This week we held our end of term celebration assemblies where we recognised and rewarded students for outstanding behaviour and attendance.
We also celebrated the student of the term for each tutor group and the winners of the recent spelling, punctuation and grammar competition.
Year 7
Year 9
Summer Fete
This afternoon saw a welcome return for the DHSB Summer Fete after a three year break and the weather was booked, said Mr Huq.
Students had the chance to take part in various competitions and activities including sponge the teacher as well as there being several stalls selling goods or offering games for students to try to win prizes.
An ice cream van was also on site and there were fabulous student and staff musical performances over by the Sixth Form Centre.
Student News
Very well done to Oscar Westbury 7W who competed in the diving national age group diving championships held this year at the Plymouth Life Centre (the day after returning from Bushcraft)
In spite of feeling tired Oscar came an amazing sixth and ninth place on the 1m and 3m boards.
The next competition for him and his brother Harry are the Southampton Invitationals.
Competition Winners!
This week we awarded four Modern Foreign Language prizes following the national 'Nutty Tilez' competition run by This is Language at the end of June.
The following students each won a £5 Amazon voucher and you can read more about the competition at this link.
Well done to Thomas De Wilde 9S, Harry Marsh 9E, Lincoln Stephens 7E and Renato Gambino 8W (pictured).
The PrintIT! educational campaign is designed to attract young people to the world of printing and graphic arts, and Year 9 Design and Technology students entered during the autumn term this year
The initiative for the competition has been developed in conjunction with Earth Island Publishing and associated printing organisations.
The students where provided with Gaming, Sport or Music as a sector and asked to design logos, marketing material and packaging to promote a new product. Through this project they were encouraged to be creative alongside covering key paper and board theory related to the Design and Technology GCSE.
Runners up
Kristians Kalejs, Harry Marsh, Blake McCollough, William Henwood, Samuel Bancroft, Rowan Kirkpatrick, Jack Benize, Eric Wang, Edward Broughton, Ryan Samuel, Muhammad Kausar, Jamie Nannelli, Jake Burrows, Dylan Lindsley-Leake, Tarka Liddle, Omar Alkanhoush, Morgan Martin, James Hallett, Jack Ivey, Thomas Jane and Seb Brook.
Silver prizes
Thomas De Wilde, Alex Berriman, Jonah Struthers.
Gold prize
Maahil Munawwer
PSHEE Activities
We've nearly made it to the end of term with just one more part-week to go including a final assembly and quiz.
Normal lessons this week, though, and Year 7 students ave been thinking about road safety - in general and particularly in the area just around school, considering how improvements could be made, and whether cars that break the speed limit should be penalised more heavily if they are outside a school. What do you think?
Year 8 students learned about superbugs - what they are, how we can fight against them and how quickly they can multiply.
The Year 9 lesson was all about film classification - what makes a film (or a game) have a U or PG rating? And why?
Year 10 students finished their three week rotation, either working on entrepreneurship, road safety from the Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, or contraception and STIs education delivered by visitors from The Zone in Plymouth.
We also announced the winners of the recent spelling, punctuation and grammar competition in year group celebration assemblies on Wednesday.
Several boys received commendations for runners-up entries, but the winner from each year group received a certificate and small prize.
Very well done to Fletcher Coster 7S, Ivan Crampsie 8N, Finlay Basterfield 9P and Archie Cooper 10S.
Archie was also the overall winner and the judges were unanimous that although short (well below the 100 word limit) his story really made us want to read more - see if you agree.
The melancholy boy dragged himself down the parallel pavement. His mind a haze of exponential depression, he questioned his existence as he stepped onto the road. In a flash of blinding lights his mind was clear. He was finally free.
This is my last contribution to the Head's Blog for the 2021-22 year. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the programme this year - all our wonderful visitors and of course class tutors who deliver the lessons every week with such enthusiasm.
Have a wonderful summer break all, and I look forward to writing more from September.
Ms Moreton
Sixth Form Enrichment and Tutorial
Last week Year 12 students were incredibly contemplative in their Question Time discussions centred around the implications of recent decisions made by the Supreme Court in America following the overturn of Roe v Wade and the implications for future liberalism and freedoms in the UK.
Students discussed the impact of abortion laws, human rights and diversity values in particular.
This week Year 12 met with Ms Wilkinson for an assembly on how to invest in their futures, stay safe this summer and refresh ready to become the most senior students in their final year of school.
Our Year 13 students kindly invited staff to accompany them on Wednesday night for an evening of celebration at their prom at The Loft. As so many of our students stay on into Sixth Form the Leavers Prom (organised each year by the students themselves) is much anticipated by all, once the exams are over .
Students who left DHSB at the end of Year 11 are included and return for this cheerful, friendly, memorable and significant occasion, marking farewells and the transition into independence.
Pictured are a few snaps from a delightful and fun evening and one student's (and family's) stunning, lifelong project come to fruition! Thank you for allowing me to share this M!
Ms Davidson
Photos: Ms Davidson
PTFA Update
Thank you everyone for your support this year. Coming out of Covid has made it an interesting year. Fingers crossed we are on track for a 'normal' year of PTFA fundraising for 2022/23.
Our 'normal' is six meetings a year (dates below), the Alton Towers trip, two school discos at Pryzm, a Christmas shopping trip to Cardiff, refreshments at events including the 11+ tests, and any other ideas we have
If you can help with any of these please get in touch at ptfa@dhsb.org even if it is just a couple of hours, it is all appreciated. Please help us to help our school.
Despite the challenges of Covid we have had a very good year. At our most recent meeting in June we were delighted to give £3,585 to the DT Department for a 3D printer, £1,000 to the Art Department for display boards and £200 to the English Department for two visualisers.
We couldn't have done this without you so thank you for your support.
Photos: Mr Morris
PTFA meetings are 6.00pm in the Conference Room (a room attached to Refuel just behind the visitor reception). The meetings finish by 7.30pm and sandwiches, biscuits, tea and coffee are provided.
We would love to see you and you will be made very welcome.
Dates for 2022/2023
13 September, 22 November (AGM), 10 January, 21st March, 9 May, 4 July.
Mrs Stewart, Chair, and Mrs Kinsella, Liaison
Alumni News
I was delighted to recently welcome back some of our 1996/7 leavers for their own bespoke reunion writes Mrs Kinsella.
They enjoyed a lovely buffet, washed down with our own Alonzo and Colonnade beers, and a tour of the school. The icing on the cake for them was some of their teachers coming along too and despite the rainy forecast the sun shone for most of the afternoon.
Catherine Burrows (Keast) and Julian Burrows relived the moment they met on the stairwell in E Block and Paul Pappleworth found himself sat outside the Head's office, again!
If you would like your own bespoke reunion please get in touch at alumni@dhsb.org.
Photos: Mrs Kinsella