Dear Families
I hope this update finds you and those closest to you in good health. There has been a distinct shift in the mood at the Academy this week — a sense that one year is closing and another is beginning. On Wednesday evening we welcomed our Year 6 families in for their transition information evening. On Monday, our Year 12 induction day brought many of our current Year 11s back through the doors as Sixth Formers-in-waiting. And in between, the last of the exam cycle finally drew to a close with Year 10’s mock exams. I ended my own week away from the Academy at the Festival of Education at Wellington College — not presenting this time, but listening, learning, and reconnecting with colleagues from across the Spencer Academies Trust. There are always ideas to bring home from days like that, and I found this year’s Festival particularly generative. More below on all fronts, and a note before you read on: warmer temperatures are forecast again for parts of next week, and we will notify families via ClassCharts if any uniform or timetable adjustments become necessary.
Duke of Edinburgh Update
Year 8 students attended an assembly on Tuesday to introduce them to the Bronze DofE award, which they can start in September. There will be a Parent Information Evening on Thursday 9th July at 5:45-6:45pm for parents to find out more about this opportunity and ask any questions.
For further information please contact: slancaster@derbymoorspencer.org.uk
Year 7 Inspiration Day
On Thursday 9th July, all Year 7 students will take part in our annual Inspiration Day – an exciting opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have developed throughout the year to a real-world challenge.
Working in teams, students will complete a project that encourages creativity, problem-solving, communication and teamwork. Throughout the day, they will present their ideas and solutions to professionals from leading organisations including Rolls-Royce, Experian and Alstom, who will assess each team’s work and provide valuable feedback.
Inspiration Day is designed to help students develop the confidence, employability skills and aspirations needed for their future education and careers. It also provides an opportunity to experience how the skills they learn in school are applied within industry and the wider world of work.
We are incredibly grateful to our business partners for giving their time to support our students and help make this such a memorable and inspiring experience. We look forward to celebrating the fantastic ideas, innovation and teamwork that our Year 7 students will demonstrate throughout the day.
Teen Tech Awards & Step into the NHS 2026 – Competition Results & Feedback
This school year, we have been extremely impressed and proud that a number of Key Stage 3 pupils researched, planned and submitted entries, for two National Competitions. These pupils often stayed behind in school and worked on projects in their own time.
The Teen Tech Awards 2026 is a national STEM competition where students develop creative ideas to solve real-world problems using science, technology, engineering, maths and design. Derby Moor has been affiliated with these awards for many years now and submit entries annually. Each individual or group entry, received personalised feedback from the competition judges. “We hope your students will be proud of their Awards certificates which reflect their hard work and effort. It is a credit to each and every student how much the judges were blown away with the hard work, creativity and innovative thinking that went into the projects”.
Step into the NHS 2026 is a careers competition for KS3 students aged 11–14, encouraging pupils to research an NHS job role and create a lively job advert to inspire others to go on and work in this area in the future.
All of our Teen Tech entries were awarded either bronze or silver status, with judges praising the creativity, hard work and innovative thinking shown by our students. Our Step into the NHS entries similarly received high praise for creativity and innovation. Both competitions represent a significant achievement, and we look forward to celebrating our participants in the end-of-year assemblies.
Year 10 Update
Our Year 10 mock cycle has now finished, and we would like to thank all students for their excellent conduct during these mock exams. Our staff are now busy marking and preparing predicted grades for the upcoming Data Point report. If you have any queries in relation to these mocks, please contact Mrs Daire for further information.
All Year 10 students and parents will have received an email this week containing the Derby Moor Dispatch. This is an excellent source of information regarding opportunities and courses that may benefit students as they begin to consider their options and next steps post 16 and beyond. Each week you will receive a copy of this Dispatch newsletter and I would urge you to discuss the contents at home. Students will also be shown the Derby Moor Dispatch Newsletter during tutor times, and any relevant and/or exciting opportunities will be pointed out to them through their form tutors. If you do have any queries relating to an opportunity, please do speak with Mrs Daire.
Year 10 Preparation for Work Days: Next week, all Year 10 students will take part in our Preparation for Work Days, designed to inspire students as they begin thinking about their future education and career pathways.
Across Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th July, students will either visit the University of Derby, where they will experience campus life, careers activities and university taster sessions, or remain in school taking part in a range of employer-led workshops delivered in partnership with Microsoft, Balfour Beatty and Derby County Community Trust. These workshops will challenge students to develop skills in teamwork, creativity, communication and problem-solving through real-world projects.
A huge thank you in advance to all the staff and external partners who are supporting these two days. We hope they will be an engaging and inspiring experience for all of our Year 10 students as they begin preparing for life beyond Derby Moor.
English Update
KS3 English Employability lessons: This term, all KS3 students have been developing their employability skills through a range of activities in English, alongside employer encounters with local businesses,
Students have taken part in assemblies led by Cooper Parry, Stepnell and JCB, where they learned about different career pathways, including careers in STEM and construction.
- Year 7 students have been designing new products/services and presenting their ideas through a business pitch.
- Year 8 students have planned and delivered speeches about their future career aspirations or someone who inspires them, helping to build their confidence when speaking in front of an audience.
- Year 9 students have all completed work on CV writing, cover letters and interview preparation. Year 9 have been exploring the platform UniFrog to create digital CVs.
GCSE English Language Spoken Language Endorsement: As part of the GCSE English Language course, all Year 10 students are required to complete the Spoken Language Endorsement (SLE), a compulsory component of the AQA GCSE English Language qualification. Students will be given time to prepare in lessons, with assessments scheduled to take place in class, beginning Monday 6th July onwards.
The Spoken Language Endorsement provides students with an opportunity to develop and demonstrate valuable communication skills through a formal presentation and question-and-answer session. Although the outcome does not contribute to a student’s final GCSE English Language grade, it is reported separately on their GCSE certificate as either: Distinction, Merit, Pass, or Not Classified
Year 9 Mock Interviews – Friday 10th July
Next Friday, all Year 9 students will take part in one-to-one mock interviews with employers from a range of local organisations. The interviews are designed to give students experience of the interview process and the opportunity to receive feedback to help them prepare for future applications.
Please encourage your child to bring their employability booklet from English and, if possible, a printed copy of their Unifrog CV. It is also worth spending a few minutes talking through examples of when they have shown skills such as teamwork, communication and problem-solving, as these are likely to form the basis of the interview questions.
Year 6 Transition
Next week we welcome the newest members of our community to Derby Moor for 3 days of transition. They will meet their new form teachers and other students in their form group before experiencing taster lessons across a range of subjects. Thank you to the families who attended the information evening on Wednesday, it was great to connect and share our aspirations for the next five years.
Post 16 Update
Sixth Form Induction Day: It was a pleasure to welcome our incoming Year 12 students for Induction Day. Students experienced taster lessons, time management tasks and learnt about the expectations of Sixth Form students. A reminder that all Step Up to Sixth Form independent study tasks must be completed for every subject that students will study in September, these are available on the website and must be handed in on the first day of term. We hope everyone has a relaxing summer and look forward to seeing students on Results Day. Please note that subject choices cannot be changed before then. Any requests to change subjects on Results Day must be supported by a valid reason and will be considered subject to availability. Please check your contact details are up to date on Applicaa so that you receive updates, if you have any queries, please email sixthform@derbymoorspencer.org.uk
Year 12 Work Experience: From 6th – 10th July all Year 12 students are undertaking work experience placements to develop valuable workplace skills, explore potential career pathways, and gain first-hand insight into the world of work. The Sixth Form Team will be making calls and visits to employers throughout the week. If students are ill on a day of placement, parents should contact the Sixth Form office as usual and the student will need to contact the work placement directly. On 13th July, students will take part in our UCAS Launch Day, reflecting on their experiences while beginning to plan and prepare for UCAS applications.
Student Leadership Team Update
It has been another busy and rewarding week for the Student Leadership Team as we continue to make a positive contribution to our school community.
Year 6 Transition Evening: On Wednesday evening, members of the team supported our Year 6 Transition Evening by welcoming parents and future students as they arrived, signing families in, and helping to create a friendly and positive first impression of our school. It was a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate our school values and help our newest students feel excited about joining our community.
Global Clean-Up Group: As part of our commitment to making a difference both locally and globally, our Global Clean Up Group worked alongside 10 students from across Key Stage 3 to take part in a litter pick around the school site and surrounding area. Small actions like this help to keep our local environment clean while contributing to the wider goal of protecting our planet.
Next week, our Student Leadership Team members will be heading out on their work experience placements. We wish everyone the very best as they develop new skills and represent our school in the wider community. We look forward to returning soon, refreshed, and ready to continue making a positive difference across our school.
Sports Update
City Sports: On Wednesday 1st July, students represented Derby Moor at City Sports, which is the annual Derby City Schools athletics competition at Moorways Stadium. Students across Years 7-10 competed in a number of track and field athletic events in a city-wide event against 14 other Derby City schools. We are waiting to hear what our final position is. However, we achieved a podium finish (places 1, 2 or 3) in 15 different events. Students were exceptionally well behaved throughout the day and were all proud to represent Derby Moor.
National School Sports Week at Derby Moor: During the week beginning Monday 6 July, Derby Moor will be taking part in National School Sports Week. This national celebration encourages young people to be active, try new activities, build healthy habits and enjoy taking part in sport and physical activity.
Students will have the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of activities before school, at lunchtime and after school throughout the week. Activities include football, basketball, fitness, pickleball, cricket, boccia, table tennis, dance, running club and more. The timetable can be found here.
Students who attend six or more activities across the week will be entered into a prize draw. Stamp cards can be collected from the PE Hub and students should collect a stamp from staff after each activity. Completed cards can be handed in to the Honour Hub or to a member of the PE department.
Students do not need PE kit for morning or lunchtime activities, although trainers are essential, particularly for football on the Astro. PE kit is advised for after-school clubs. Please note that if it is a wet lunch, lunchtime clubs will not run.
U13 Cricket Team: Our Derby Moor U13 cricket team secured an impressive 10-run victory over John Port in a hard-ball fixture. Batting first, we posted 78 runs from 12 overs, losing just one wicket.
A special mention goes to our captain SS, who retired on 26 runs (including one six and three boundaries) and led the team brilliantly with his calm captaincy and clear communication.
Congratulations also to AHG who was deservedly named Player of the Match after taking two wickets and completing an excellent stumping behind the wickets.
For several students, this was their first hard-ball cricket match, making their performance even more impressive. Please take a moment to recognise their professionalism, enthusiasm, and teamwork.
A huge thank you also to our fantastic site team for preparing the pitch at short notice, allowing the fixture to go ahead.
Summer Tennis Camp
Following on from the successful Tennis Camps over Easter and May Half-term this year, Littleover Tennis Club will be running another Tennis Camp during the Summer Holiday. The camp runs each day from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
This will take place during the following weeks:
- From Monday 3rd August to Friday 7th August
- From Monday 10th August to Friday 14th August
- From Monday 17th August to Friday 21st August
Children from 5 to 14 years of all abilities are welcome. Our experienced coaches are fully qualified and DBS checked. Further information can be found here
Cycle Derby Summer Track Day sessions
The Cycle Derby team are running a series of Track Day sessions at Derby Arena’s velodrome this summer. This activity is aimed at 9-16 year-olds. The Track Days give young riders the chance to experience the excitement of velodrome track cycling in a safe and supportive environment. The day begins outside with coached skills activities before progressing onto the indoor velodrome track. Cycle Derby’s experienced instructors tailor activities to suit each rider’s confidence and experience – whether they’re new to track cycling or regular track riders. Specialist track bikes, helmets and track shoes are all provided, and no specialist cycling clothing is needed. Riders simply need to be able to ride a bike confidently and independently. If you have questions about the sessions, you’re very welcome to contact the Cycle Derby team by emailing cyclederby@derby.gov.uk. Details can be found here
Careers Update
This week’s job of the week is a “Set Designer”
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 thoughts
Welcoming a new cohort of families for the first time is one of the genuine privileges of my role. There is nothing quite like the mixture of nervous excitement and cautious optimism that fills a room of Year 6 parents as they picture their child at secondary school for the first time — and there is nothing quite like the responsibility of standing in front of them and saying: yes, we will look after them, and here is how. The team who supported the transition evening did that beautifully.
Looking ahead, the final few weeks bring visitors of a different kind — including our Inclusion Quality Mark assessor and other external reviewers coming in to look at our provision. Groups of our students will be invited to sit and talk with them about life at Derby Moor, and we will also be gathering feedback from families to inform our planning for next academic year. As ever, thank you in advance for your continued support.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Scott Doyle
Principal
