This week a representative from the Department for Education visited us for three days as part of the School Immersion Programme.
The programme is an established initiative aimed at providing DfE staff with first-hand experience of school life and a greater insight into the wider impact of DfE policies to help shape future education strategy.
We were pleased to welcome our visitor who enjoyed her time in the classroom so much that she said she’d like to go back to school!
UK Youth Parliament
Very well done to Sixth Form student Alizeh Abdul Rahman who was selected to speak in the annual UK Youth Parliament debate in the House of Commons last Friday.
John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, said Alizeh’s speech was “’Incredibly powerful and thought provoking”.
Justine Greening, Secretary of State for Education, added, “It was a huge privilege to speak [to members of the Youth Parliament] today. Well done to everyone who participated”.
You can see Alizeh’s speech here.
Excellent Work
Children’s Welfare Report 1903 written by Benedict Bailey and Charles Dobbie 8S
Our example of excellent work this week is from Mr Macleod’s Year 8 History class.
Year 8 students were looking at the Industrial Revolution and were set a task to investigate either the slave trade or the conditions of the workers in the factories and new cities of the north as if they were contemporaries, using primary sources to build up their presentation. This allowed them to have the opportunity to use contemporary sources with sophistication to draw complex conclusions about the past.
Mr Macleod said, “This piece of work is excellent because, in addition to the huge amount of time and effort they put into the research and final presentation, they were able to meld factual knowledge with carefully chosen contemporary accounts to build up an effective and accurate picture of the main issues facing the new industrial towns. More impressively they were able to adopt the roles of government inspectors with confidence starting out with an agenda for the investigation and finishing with a series of proposals they would advise the Government to adopt. In other words the planning and execution was excellent and as a result the high level of thinking required shines through. Of course the most important reason it was excellent was they gave me a knighthood in their introduction!”
Well done Benedict and Charles!
Information, Advice and Guidance
I can share two very interesting practical examples of information, advice and guidance this week. On Monday, Year 7 and Year 8 students enjoyed the STEM Roadshow which was delivered on behalf of BAE Systems in partnership with the RAF and the Royal Navy. Thank you to Mrs Moreton for arranging this.
Thanks also to Mr Huq and Mrs Wilkinson who were at Plessey Semiconductors leading a project with the Plymouth Manufacturers Group (PMG) to celebrate 40 years of networking. Our students were interviewing DHSB alumni who are apprentices and graduates to create a film to be used as a resource for other students.
A spokesperson from Plessey said, “As part of the PMG Schools Challenge initiative we are delighted to be working with local schools including DHSB to transform young people’s perceptions of manufacturing and engineering (STEM) career opportunities in the Plymouth area”.
Young Enterprise
I’d like to introduce you to LiNK the DHSB company taking part in Young Enterprise this year.
The Young Enterprise scheme allows students who have an entrepreneurial spirit an opportunity to gain crucial experience in the business world. LiNK will be attending trade fairs selling high quality, homemade cards and running a marbling workshop to generate important capital to fund their ‘dementia clock’ which is being rolled out in the new year.
You can meet members of LiNK and buy their cards at the Stoke Damerel Church Christmas Fair being held tomorrow (Saturday 18 November) from 11.00 – 15.30 at the Church and Parish Centre in Paradise Road.
Where Are They Now
It was fantastic to see former student Matthew Ingleby back in school delivering a special lecture on Jekyll and Hyde for Year 11 students.
Matthew, a Lecturer in the English Department at Queen Mary University of London. also spent an hour giving invaluable advice to Sixth Form students considering English degrees.
It’s been interesting this week catching up with our recent leavers as they reply to their Speech Day invitations.
Owen Weymouth has sent a comprehensive update including a link to this video.
Owen is a professional Cliff Diver currently ranked 17th in the world and 3rd in the UK.
His highlights this year include events with Red Bull in Texas and Polignano Italy, and the FINA World Championships in Budapest for Team GB. He took first place in a World High Diving Federation event in Crete in June.
Owen has also set up the ‘Clean Cliffs Project’ and has spent time travelling around the world to make short documentaries about the dangers of plastic pollution.
Click this image to read more.
And finally
Next week is our Curriculum Challenge Week and we’d like to wish all students and staff a happy, safe and inspiring week as they take on various challenges in and out of the classroom. Year 11 students have a full programme of mock exams.
When we return to school we will be working towards our special whole-school fundraising day when we’ll be supporting Year 11 student Simon and his chosen charities.
Sports Update
Football
Unfortunately the Year 7 team are out of the National Cup after losing 6 – 1 to an excellent side from Torquay Boys’ Grammar School.
Year 9 students are through to the next round of the Devon Cup after beating Okehampton 5 – 1 and DHSB A team beat MarJon 5 – 4 in the George Lang Cup.
Rugby
Mr Strang reports the Year 9 Rugby team took the 2017 Cunningham Challenge Cup with nine wins from nine games. Well done to all involved.
The U15s put in their ‘best ever performance’ to beat a strong team from Richard Lander 33 – 21.
Basketball
Mr Bunney said, “Another two really good wins tonight for the U13 basketball team against Tor Bridge and Plympton Academy. The team have finished the central venue league with six wins and one defeat”,
The Year 11 team played a ‘very tense game’ against a good Ivybridge side. They finished with a win 40 – 37. Mr Anderson said, “Well played lads”.
Future Events
17 – 24 November – Year 11 mock exams
20 – 24 November – Curriculum Challenge Week
4 December – Year 11 Curriculum Evening
6 December – Special Charity Fundraising Day
7 December – Year 7 Parents Evening
11 December – Carol Service
13 December – Speech Day
19 December – Final day of term