In this Head’s Blog I’d like to bring you news from our week in school and also an update on the progress we’re making towards our school development plan priorities.
This week on Wednesday we held our annual Speech Day.
As always the prize-giving part of the evening ran very smoothly and we enjoyed excellent speeches, musical and dramatic contributions from students.
Our Guest of Honour, Joey Ansah, is a British actor, director and martial artist best known for his roles in The Bourne Ultimatum and Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist. He is also part of the DHSB Alumni community.
Earlier in the day we were delighted to welcome Joey back to school to lead drama workshops, talk to current students and meet some of his former teachers.
During the evening ceremony at the Plymouth Guildhall he spoke to the audience of students, prizewinners, staff, governors and parents and said, “With the academic learning skills I learnt at DHSB and the further initiative and independence gained by completing my degree, I was able to analyse the skills needed for success in each new professional arena I dared to take on next”.
He added, “If you take one thing away from my story it’s that if you are prepared to dream big, work hard, strategize and be humble, there is no limit to where you talents can take you. Don’t sell yourself short no matter how hard your beginnings or how bad a starting poker hand you were dealt in life. As the saying goes, find a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life. Life is going to be tough enough already, sometimes almost impossible I guarantee it, but passion will allow you to transcend almost any obstacle”.
The Lord Mayor, Cllr Sam Davey, was also present and brought greetings from the City of Plymouth.
This year’s Holmes and Corrie A Level and GCSE award winners are George Irving and Som Bagchi. Special congratulations to them.
Well done also to our two School Captains, Harry Bryan formally passed the role to Toby Leung during the evening ceremony.
The St Levan Shield, a culmination of the year’s house competitions, was presented to Campbell House (I understand this is for the third year running)!
Well done to all those who received an award and thanks to all those contributed to the successful evening.
Photos: Alfie Carlisle, Mrs Nicholson, Mrs Boon and Mr Huq
Charity News
In other news this week, students took our donations for the Plymouth Foodbank to the Oasis Centre this morning. Thank you to all who contributed to this collection and to everyone who brought in stocking filler items for the Plymouth Refuge.
We held our Christmas Jumper mufti-day on Thursday, raising funds for St Luke’s Hospice and Bristol Children’s Hospital. There will be further events taking place each day next week.
Carol Service
You are all warmly invited to our Year 7 Candlelit Celebration of Christmas which will take place at St Andrew’s Church on Royal Parade at 19.00 on Monday 17 December. Here is an image from last year’s carol service.
School Development Plan Update
Here is the termly update on the progress we are making as a school towards our current priorities and to ensure that we strive to achieve our vision that ‘Everyone Succeeds’.
We have targeted the most significant challenges since September.
Sports News
Football
On Wednesday afternoon the 2nd XI beat the Plymouth University Medical School football team 3 – 2.
Mr Orkney said, “Man of the Match was goalkeeper Theo who performed a string of world class saves”.
Future Events
Monday 17 December – Friday 21 December
Christmas Charity Week
Monday 17 December at 19.00
Year 7 Carol Service at St Andrew’s Church
Friday 21 December
Final day of the school term (normal finish at 15.20)
Monday 7 January
First day of the spring term (B week)
Monday 7 January – Friday 11 January
Year 10 exam week
Thursday 10 January
Year 8 Curriculum Evening