- Jul 15, 2016

15 July 2016

Everyone Succeeds

Here is the half termly update on the progress we are making as a school towards our current priorities and to ensure that we strive to achieve our strategic vision that ‘Everyone Succeeds’

We have targeted the most significant challenges since September and have formed our School Development Plan which you can read here.

All staff seek to become even better

Raise the bar with Professional Development in the Community

The recent SWAT Conference

The South West Academic Trust is a partnership of leading grammar schools in the South West and the University of Exeter. Our vision is to work together to raise achievement and aspiration within our schools and across the region. This half term staff and students attended the annual SWAT Teaching and Learning Conference in Exeter. I was delighted to see several DHSB staff and students leading workshops for other schools across the South West sharing the best practice from DHSB.

Collaboration and Community

Enable families to support their children through regular engagement events.

Get Ahead

Parents will have received a message recently about the improvements to our Get Ahead after school homework club. As part of our regular review process we have taken the time over the last few months to talk to the students who attend to find out what they particularly like about the support received and their ideas for improvements.

From this term Get Ahead will continue to be available from 3:45pm to 4:45pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The Learning Commons will be available for students to complete their homework or to catch up on work. The area will be staffed, and support will be available for all students who may require additional provision in completing tasks or finding resources.

A new online booking system is now available so that students can book in advance.

Follow this link to the new Get Ahead webpage and booking form.

The booking system is to help us to pre-plan, however, should your son decide that he needs to attend at the last minute he will be welcome.

Understanding your Teenager Event

Our first ‘Understanding your Teenager’ event at DHSB last week was extremely well attended by many parents and carers. Dr Trevor Griffiths from the Emotional Logic Centre explained the importance of understanding various emotions and in particular their useful purposes. Parents practised working with the emotion stepping stones cards to gain an understanding of how they can be used to aid communication within families and to break down barriers, assisting action planning. Understanding and communicating emotions is key to developing resilience and the prevention of mental health problems in later life. As such, teaching this skill will be built in to our Year 7 PSHEE programme in September.

Creative & Entrepreneurial Spirit

Continue to use the latest cutting edge technology creatively and innovatively

Google Teachmeet

This half term we hosted a Google for Education TeachMeet in the Learning Commons where schools from across the Southwest came together to share knowledge, ideas and best practice. Mr Tombs and Mr Morris presented to the large group of teachers from other schools from as far away as Penzance and North Devon. In addition our student Digital Leaders were on hand to share the schools Google journey.

The event was really successful and we are looking forward to hosting more in the future. Simon Wainwright from Google said, “Thanks to everyone who came to our first Plymouth Google TeachMeet this week. Great to see all the fantastic work going on in schools with Google for Education. Special thanks to Devonport High School for Boys for hosting”.

Other news this week

We’ve enjoyed several significant whole school events this week, starting with our 120th anniversary celebrations last weekend.

DHSB120

Over 100 alumni and their guests joined us on Saturday to reminisce with their peer group over refreshments in Refuel. Tours of the school were led by students and our visitors heard three lectures on the history of the school and the site.

One old boy said, “It was great to be invited to come back and to witness the leaps and bounds the school has undertaken, yet retaining its unique name and ethos.”

Joe Pengelly was invited to plant a quince to mark the anniversary occasion

Sports Day

Two long-standing records were broken at Sports Day this year including one held by GB Sprint Hurdler Dave King.

James Cunningham and Alex Sheridan both broke King’s 2007 U13 high jump record with a new standard of 1.62m.

Dave King was contacted by the school and said, “Congratulations to James and Alex”.

The 2008 U14 long jump record was also broken when Archie Hill set a new jump of 5.62m.

Rick Orkney, Director of Sport, said, “Sports Day was again a highly successful event with many students performing to a high standard. Our new records were the highlight of a great day of sport.”

Guest of honour was Derek Adams, Manager at Plymouth Argyle Football Club.

He presented the awards and said to the listening students, “Dedication, discipline, working hard and listening to others will all help to develop the talent which you all have.”

Mr Orkney is pictured with Alex Sheridan, Derek Adams, James Cunningham and Archie Hill.