After months of preparation by staff and students, our three Ten Tors teams are ready for the weekend’s challenge.

Thank you to all our staff who have provided incredible support both for Ten Tors training and the challenge itself.

We should never underestimate the considerable effort made by staff members who enable our students to take part in extracurricular activities.

You can track the progress of our school teams here (using the following routes).

35 mile team Route EI

45 mile team Route SJ

55 mile team Route XK

Students and staff were delighted to receive this fabulous Ten Tors cake, made especially for the weekend by Mum, Davina Moore.

Thank you Mrs Moore!

Today marked the final day of school for our Year 11 students as the public exam season starts on Monday.

In a special assembly Mr Martin spoke about John Akhwari who completed an Olympic marathon while injured.

Mr Akhwari said, “I wasn’t sent to start the race, but to finish it”.

Mr Martin advised students to follow this example and “Finish well”.

It’s been a busy day in school as Year 10 attended their Sex and Relationships Education lessons this morning.

Ms Moreton thanked Julie, Elspeth and Rachel from Livewell Southwest for talking to the students.

Coast to Coast Challenge

I receive many welcome messages about activities our students are involved in outside school.

A couple of weekends ago, Asa Ryder-Wearne 8W, Samuel Haws 7E, Matthew Wills 8P and Lucian Morris 7Ewho, accompanied by 12 other members of 2nd Saltash Tamar Troop Scouts, joined over 500 Scouts and Guides from all over the country in the annual Coast to Coast walking challenge, when they attempted to walk from the north coast of Cornwall to the south coast.

They successfully completed the challenge through great preparation, determination and a fantastic sense of teamwork by helping each other and always looking after their friends when the going was tough!

Mr Child, Leader with the 2nd Saltash Tamar Troop Scouts, said, “Great life lessons and a fantastic achievement”.

Italian Supper

Yesterday we hosted a lovely event with a total of 34 guests being served welcome drinks, sweet potato wedges and sour cream dip with smoke paprika and chilli salt, as well as pizzas built from a selection of 17 different toppings.

This was the concluding evening of the Year 7 pizza club run by Mr Riley.

The evening went very well and we’ll share some feedback and photos in the next edition of DHSB Today.

Excellent Work

Our Excellent Work this week has been sent to me by Ms Nally.

Students in 8W held a special gallery lesson where they displayed their presentations and research on the cause of a protest.

Joe Bright (gender pay gap)

Callum Pender (Black Lives Matter)

Max Ogerek (Polish solidarity)

Where Are They Now

We’ve just posted a new Where Are They Now story on our website featuring former student Alistair Sharp who is a Methodist Superintendent Minister in Cornwall.

In his interview Alistair said he has a sense of “Fulfilment, purpose and meaning in finding and helping to create specialist charities and churches with extraordinary people doing generous things”.

You can read more here.

If you are a former student with a story to share then please contact my PA, Sarah Nicholson, at the school.

Sports Update

Athletics

The West Devon School Athletics Championships took place at Tavistock Athletics Club on Thursday. 30 students took part and notable individual performances include the following four students:-

James Cunningham 10S first place in the triple jump

Casey Moss 7P first place in the 100m

Mackenzie Pike 7W first place in the 200m

Matthew Newton 8P first place in the long jump

Mr Strang said, “Well done to all those who took part”.

Cricket

The U13 cricket team played well at the central venue competition this week when they beat Stoke Damerel but lost to Plymstock School.

Football

I enjoyed a celebration lunch with the U16 football team who took the Devon title last week.

I will be meeting the U14 team (also Devon Champions) next week.

Future Events

11 – 13 May – Ten Tors Challenge

14 May – GCSE & GCE summer exams start

25 May – Final day of summer term one

26 May – 3 June Half Term

4 June – First day of summer term two (B week)

4 – 8 June Year 7 exam week

9 June 11+ Familiarisation tests (admission by pre-collected entry pack)

And Finally

Thank you to Mr Orkney and his team who have prepared and published this newsletter to bring you up to date with all our recent sports achievements.