This week saw the final days at school for our Year 11 and Year 13 students who have completed their assessments.
This is our end of year message to them.
We are so proud of the way you have worked together and with your teachers to reach this point in your time at DHSB. We have been impressed by the way you have seen the bigger picture throughout the pandemic and supported each other. It is completely understandable that you will have experienced challenges in recent months and we appreciate your hard work to secure the reward of your GCSE and A level qualifications.
"Have an ice cream on us".
Year 11 students enjoyed a welcome surprise on Wednesday morning!
Ms Davidson, Assistant Head Post-16, added, "Our Year 13 students left today and it is with mixed feelings that we said our goodbyes. Ironically, remote learning brought us opportunities to be a closer community as we helped each other throughout lockdowns and also in adjusting to new norms as we returned to school. They are wonderful and this year group in particular comprises young people with great spirit, tenacity, empathy and an appreciation for others. They stand in their own light and it shines. We are so proud of them".
Joe Watkinson, School Captain 2019 - 2020 said, "Thank you for seven wonderful years DHSB. I will miss you".
Today we are proudly supporting the Festival of School and College Arts, celebrating the creative achievements of our students seen in their poetry, writing, photography and art.
We have an amazing array of talent at DHSB and are delighted to share our students' creativity on this special day.
We have included some of the examples in today’s Head’s Blog but also please browse the hashtag #EduArtsFest where there will be much more on display, not just from DHSB but from schools all around the country.
Photography and Artwork
Oisin Smith 8C
Felix Middleton Year 13 TLP student
Sam Price 8C
Rowan Kirkpatrick 8N
Sam Lord 8N
Joao Bennetts de Souza 11E
Isaac Souray 11S
Poetry
As part of today's #EduArtsFest celebrations I'm also pleased to share these poems written by Ms Nally, Teacher of English, and Taegan Hignett 8C.
From The South-West, 12th May 2021 to Someone in the Future
You’re not my grandchild, I hope.
Whoever you are, I want you to know,
Last weekend I drove past a field cordoned off,
Barricaded with boards that announced
“G7 Summit Here” in Cornwall.
From the top of the hill, high up in the car park,
We watched the waves wiping over St Ives.
They submerged the spit and the church spires.
The rain was lashing. The worst I’ve seen.
Taegan Hignett 8C writes about the experience of being a young person in 2021.
My Version of The Teen’s Speech
Youth is the key to future success
The successors of the adults of today
The world is a work in progress
The teens must lead the way
We must prepare for what’s ahead
Making sure that were not misled
Into gang culture or taking drugs
So we don’t become a thug
UK Mathematics Trust Maths Challenges
Very well done to students who took part in either the Junior or Intermediate Maths Challenge this year.
The UK Mathematics Trust said, “Our maths challenges are the UK’s most popular school mathematics competitions. They are designed to inspire a love of problem solving”.
Junior Maths Challenge
Many congratulations to Ben Wotton 8C who was awarded Best in School with a Gold Certificate. Ben has been invited by the UKMT to take part in the follow on round next month,
Well done also to Joshua Daniel Year 7E was awarded Best in Year with a Silver Certificate.
Silver Awards
Caleb Caleshu 8P, Bailey Fry 8C, Giles Pahdi 8N, Iwan Sanders 8P
Bronze Awards
Ben Saberi 8S, Jack Chen 8N, Tristan de Rochefort-Roper 8N, Elliot Mair 8C, Muhammad Munawwer 8E, Oliver Collins 8C, Taegan Hignett 8C
Intermediate Maths Challenge
Many congratulations to five students who qualified for the follow on rounds after the Intermediate Maths Challenge. This is by invitation only for those students who scored highly in the IMC.
Scott Howley 10N, Arthur Law 11N and Fintan Pawley 11C took part in the Pink Kangaroo with Scott and Arthur gaining a Merit.
Turab Ali 9C and Orlan Hartley 9N both qualified and took part in the Grey Kangaroo.
Mrs Wills said, “Brilliant results for all of them”.
Young Citizens Mock Trial Competition
It's been really good to see more activities taking place again. Thanks to Mr Riggs for leading the Young Citizens Mock Trial Competition this year and for sending me this report of the event.
On Saturday, we took part in the Young Citizens Mock Trial Competition against the Wirral Girls School. A team of ten students played the roles of Barristers, Witnesses and Court Officials as they looked at the case of whether Sunny Peters was entitled to break a car window in order to gain access to his mobile phone which had been taken from him by an over-enthusiastic security guard at a protest against an Energy Company.
All members of the team competed with huge enthusiasm especially Sam Bowden who played the clearly guilty Sunny Peters! I was particularly impressed by the way in which the witnesses dealt with the difficult questions put to them by the Judge! We all had a lot of fun and everyone learnt a lot about the way in which trials work.
It seems to have been an age since I was able to report on an event like this because of lockdowns. It was wonderful to be able to take part in a competition like this and I hope that next year we will be able to return to the surroundings of a real Crown Court. But the technology worked, and it was still really worthwhile. Enriching the curriculum with events like this is something that we really believe in here at DHSB and we look forward to more opportunities becoming available as we exit lockdown.
Mr Riggs
DofE Award Update
Mr Huq has confirmed there were eight teams out on their assessed expeditions last weekend. Well done to everyone who took part, some in very challenging conditions.
Four Bronze Year 9 walking teams all completed their assessed expedition.
Two Silver Year 10 walking teams completed their assessed expedition at the end of their third day on Monday.
Two Silver Year 10 cycling teams could not complete their second day due to 50mph winds across Dartmoor but will be able to catch up and finish their assessment either later in May or early in June.
Bronze Walking Teams
Silver Cycling Teams
Excellent Work
Our Excellent Work this week is an example from Ms Cervelle, written by Tobias Fung 7S.
For their end of year test in French, Year 7 students were asked to write a short paragraph about themselves and their families as well as talk about meals and favourite food under exam conditions with no prior knowledge of the questions.
Ms Cervelle said, “Tobias produced a near perfect piece which shows flair and ability in the language. Together with a flawless speaking exam and another near perfect results in his listening and reading, he was awarded 98% in his test and should be congratulated. I look forward to seeing what he can achieve in the next few years”.
Sports Update
Year 8 Cricket v Kingsbridge Community College
Mr Strang said, "Nice day for some cricket" as the U13 team beat Kingsbridge to make it into round two of the Devon Cup.
He added, "Thanks for an enjoyable game in sunny conditions".
Year 10 Cricket v Plymouth College
Mr Bunney said, "Not seen this sight for a while - sun and cricket but unfortunately the U15 team lost by 26 runs to Plymouth College chasing 76. A brilliant fielding and bowling performance though and great to be back out playing after all this time away".
PSHEE Activities
For the last week of this half term there is a strong focus on exams, as you might expect at this time of year, albeit at the end (we hope) of a very peculiar 12 months.
Year 7, 8 and 9 students all had lessons today focussing on study skills and revision in preparation for their school exams during the week commencing 7 June, 14 June and 21 June respectively.
These exams will be held in normal class time and rooms, and subject staff have been advising them exactly what they need to revise in preparation.
Year 10 and Year 12 exams are also after half term, but will be held in the Sports Hall in preparation for their GCSE and A level programmes next year.
Year 10 exams are during the week commencing 14 June and the Year 12 exams are during the week commencing June.
Year 11 students finished their assessments this week, and officially completed Year 11 yesterday.
We look forward to seeing them, hopefully with smiling faces, on GCSE results day, 12 August.
Year 7 - 9 students also began work on Wednesday on a two part activity, to be finished after half term, entitled Covid-19 time capsule. They will reflect on events of the last year both in school and out, and compose a booklet of their experiences, some of which will be placed in a real time capsule that will be buried under a new tree as part of the DHSB 125 celebrations.
So the final activity this week was for Year 10 students, who spent both Wednesday and Friday lessons looking at what makes a safe relationship, discussing consent and control issues. These lessons will be supplemented with a further session after half term, led by The Zone, on STIs and contraception.
So we head into the last half term break of this year, looking forward to some R&R despite focusing most on study still to come, and above all, hoping for some sunshine!
Ms Moreton
And finally
And finally this week, Mrs Mintoft received a special thank you message from British historian, television presenter and journalist, Dan Jones, arranged by two of her Year 13 students Gwennie Forkuo and Sophie Gears.
As you can imagine, this made her day!