Dear Families,
I hope this update finds you and those closest to you in good health, and I would like to open by extending a very warm welcome to families of students new to our community this term. Most of these are our new Year 7 and Year 12 cohorts, but a warm welcome too to those who have joined us partway through their secondary school journey — you are equally part of Derby Moor from the moment you walk through the doors.
It has been a genuinely positive start to the year. Students have returned in excellent spirits, and over the past week or so I have had the privilege of meeting every year group through assemblies — an opportunity I always look forward to. There is something reassuring about standing in front of each cohort at the start of a new year, sharing our summer updates, walking through the small tweaks to our routines, and reminding students of the values that hold this school together. Assemblies are also where I get my first proper sense of how a year is going to feel — and I can tell you that this one feels particularly good. Our new Year 7 students have found their feet remarkably quickly, and it has been lovely to see our more experienced students go out of their way to make them welcome.
We have also had genuine cause for celebration since we last wrote to you. Our Year 11 and Year 13 students secured strong results across the board in the summer, and results days themselves were as joyful as any I can remember — atmospheres that were celebratory, destinations that were ambitious, and effort visibly rewarded. We could not be prouder of them. There is a lot to share below, including two small but important updates to how the school day operates this term.
Lockers
This year, every student in Years 7 to 11 has been issued with their own personal locker — a change we implemented over the summer to support the smooth running of our mobile phone expectations and to give every student a secure place to store personal items during the school day.
The first full week has been, on the whole, a real success. Students have taken to the new arrangement quickly, phones have been left at home or locked away as expected, and the end-of-day flow has worked itself out over time. There have been a couple of lost keys, which we are dealing with case by case — but overall, this has been one of the smoother operational changes we have overseen at Derby Moor, and I am genuinely grateful for the support of families in reinforcing the expectations at home before students arrived.
As a reminder: mobile phones, earphones and AirPods should all be switched off and locked away from arrival until the end of the day, and lockers are for the sole use of the student to whom they are issued. Lockers are covered by CCTV and are not accessible during the school day.
Our preference remains that students do not bring mobile phones to school at all — but where they do, the locker system now provides a secure, consistent place for them.
Arrival and Pick up
Over the summer we have also made improvements to the turning circle at the front of the Academy, including the introduction of a designated no-stopping lane. This has been designed to make morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up safer, quicker, and less disruptive for local residents.
We would kindly ask that families using the turning circle follow the new arrangements carefully — and, in particular, that families do not park on Moorway Lane. Parking on Moorway Lane creates congestion, hazards for other road users and difficulties for our neighbours, and the changes we have made to the turning circle are specifically designed to give families a safer and more workable alternative.
A short illustrated guide for families, including photographs of the layout and how it should be used can be found on our website.
Year 8 Update
Welcome Back: We hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable summer break. It has been fantastic to welcome students back to the Academy and see them settling quickly into the new academic year. We are looking forward to another successful year and are excited to support our students in making excellent progress both academically and personally.
Attendance Reminder: Good attendance is essential to ensuring students achieve their full potential. We would like to remind parents and carers of the importance of regular attendance and punctuality.
If your child is absent from school for any reason, please ensure that the Academy is informed as early as possible on the day of their absence. Keeping us updated allows us to support students effectively and ensures that attendance records remain accurate.
Thank you for your continued support in helping students attend school every day and arrive on time, ready to learn.
Year 9 Update
A very warm welcome back to all of our Year 9 students. We hope you have had a fantastic summer break and are feeling refreshed and ready for the year ahead.
This term is an exciting one, as students begin studying their soft option subjects. These courses have been chosen based on their interests and strengths, giving them the opportunity to explore subjects they enjoy while developing new knowledge and skills. We encourage all Year 9 students to approach these lessons with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a positive mindset.
As part of our continued focus on excellent learning habits, we are continuing with our 3, 2, 1 Call for Attention routine, trialled successfully with our Year 9 cohort last term. Staff use the phrase ‘Hands free, eyes on me, in 3, 2, 1′ to bring students’ attention quickly to the front, ensuring key instructions, explanations and feedback are not missed. Following its positive impact on attention, engagement and readiness to learn, the routine has now been rolled out across the whole school with a change of phrase, giving students a consistent approach in every classroom. Strong, predictable routines help make lessons focused and more productive — and they matter.
Year 9 is an important year, and we are excited to see our students embrace new opportunities, challenge themselves, and continue to grow both academically and personally. By following our school routines and engaging fully in their learning, students give themselves the best possible chance of success.
We encourage parents and carers to speak with their child about their new option subjects and the importance of our 3, 2, 1 Call for Attention routine in supporting positive learning habits and academic achievement.
Year 11 Update
It has been a really positive first full week for Year 11 as they begin this incredibly important year. Students received their mock examination results this week and were encouraged to reflect on where they are now, where they want to be in August, and the steps needed to bridge that gap. They have also begun developing their revision skills, with a focus on building effective habits early rather than leaving revision until the final few weeks.
Year 11 also took part in our Careers Fair this week, giving students the opportunity to speak directly with employers, education and training providers and begin thinking seriously about their next steps beyond Derby Moor.
There is a real sense that Year 11 has begun, and our message to students is simple: every lesson, every day and every choice now matters. We are excited to see what this year group can achieve.
Sixth Form Update
It has been fantastic to welcome our new Year 12 students into our Sixth Form community. They have made a really positive start, embracing the expectations of Sixth Form, particularly the importance of strong independent study.
We look forward to welcoming Year 12 students and their families to our Settling-In Evening on Wednesday 14th October, 4.00–6.30pm. This will be an opportunity to meet tutors alongside the Sixth Form Team and discuss students’ attitude to learning, independence and progress, including their Settling-In Assessment results from w/c 21st September.
During these discussions, students who have demonstrated a successful transition to Year 12, excellent independent study, positive progress and a strong attitude to learning will have the opportunity to earn their home study privilege.
PEAA Update
We are pleased to share the timetable for extra-curricular PE activities for the coming term, all details can be found here. Open sessions for the Year 7 football team will take place after school on Thursday 17th September, students should check with their PE teacher if they need more information. Fixtures for the Year 9, 10 & 11 football teams are coming up, details will be displayed in the PE hub.
School show – ‘We Will Rock You’ Update
We are delighted to share that rehearsals for this year’s school production of We Will Rock You are now underway! The cast have made a fantastic start and are already looking forward to bringing this exciting show to the stage. Their enthusiasm, energy and commitment have been wonderful to see, and we cannot wait to watch the production come together over the coming months.
More details about the show, including performance dates and ticket information, will be shared in due course, so please watch this space for further updates.
A reminder to all cast members to keep an eye on the weekly emails from Mr Helan, which contain important information about upcoming rehearsals and key production updates. Students should also continue rehearsing the songs and dances they have been taught. Additional rehearsal resources and information can be found on the WWRY Drive.
If students have any questions, please speak to a member of the production team who will be happy to help. We look forward to sharing the production with our community in December.
Uniform
You can find our full uniform requirements on our website. Please do use this when making new purchases. Supermarkets often stock items described as uniform which do not meet our specifications. To avoid any issues with this, we strongly recommend that you use this guide carefully when buying new items.
Year 6 Open Evening
Prospective students are invited to attend our Year 6 Open Evening on 8th October from 5-7.30 pm. There will be a chance to hear from myself and other leaders, staff and students alongside the opportunity to tour our facilities and see the academy in action.
School photographs
Students in years 7, 9, 11 and 12 have had their photographs taken this week. Every student has a unique order form with their name and details of how photographs can be viewed and purchased. If your child has lost their order form you can contact the school photography company by email on info@schoolphotographs.co.uk or call 01295 250 812 and select option 1. A member of their customer care team will be able to give you the details that you require to place an order.
Library Update
Our library has undergone a transformation over the summer with new furniture, fixtures and fittings. A reminder that all students can borrow up to 2 books for 2 weeks at a time. If your child has borrowed a book before July 2026, it will need returning as soon as possible or they must replace the book. Students will be given log ins for Access IT in the next few weeks, where they can browse the catalogue and more.
The Book Fair will be returning this October. It is cash only. The school receives 40% of the grand total, which means more exciting titles for the school! It will run every break and lunch time from 6th-13th October.
Reading Assessments (NGRT)
All students in Years 7 to 11 have now completed their New Group Reading Test (NGRT) assessments. Where students have not completed an assessment or require a retest their progress leaders will be supporting these students further.
The NGRT provides us with a detailed picture of each student’s reading ability, including their reading comprehension, vocabulary and overall literacy skills. By identifying individual strengths and areas for development, we can tailor our teaching and interventions to provide the right support.
We are incredibly proud of the mature and positive way our students approached these assessments. Their focus and effort have helped us gain an accurate understanding of their reading ability, enabling us to support them in making the progress and achieving the outcomes they deserve.
Free School Meals
If your child has just started at Derby Moor and has been in receipt of free school meals at primary school, please note this does not automatically transfer to us. Families need to contact Derby City Council, Free School Meals department, to let them know your child has started at Derby Moor and to transfer eligibility to us.
You can contact the council using the online form, phone or email:
- Phone: 01332 640444
- Email: freeschoolmeals@derby.gov.uk
Careers update
This week’s job of the week is a “Concert Promoter”
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 do take a look at the website as there is a wealth of useful information including a specific page for parents
Final notes
The start of a new academic year always brings with it a certain temptation: to tear things up and begin again. We have deliberately resisted that temptation. What we do here works well, and this year’s focus is on refining and embedding the research-based approaches we have introduced over recent years, rather than adding new initiatives for the sake of it. There will, however, be a number of evening events over the term for you to meet our staff teams and engage with your child’s progress, and full details will follow in the weeks to come.
A brief practical note: ClassCharts remains our main channel of communication throughout the school week, with lesson information, homework and announcements all shared there. It is vital that your contact details are up to date and that you have access to the platform. A gentle reminder too that your child should be using their own student account rather than logging in on yours — the permissions and views are different, and it matters that they experience the platform as it is designed for them.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Scott Doyle
Principal