Our whole school assembly this week was led by Mr Manley, Assistant Head, on the theme of sexual harassment.
Mr Manley has shared with us the aims of the assembly.
To raise awareness of what constitutes online sexual harassment
To signpost the available routes to report incidences of online sexual harassment
To highlight some of the perceived barriers that had been found to prevent victims and bystanders from reporting online sexual harassment
To remove these barriers and increase confidence in reporting incidences of online sexual harassment.
Each Tutor Group finished the session by making a pledge to state what they could do to put an end to online sexual harassment.
This is an example of a completed pledge card, written by Mr Orkney's Sixth Form tutor group.
Greenpower Racing
On Wednesday (following a three year break due to Covid) an all new DHSB Team Avanti travelled to the Predannack Airfield, Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall.
Jack Benzie, Ben Wotton, Seb Brook and Jonah Struthers from Year 9 have been improving the electric car since the start of the year and worked as the pit crew and mechanics.
Jake Bassett, Daniel Morley, Charlie Long and Ashley Kirkpatrick from Year 7 were the drivers.
In the first race our car finished 11th but after some good team work and quick changes to the car, we managed to finish 8th in the afternoon race. A very successful and enjoyable first race for the new team.
Thanks to Mrs Flack, Mr Brown and Mr Ames who accompanied the students.
Plymouth Carnegie Book Awards
Mrs Johnson and Mrs Waterfield took students to the Plymouth Carnegie Book Awards yesterday and said they had a fantastic day.
They added, "Our presentation was placed third and we even got to meet a famous author, Anthony McGowan. Wonderful day".
Duke of Edinburgh's Award Update
Well done all students who completed their DofE bronze assessed expedition last weekend and thank you to all staff who supported them.
Pictured are some of the teams. Congratulations to all involved.
Student News
Well done to Alfie Cousens 8N who has been selected to take part in the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea in August 2023.
Alfie will be one of the youngest attending and he will be supporting this with lots of fundraising events.
We look forward to hearing more about his adventures.
Sixth Form News
I invited three Year 12 students to Lunch with the Head today to hear more about their recent achievements.
Benedict Bailey (Tavistock Air Cadets) has been selected as a Lord Lieutenant Cadet with only seven out of 2,500 Devon Cadets being chosen for this role.
Jojo Sells has passed her diploma in violin. This is beyond grade 8 and an extremely rare achievement for a school aged student.
Eliza Coulson has just gained a place at The National Youth Theatre.
Well done to these students.
Excellent Work
Ms Brown has sent me examples of the Year 9 bottle opener outcomes this year.
She said, “'Students focused on ergonomics and developing practical skills when designing and manufacturing the bottle openers.'
PSHEE Activities
In today's tutorial lesson Year 7 students were learning about why sleep is so important, and hopefully how to develop good sleep hygiene. What do you think improves your own sleep patterns?
Year 8 students had a lesson developed by the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service around the dangers of playing with fire and the serious repercussions that can ensue from deliberate fire-setting. The lesson included several film clips, some relating fairly traumatic real-life incidents, but imparting a vital lesson on personal safety and the effects of actions on others.
The Year 9 year group was split in half with half of the students having a lesson with a virtual visitor from NatWest Bank entitled ‘Dreambigger’ around developing careers skills, and the other half of students completing a survey devised by the Careers and Enterprise Company called Future Skills.
The two halves will swap next week so that they have all had the same experience.
Year 10's lesson looked at aspects of entrepreneurship and work related learning. Students encountered genuine problems encountered by some large national businesses and explored ways to solve them, and also discussed behaviour in the workplace.
I also met with our industry enterprise adviser, Ralph Rizk, to review and potentially improve the mentoring programme he carried out with a group of Year 10 students, hopefully to be repeated in the next academic year.
Students undertake sessions on communication, life finance, teamwork, professionalism, tolerance and other vital life skills which proved to be a very worthwhile activity for the group.
We look forward to continuing to work with Ralph in September with a new cohort.
And finally the work of our Students Against Sexual Harassment group continues as some of the Sixth Form students have begun editing together sections of the film, and working on voiceovers for the resource ready to take to the next meeting between the three schools (DHSB, DHSG & PHSG) later in the term.
One more week to go before Curriculum Enrichment Week, and we are entering the final weeks of GCSE and A level exams, so a change of pace for many. We will also be welcoming the new cohort of Year 7 for visits and of course the Summer Festival, Sports Day and celebrations of achievements over the year. More next week.
Ms Moreton
Sixth Form Enrichment
During tutorial period 1 today students considered pledges to support awareness around Sexual Harassment. They then learnt about different styles of leadership, the skills that result in problem solving and what it means to be creative.
During period 2 Luke Pollard spoke with students about how to celebrate what is amazing about Plymouth. He gave examples of how Plymouth is world class in Marine Science through research from Plymouth University raising international awareness about microplastics, in Marine Autonomy with careers in companies like MSubs.
He listened to what students suggested Plymouth was poor at and conveyed frustrations in the 66% budget cuts to national government funding of Plymouth City Council.
Discussions centred around how to make Plymouth better through focus and investment in careers in the creative arts industries and PCAD as an independent Arts university and supporting Nudge.
Luke also explored how to speak out to tell stories and how to be proud of Plymouth being respectful yet assertive enough to draw attention to our city and to get visitors to stay longer.
Topics raised in questions from students include:-
How to help people to feel safe in Keyham
Prices of school bus transport
Cost of public transport
How the labour 'seat' in Plymouth was sustained
Why the Arts Council funding gave money to the museum
Why Union Street looks so derelict
Can we get change without changing government
Younger people are often liberal or labour voters, if they vote. Why are so many of the older generation so extreme in their views?
What can be done to stop the older generation from fearing change as personal attack
What are your views on the House of Lords and the monarchy
Why has the city centre become so derelict ? What's being planned
Ms Davidson said, "The students were so engaged and engaging, and there were many more hands up with questions for Luke but we ran out of time".
PTFA News
Our last PTFA meeting of this academic year is on Tuesday 21 June at 6.00pm in Refuel.
Please join us if you can. We'd love to see you and refreshments will be provided.
Sustainable second hand school uniform shop
A request please!
As the school year is approaching the end, please can we have any unwanted school uniform. We are launching a sustainable second hand school uniform shop and need any good quality items you may no longer need.
Please email ptfa@dhsb.org if you can help.
Thank you in advance.
Mrs Kinsella
Alumni News
Attention all 1996/7 leavers!
Did you know there is a reunion event at DHSB on Saturday 25 June in the afternoon?
This is being organised by Matt Fleming and Dan Thomas. Please see the Alumni & Archives website for details:
Nearby years are welcome too.
Sports Update
Table Tennis
Congratulations to both Leo and Hugo Nguyen who competed at the U13 national table tennis championships last weekend.
Leo won a silver medal in the U13 boys category and Hugo and Leo were silver medalists in the U13 boys doubles.
Very well done!
Cricket
Well done to the U12 cricket team.
The team beat Kingsbridge School in round one of the Devon Cup. The school scored 120 off 20 overs and bowled the opposition out somewhat short of their target.
There were also two winning performances from our U13 cricket team on Thursday in their Central Venue fixtures against TorBridge High and Coombe Dean. The students were excellent in the field and worked incredibly well as a team.
Pictured is the U12 team.
Athletics
Mr Carpenter said, “What an excellent weekend for DHSB athletics with a number of students competing in the Devon Schools Championships”.
Gold
Year 7 - Dan Salmon - Long jump (5th in 800m)
Inter Boys - Mackenzie Pike - 100m
Gregor Norster - 800m
Senior Girls - Harriet Beardsmore- 400m
Kristyna Cade - 1500
Silver
Inter Boys - Mackenzie Pike - 200m
Senior Girls - Harriet - 200m
Bronze
Junior Boys - Joe Dennis - 80m hurdles
Inter Boys - Andreas Isaias - 200m
Along with the podiums we also had two fourth places in the inter boys javelin and discus with Jacob Clark, with Declan Jones also finishing seventh in inter boys long jump.
Well done to all competitors and congratulations to the following students have been selected to represent Devon at the SW Championships this weekend.
Harriet Beardsmore, Krystina Cade, Mackenzie Pike, Gegor Norster.