An organisation called 'Just Like Us' delivered a live remote assembly to the whole school on Wednesday this week.
The theme was LGBTQ+ and the assembly included a number of young people of the LGBTQ+ community talking about their own experiences and journeys.
It was a wonderful assembly full of important information to help our students have a better understanding of the LGBTQ+ community and help maintain an inclusive and accepting environment at DHSB.
On Friday morning, as part of our extensive PSHEE programme, Year 10 students heard about the serious issues relating to knife crime, gang culture and drug misuse from Inspector Morley.
Spring Ensemble Concert
Please join us on Thursday evening for our Spring Ensemble Concert. This promises to be an evening of fabulous student performances.
PTFA members are providing a bar and refreshments in the Edgcumbe Theatre foyer from 6:00pm and the concert starts at 7:30pm. There is no need to book a ticket and we ask that you just pay what you can as a donation at the end of the evening.
Excellent Work
Mrs Merren has shared an example of Excellent Work from her Year 9 Business class (Alejandro Proctor Montano and Agsheyan Praveenthaan).
She said, “Students have been looking at the design mix in business. They had to use the knowledge that they have learnt and apply this to researching and designing their own face mask. Alejandro and Agsheyan conducted research on different styles of face masks and then thought about who their target market would be. They have designed something completely original and thought about all aspects of their design, materials, aesthetics, the comfort, the function, the cost of the product and even considered the environmental impact”.
Well done!
PSHEE Activities
Well, we've arrived at the penultimate week of term, and this week returns to the more usual eclectic mix of topics for different year groups.
Today Year 7 students continued with their series of Emotional Logic lessons; this week looking at learning to identify shock; understanding the concept of a safe place, identifying physical or emotional losses and relating to emotional stepping stones.
The Year 8 lesson was about Autism - definitions but more importantly how we can support a fellow student or friend who has experienced Autism.
Year 9 students began the first of two weeks exploring careers research, using a variety of different sites such as https://www.careerpilot.org.uk/ and also checking their knowledge of apprenticeships as a potential career route.
They will have another week next week to complete this.
Year 10 students heard Inspector Morley speak about the serious issues related to knife crime, gang culture and drug misuse. This was followed up in class with an activity to cover risk management.
The Year 11 lesson was based around time management - useful preparation for the next few weeks/months of exam season.
That's it for now - we're looking forward to welcoming alumni next week to deliver advice and guidance about what they have done since leaving DHSB - this is always interesting and sends a powerful message to current students.
Ms Moreton
Sixth Form Enrichment and Tutorial
Year 12 students had more opportunity to discuss their ideas of what steps they might take after A levels, enhanced by feedback from the Year 12 students who had attended the UCAS Fair at Westpoint on Wednesday,
Year 13 students discussed aspects of staying safe in emergency and dangerous situations as well as safety in transport and travel. They identified risk factors, guessed the statistics of various scenarios and checked when to contact emergency services.
Whilst some students attended a workshop for resilience and thriving in the exam period, others from both year groups had the opportunity to hear from CAABU (Council for Arab-British Understanding) in the theatre. Felicity Garvey gave our first Sixth Form live online presentation and interaction with the students through the cleverly set up camera system.
Thank you in particular to Year 12 student Noah Evans for ensuring that this all ran so smoothly.
It was shocking to hear that Palestinians in Gaza can't leave the area and may never have seen the sea or a boa' or a non-military plane, to imagine the problems of water shortages and the consequences of what is described as an asymmetric war and the challenges of the current three solutions proposed.
Students left with a great deal to think more about. Thank you to students for their super engagement and attention. Thank you also to tutors for working so hard on these important areas of enrichment this term.
Ms Davidson
University of Plymouth Online Event
The University of Plymouth outreach team has asked us to share information about their online parents and guardians evening to be held on 29 March 2022 from 19:30 - 21:00.
The outreach team will be delivering information and guidance talks, via Zoom, covering the following topics:
Choosing a course and the benefits of university
UCAS and personal statements
Student finance and budgeting
There is no need to book - just click on the link below to attend
PTFA News
A big thank you to everyone who came to our PTFA meeting this week! Discussions included our forthcoming sold out Alton Towers trip, the summer disco and a pig racing evening! Yes you read that correctly! Watch this space! Our next meeting is on Tuesday 9 May, please join us if you can - we'd love to see you.
Thank you also to Sarah Reynolds who got in contact to say she had won a prize playing the DHSB school lottery and was delighted! Another thank you too to our anonymous winner who donated their winnings back to the PTFA's funds - it is much appreciated. If you fancy trying to win a prize and at the same time raising funds for the PTFA just follow this link to sign up:
Sign up link Just for signing up you're in with a chance of winning an iPhone 14 Pro 128gb!
Thank you.
Mrs Kinsella
Sports Update
Rugby
Many thanks to Mr Orkney, Mr Carpenter, Mr Huq and Ms Wilkinson who enabled students to compete at the Rosslyn Park Rugby 7s event this week.
This is the world's largest school rugby tournament and it was fantastic for our students to be able to take part.
Pictured are the U14 and U16 teams.
Football
A superb win this week for the U14 team in the quarter final of the Plymouth Cup.
A tremendous effort from all involved - on to the semi final!
Well done to the Year 11 team - through to the next round of the Plymouth Cup after beating Stoke Damerel in a match last Friday afternoon.
Also, Mr Manley reports that the 1st XI are through to the final of the Jack Finch Cup after beating Plymouth Uni 5 - 1. Congratulations!
Indoor Cricket
Congratulations to our U15 Indoor Cricket team who took fourth place (out of eight teams) at the Devon Cricket Finals.
The team secured wins against Great Torrington and Churston but were defeated by Colyton and Uffculme.
Mr Bunney said, “It was a good fun day of cricket”.
Table Tennis
Well done to all involved from DHSB, Stoke Damerel and St Boniface who competed at the Plymouth Sports Partnership U13 central venue table tennis competition after school on Tuesday.
Mr Campbell said, “There was a great turnout with some brilliant table tennis on show”.