As part of School Diversity Week, this week's year group assembly theme was Diversity and Acceptance.

Our Deputy Heads of Year delivered live assemblies to support our students in creating an inclusive and accepting community.

This week students have also had daily activities during form time to promote and celebrate Pride Month.

This is an example of this morning's activity - thank you 8S.

Curriculum Enrichment Week

Next week sees the return of Curriculum Enrichment Week and we wish all staff and students a happy, safe and successful week.

Please keep up to date with our adventures by checking the Twitter hashtag #dhsbcew.

Staff will be posting photos and updates each day.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Congratulations to five teams of DHSB students.who completed their bronze assessed DofE expedition last weekend and thanks to all staff who supported them.

Excellent Work

Our example of excellent work this week is from Miss Hunns and her Year 10 Food and Nutrition class.

Jacob Angell made millionaire shortbread and successfully attempted feather icing with precision on his first attempt. The caramel was smooth with a crumbly shortbread base.

Miss Hunns said, “Excellent work Jacob, well done”.

Also this week I'm sharing a picture of Year 9 GCSE PE students who are currently studying diet and nutrition as part of their course.

Mr Orkney said the class teamed up with the Food Department to cook pizzas to replicate typical food consumed at the end of a game by Premiership rugby players.

Well done!

PSHEE Activities

Year 7 students this week completed session five of the Emotional Logic scheme, which covers how to make a plan work in order to feel calmer more quickly, and more of the time.

They also discussed a separate topic of multiculturalism, thinking about how different global cultures may influence and affect what we eat, wear and listen to, and how these cultures can be absorbed into one another over time.

The Year 8 lesson was all about sexism, with discussions around whether there are particular traits, skills and jobs identified with males and females; looking at common images from different perspectives, and beginning to identify what they might be able to do if they encounter everyday sexism either in or out of school.

Year 9 students completed their swap with three classes taking part in the NatWest Dreambigger activities, and the remaining three completing the Careers and Enterprise Company future skills quiz.

Both groups focussed on transferable skills, identifying your own and developing others that will hopefully be appreciated by future employers!

Year 10 students began a three week carousel covering contraception and STIs led by The Zone, entrepreneurship skills using EtonX materials, or finally road safety with a lesson planned by the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.

They will complete the rotation in the two weeks following Curriculum Enrichment Week.

Year 11 students are coming to the end of their GCSE exams, with the last whole year group exam yesterday, and just a few smaller ones to go. Hopefully now all are set for a relaxed summer - results day is 25 August.

Curriculum Enrichment Week next week, so more about the tutorial programme in the Head's Blog on 8 July.

Ms Moreton

Sixth Form Enrichment and Tutorial

We were so thrilled to have an audience with Chris Wood (Woody) whom many of us count as one of the best drummers in the world! Chris is a young Old Boy of the school.

He spoke to Sixth Form students about taking paths less travelled, learning from every experience, about putting in the hours, humble beginnings and chance encounters.

He then went on to mention gigging to audiences as small as eight but with the same energy and commitment as for those of thousands, about how the music industry works, PRS, how record label deals are broken down and he was very positive about forging a career through the creative industries. Woody also encouraged songwriters to keep writing.

He gave the same message as previous speakers about the importance of being interested in others and affording everyone kindness and respect. He was very generous with his time, coming from gigging at Glastonbury last night for the benefit of our students today.

It was lovely to hear tales of other leavers after the session and heartening to hear that DHSB alumni keep in touch and are fond of their school.

We are very grateful to Mr Orkney for reaching out to Woody having bumped into him whilst walking the dog!

During period two students were encouraged to access guidance on personal statements to continue drafting these for their next step preparations.

After the Sixth Form session Woody was interviewed for an English project by two Year 7 students, Joshua Barnes-Smith and Haydon Cooke.

Ms Davidson

Sports Update

We’ve seen lots of cricket this week as Year 7, 8 and 9 students all played in house fixtures.

Also, congratulations to our U12 team who reached the semi-final of the Devon Cup, unfortunately losing to Plymouth College who go through to the final.

Plymouth College said, “Great ⁩play all round in hot conditions”.

Students from Years 8, 9 and 10 played in the central venue softball cricket at Eggbuckland on Thursday.

Mr Strang says that three of the four games were won and a good time was had by all.