Dear Families,
I hope this update finds you and those closest to you in the very best of health and looking forward to the Bank Holiday weekend. We have enjoyed another busy and purposeful week at the Academy, with a wide range of activities taking place alongside the usual curriculum. Exam season is now firmly underway, with many students having completed speaking examinations or practical assessments, and others preparing for forthcoming public exams and coursework deadlines as Years 11 and 13 enter their final stages. This week also saw us welcoming a number of local employers into school to support mock interviews, offering valuable real-world experience for our students.
Library Update
A reminder that, when students borrow books from the library, it is important they return them on time. If a book is lost or damaged, it would need to be replaced. This is to ensure all students are able to enjoy the books available. If families could periodically check bags or bedrooms for any library books that have been forgotten, it will help with our stock.
Year 11 Update
Year 11 Graduation – As mentioned in previous updates, Graduation is taking place on 26th June. Students have been working hard on their Passport for Graduation points, and we hope many of our year 11 students will be able to join us to celebrate their graduation before moving on to their Post 16 options. The event takes place on site and in the morning of 26th June, with a start time around 10am and end around 1pm. Students need to have accrued enough points in order to attend. Once we have confirmed their eligibility, we will issue a survey to see who wishes to attend. More details on that will come to you in the coming weeks from the Year Team.
First week of GCSE exams – Our Year 11 (and Year 13) students have now begun their formal examinations, and we wish both year groups the very best as they start this intense period. We know you understand the importance of ensuring that students receive as much time with subject specialists as possible in the run up to each examination. As such, we have timetabled a revision session for all students the day before or on the day of an exam with a subject specialist, usually their normal teacher, to help with final preparations. This is a considerable undertaking and means that normal lessons are rearranged to allow this to happen. These revision sessions will take place in the school day throughout the exam period alongside normal lessons. The school day will remain unaffected, starting at 8.40 each day and ending at 15.05 (or 14.45 on Wednesday).
Conduct and uniform – Our standards for Year 11 remain high therefore, we remind students that we expect them to continue attending in their full uniform. Attendance and punctuality is now more important than ever and we expect our Year 11 to be in school on time and in lessons. Full uniform expectations remain until they sit their final exams. We are planning on organising the Year 11 ‘shirt-signing’ opportunity for our students and would also like to remind them that they need to have a spare clean shirt allowing them to continue sitting their exams. More details on that will come out in due course.
Year 12 Mock Interviews
This week, our Year 12 students took part in mock interviews with employers from across the local area. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising students’ confidence, preparation, and professionalism. We have loved seeing students come away feeling inspired about their future pathways, and several have already secured work experience opportunities. Well done to all involved for making the most of such a valuable experience.
Year 9 Update
YES Project: Last week, seven of our Year 9 students successfully completed the YES Scheme with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service under the supervision of one of our School Based Family Workers, Miss Rawlings. The group represented the school brilliantly, demonstrating enthusiasm, teamwork and resilience throughout the programme. All students performed fantastically, with several expressing a keen interest in pursuing a career as a firefighter. We are especially proud that all seven students have since applied to join the Fire Cadets, highlighting the positive impact the scheme has had on their confidence, aspirations and future pathways.
University Trip: A group of Year 9 students attended Derby University on 30th April. Students were introduced to a ‘What you can study at university session’, which generated a lot of interest. They were then given a tour of the university to explore labs, sports facilities and other subject-specific areas. During the day, students also learnt about understanding finance, explored a workshop about higher education and explored progressive pathway choices across a range of subjects. It was lovely to see so many students engage in activities and consider future directions.
Year 10 Update
Supporting Parents of Year 10 Students: We are pleased to share a free upcoming webinar designed to support parents and carers of students entering Year 11: Navigating Year 11: A Parent Guide, Wednesday 6th May 7:00pm (with replay access available).
This session will provide a clear overview of what to expect during the GCSE year, along with practical advice on how to support your child effectively at home—without adding unnecessary pressure. We know that when parents feel informed and reassured, students approach the year with greater confidence, leading to improved engagement and reduced anxiety.
If you would like to attend, you can register using the link below:
https://parentguidetoeducation.com/reg/navigating-y11/10417
Key Stage 3 Update
As we continue through the term, we would like to remind all families of the importance of maintaining high expectations and standards for our students. Everything we do in school is focused on preparing students not only for the next academic year, but also for the world of work and life beyond education. Developing strong habits around behaviour, effort, attendance and presentation now is vital in helping our young people succeed in the future.
We would also like to remind parents and carers of 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, their 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.
Finally, we would like to celebrate a fantastic achievement within our school community. Congratulations to Disha, who has been awarded a grant through our ‘Spencer Superstars’ charity. This award recognises Disha’s outstanding achievement in cricket and aims to support her future prospects in the sport. As part of this award, Disha received professional-level cricket equipment from specialist ‘Prophecy Cricket’. The equipment (complete with Derby Moor logo) was presented to her last week by myself and Mr Helan. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and wish her the very best for her future in cricket.
Student absence and Punctuality
We would like to kindly remind you of the importance of reporting an absence if your child is unable to attend school. You can notify us either by phone at 01332 772706 or by email at attendance@derbymoorspencer.org.uk. We ask that, where possible, you notify us before 9:30 AM. If we have not received notification of your child’s absence, we will send an email to inquire about the reason for their absence. Good attendance is essential for our students to progress, and generally, attendance at the Academy is strong. Please note that, in instances where we do not receive an explanation for an absence or where attendance becomes a concern, we are required to report it to the Education Welfare Officer.
Derby College SEND & Learning Support Parent/Carer Transition Event
This event will be held at Derby College on Tuesday 16th June at 4pm. It is intended for parents and carers of supported children and young people and aims to provide a clear overview of our Learning Support offer, the resources available and an opportunity to meet our staff and ask any questions. It’s a valuable chance to help ensure a smooth and confident transition into the setting. Further information can be found here.
Event details:
Date: Tuesday 16th June
Time: 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Location: Roundhouse Campus, Roundhouse Road, Derby, DE24 8JE
Places are filling quickly, so we strongly encourage parents/carers to register as soon as possible: Parents/Carers SEND Transition Event [registration link]
PE Update
A reminder to all parents that with the increase in temperatures recently, students should come to PE with a reusable water bottle, sun cream and caps if possible. The usual PE kit expectations still apply.
Year 8 HPV Vaccinations
A reminder that the link for consent to Year 8 HPV Vaccinations is live and will close on 7th May. Please ensure you go online and give consent if you are happy for your child to receive the vaccination, as this will ensure the process is efficient when the NHS are in school. The link can be found here
Spires Programme Graduation and Conference
We are delighted to share that on 7th May, we will be proudly hosting the Spires Programme Graduation and Conference here at Derby Moor Spencer Academy.
We would like to extend congratulations to all of our Year 12 students who have participated in the Spires Programme this year. This is a significant achievement. Throughout the programme, students have shown real commitment and ambition—engaging in online sessions, completing their super-curricular passports, and taking part in a university visit to either Oxford or Cambridge. These experiences have already provided valuable insight into higher education and academic enrichment beyond the classroom.
The upcoming event at Derby Moor marks the final stage of the programme for this Year Group. It will be a full-day conference and celebration, bringing together students from across the partnership. We are especially pleased to welcome staff from both Oxford and Cambridge University, who will be delivering a range of expert workshops and talks.
Students will take part in sessions focused on the next steps in the university application process, including guidance on personal statements, admissions tests, and interview preparation. In addition, they will have the opportunity to collaborate with peers who share similar academic interests—an important aspect of building confidence and broadening perspectives.
This event is not only a celebration of students’ achievements, but also a valuable opportunity to ensure they are well-informed and prepared as they begin to make applications to competitive universities and courses later this year.
We are incredibly proud to host this important event and look forward to welcoming students and colleagues for what promises to be an inspiring and impactful day.
Careers Update
This week’s job of the week is “Translator”
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
We have enjoyed a spell of warmer weather this week, and while temperatures are expected to settle back to seasonal norms, we would like to remind families that our usual uniform expectations remain in place. Students may choose to leave jumpers or sweaters at home, but blazers continue to be an essential part of our uniform as they are functional and easier to remove if a classroom is warm. With the fields now open at lunchtime, we encourage students to bring a reusable water bottle, be prepared with sun cream, and consider a sun hat where appropriate. We have installed new water fountains across the site and these can be accessed outside of lesson time.
We are now very much at the business end of the school year. This is most immediately evident for students in Years 11 and 13, whose focus is rightly on their final examinations. At the same time, students in Years 8 and 9 are engaging thoughtfully with options processes that reflect their growing maturity and sense of responsibility as learners. For Year 10, the focus is twofold: preparing for end‑of‑year assessments while also developing employability skills through experiences such as mock interviews and employer encounters.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Scott Doyle
Principal