We’ve had a typically busy few days at the academy again this week. It was nice to connect with so many families at the Year 9 Parents and Pathways Evening on Wednesday, Year 13 have begun their mock examinations whilst Year 11 have begun dissecting their performance form last fortnight and are planning the run in to the summer with their class teachers.
Year 11 Easter Intervention
Our holiday intervention for students in examination years will be running again over the Easter break. You can find the details in the letter attached to the email version of this update.
China – Parents Information Evening Update
The Parents Information evening on Thursday 21st March will now be 17:00 – 18:00. This meeting will give further details regarding the itinerary of the trip, the costs and the student selection process. Application forms for the trip will be available at this meeting as well as a chance to ask any questions.
Helping Future Innovators to be Ethical
Five students from Derby Moor worked with the Teen Tech Young People’s Advisory Panel and delegates from leading industry, business and engineering companies this week. Their job was to analyze ideas collated from Teen Tethics Conferences across the UK and formulate a Youth Charter for Ethical Innovation to be shared with engineers nationally and internationally to reduce the negative impact of any future inventions and developments. Suggested ground rules were shared in a Dragons’ Den style finale, with several influential company delegates commenting on how reassuring the suggestions of the young people were. The future of industry is in safe hands.
Throughout the day at the IBM building in London our young people had fascinating hands on experiences with some of the latest state of the art technology including Spot the Robotic Dog, Immersive Media and Mouse free computer interaction. They saw the potential of 3D Printing and AI using NASA satellite technology and reinforced learning. They networked throughout the day with representatives from a wide range of careers and had interesting debates on the pros and cons of AI.
All the students showed clear insight into the potential problems and the day proved to be an invaluable confidence building experience for AAS, CH, ME, NO and SKS who were excellent ambassadors of our school.
Science Club
‘Ignite your curiosity and realize the possibilities’. Every Wednesday at lunch time, Year 7 students have been partaking in a fantastic new enterprise: Science Club. The club focuses on science experiments with a ‘WOW factor’ where the central theme is ‘witchcraft and wizardry’. From potion making to creating fireflies, it has been a magical journey thus far. Next week students will be attempting to use their scientific skills in order to turn copper into gold. We hope that this club cultivates a feeling of awe in our young scientists and encourages them to pursue an interest and career in the sciences. Places will be offered on a first come, first serve basis.
Workshops at Deda
This week a select group of just 14 students from year 9 and 10 participated in two consecutive days of workshops at Deda in Derby. They worked alongside full time dance students from Burton College under the direction of an Alex Neave from Derby City Boxing Academy and Katy Sterran, Artistic Director of Sterran Dance and Flexus Dance Collective. These were intense physical days full of boxing technique, learning choreography and rehearsal. They were excellent representatives for the Academy and showed a huge amount of dedication and resilience during the workshops which were both physically and mentally challenging. The students will be showcasing their work on stage at Deda as the curtain closer following Sterran Dance ‘All About the Fight’ on Saturday to a full audience! Year 9’s: AA DC MH LM NM SRR LS. Year 10’s: AAS TTB MF KF DH MK MMF
Visit to Alstom
Miss Rawlings accompanied four Year 8 girls to one of our local businesses, Alstom where they had a valuable and enriching experience at the #inspiHER event on Friday, March 8th. The event provided them with a unique opportunity to engage with professionals from various fields and gain insights into STEM-related careers. The site tour and interactive activities not only allowed the students to learn about different roles and skills but also emphasised the importance of teamwork and communication in the workplace.
Furthermore, the discussions about career paths and how they relate to the students’ curriculum choices for GCSE options provided valuable guidance as they plan for their future education and career pathways. Overall, participating in such events can help inspire and motivate students to pursue their interests in STEM fields and equip them with essential skills for their future endeavours.
British Science Week
On Wednesday 13th March, Mrs Basuta visited one of our feeder schools – Gayton Junior School. She expertly demonstrated a number of experiments with the wow factor and gave the students a chance try their hand at some science practicals. The children said it was great to meet Mrs Basuta and that they enjoyed the activities.
Principal’s Coffee Morning
The next Principal’s coffee morning takes place on Wednesday 20th March at 9.40 – 10.40am. We will be discussing the Year 8 choices process. If this is something that you would want further information about, then please feel free to join us.
Yr11/Yr12 Peer Mentoring Programme
A number of our Year 11 students have been paired up with Year 12 mentors to give them some extra 1:1 support in the run up to the summer exams. These sessions are taking place on a Tuesday and Thursday morning during Tutor session until the end of the next half term.
FIFA Tournament
The Year 7&8 and 9&10 FIFA tournaments started this week. There were some extremely close games, with one team coming from behind to push the game to penalties and then winning through to the next round. Apparently, the handsets have developed ‘drift’ and so Mr Scott has ordered new handsets so the tournament can continue next week. Any games that have not been able to be played will be rescheduled. Students should check SO12 or DE19 for the updated schedule from next week.
Reading Rampage
Just a reminder that the 10 books for Reading Rampage can be borrowed from the library at lunchtimes during the week. Once students have read the book, they need to see the student librarians and give them a rating out of 5 for the book. We want to find out which book is the most popular at Derby Moor, as well as finding out which student has been able to read the most books by the end of the competition in June.
Tennis Holiday Camp
Littleover Tennis Club have asked us to let you know that they will be running 2 Tennis Camps during the Easter holiday. The camps run each day from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm and will take place during the following weeks: From Tuesday 2nd April to Friday 5th April then from Monday 8th April to Friday 12th April. Please find attached a pdf file containing full details of the camps. The information and the booking form can also be found and downloaded from the website at www.littleovertennis.co.uk.
Sports Update
Year 8 Netball: The year 8 girls travelled to Woodlands School to take part in a netball tournament which involved many schools from across the city. It was a very cold afternoon, but the girls team spirit didn’t disappoint. They played well and communication was key. HM as GK was outstanding in her position and FC as C ran her socks off. We came 2nd in Group B overall which is a fantastic result for our girls.
Year 7 Girls Football at St. Benedict’s: Year 7 football final saw some excellent defending from FC and AS and great work from LR in midfield. The team as a whole are a great group of girls, their respect, kindness and good sportsmanship was present throughout and showed them off as excellent ambassadors for the Academy. As a result of their hard work at training and commitment to the games we came 4th out of 14 teams from across the city.
PE during Ramadan: A gentle reminder for all parents of those students who are currently fasting. As is always the case here at Derby Moor, the PE team have an expectation that all students should always bring their kit and still take part. The PE team will adapt their lessons and intensity of activities to suit those who are currently fasting but the expectation is still for students to learn and participate in some capacity.
Extra-Curricular Timetable: Please find the extra-curricular timetable for next week attached to the email version of this update.
Careers Update
Career of the Week: This week’s job of the week is a ‘Talent Agent’.
Derby Moor Dispatch: The Derby Moor Dispatch goes out every Monday 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.
Exploring University Together 2024: The University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University are hosting Exploring University Together, an event for Year 10 pupils and their families. Attending this event will provide guidance on making decisions for their future, student life, student finance and a chance to interact with current students from both universities. All families are invited to stay after the event to enjoy a free selection of buffet-style food. The events are taking place on:
- Saturday 20th April at University of Nottingham 10.30am – 1pm
- Thursday 2nd May at Nottingham Trent University 5.30pm – 8pm
To sign up to either date, please complete the following online booking form.Please note, the deadline for booking is a week prior to each event date, however places are limited, therefore it is recommended to request your place early to avoid disappointment. Priority places are also awarded to those who meet the Universities’ Widening Participation criteria (further information on this can be found on the booking form). Watch the short video to find out more about the event and the benefits of attending. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact wpoutreach@nottingham.ac.uk.
Staff Spotlight
This week, we shine the Staff Spotlight on our School Counsellor Mrs Wright:
- Q) How long have you worked at Derby Moor Spencer Academy?
- A) I have worked here for 5 years.
- Q) What is your role and what does it entail?
- A) I am school psychotherapist. This means that I have training in what causes pain for humans; how come we say and do certain things and what helps us. Firstly, you have to apply that learning to yourself (this can be really tough). Then, you work with students using what you have learnt. This might involve what people expect from therapy – talking and listening but it can involve a lot more such as:
- playing games,
- listening to music,
- keeping people safe,
- behaving in certain ways,
- keeping what students say private where appropriate,
- talking to others on behalf of students
- crafts
- making a mess
The whole package is designed to help people work out their situation and find solutions in a relationship with someone that is safe. Some people do this with talking but others will prefer to work things out in other ways. As a psychotherapist, you keep learning. You have to be monitored and sign up to ethical codes. You must keep records and plan as well.
- Q) What is your favourite thing about working here?
- A) The students I work with are the best part of the job. They grow and change- this teaches me so much as well!
- Q) Tell us a fact about yourself.
- A) I love tasting food that I haven’t tried before, especially when it is homemade. I have a sweet tooth so I like trying those sorts of food the best.
- Q) Who is the person who inspires you most?
- A) I find the young people and their families that I work with inspiring. It takes a lot of courage to come to therapy and to keep coming. The situations that people face and work through are amazing.
- Q) What other interesting roles or experiences have you had?
- A) I have had lots of interesting experiences- some hard, some exciting, some special.
Final notes
I have spent this afternoon and evening connecting with the heads of other schools across Derby at our annual conference where we explore city wide issues and look to exploit opportunities for collaboration across the city’s secondary schools. I have spent a portion of time away from Derby Moor this half term, as noted in previous updates, and, whilst this is good for sharing ideas and working together with wider organisations, I always look forward to returning back home to DM. I’ll thankfully be in school all week next week and look forward to welcoming an unprecedented number of external Post 16 applicants to interview for our Sixth Form, touring the school with prospective new staff, welcoming more visitors and connecting with the staff and students that make our academy such a unique and special place to work and to learn. Together We Succeed.
Scott Doyle
Principal