On Monday we were delighted to open our new Visitor Reception in the Guard House.
Our site team, led by Mr McConnell, Estate Manager, has done a fantastic job converting and refurbishing the building which has been used as an electricity substation since DHSB was established on this site.
A waiting area and meeting room are included in the new reception area and we are planning a celebratory official opening later this year.
A reminder that all visitors to school should contact our reception team via the intercom at the main gates and then report to the visitor reception to sign-in.
We no longer have specific Covid-19 visitor protocols but visitors may wish to bring a face covering to use in indoor spaces.
Alumni News
Many congratulations to former student Dave King who got through to his first ever global championship final on Sunday at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade (60m hurdles).
We’re very proud of Dave who took sixth place in the final, a great result.
Calling Recent DHSB Alumni
Are you free on Friday 8 April 2022 from approximately 9.00am to 11.00am?
Ms Moreton is looking for recent alumni to give a brief talk (five mins or less) to current students about their life since leaving DHSB. This could include university, an apprenticeship and/or employment.
If this applies to you and you are available then we’d love to see you!
Please contact Ms Moreton at sue.moreton@dhsb.org if you can help.
Excellent Work
Our Excellent Work this week is from Mrs Pearson and her Year 9 Chemistry class.
Mrs Pearson said, “These students made excellent Buckminster fullerene models in less than ten minutes! They contain 60 carbon atoms and are arranged in both hexagons and pentagons so it is all rather fiddly and complicated”.
Well done 9b5.
House Competition
Mr Huq led our House assembly and student activity on Wednesday this week.
Students worked across year groups to design a new House logo.
The designs will be judged and selected by our House captains and used in all future House information and materials.
Sixth Form Enrichment and Tutorial
On Wednesday, KS5 form groups enjoyed a games tutorial with tutors to help everyone relax a bit more and share smiles
This morning Year 12 students started their 'Next step planning' with tutors and were able to build ideas and steered towards links to help with decision making.
Year 13 students who were not in mock exams explored debt and borrowing with tutors
Potential Oxbridge and medical students were signposted to referees and study leads and students interested in medicine were able to gain in-person insight from former DHSB student Gavin Ball, currently in his fourth year at Manchester.
Students from Israel (accompanied by Jane Woodford from Friends of Israel) gave an overview of the Middle East in terms of the place, the productivity, the past, the people and the present to increase students’ understanding, to help them appreciate the complexities of some of the issues and to highlight the relevance and importance of the region to us in the UK.
Also, Mr Macleod arranged for Lord Norton to come online and talk to Politics students about the role of the House of Lords
Congratulations on next steps
Very well done to Eva Moffatt 13CMC who has secured a degree apprenticeship with Deloitte following a very competition application process.
Thanks are due to Moses Foote, currently completing a degree apprenticeship with PwC in Manchester, who came back to DHSB to talk to Year 13 students about career opportunities. Moses offered further advice and guidance to individual students too.
Thanks also to Nat Watson-Coe 13KRB who supported Eva with her application following his own offer of a degree apprenticeship with Ernst & Young.
Mr Alsop said, “This is a really good news story with students inspiring and helping others”.
Ms Davidson
PSHEE Activities
Well this has been a glorious week weather wise, and it is really beginning to feel as if the summer term could be on the horizon after a very long winter!
Still two more weeks before Easter, of course, and this week two year groups were finishing off activities from earlier in the term or year.
Year 7 students continued with their initial research into apprenticeships by completing an introductory workbook giving them at least an initial idea of opportunities when they are older. They will of course return to this topic over their time at DHSB as well as receiving lots of advice and guidance on the more traditional route of A levels and university.
Year 9 were the second year group completing a long project today, with the feedback and judging from two of the three companies involved in this year's Employer Challenge. Princess Yachts and Bailey Partnership have now received and critiqued the student presentations, and via a virtual meeting they used the lesson this week to give feedback and advise which groups they had judged as the winners.
Successful groups received a chocolate prize, as well as the invaluable industry input and encouragement for all. Before the pandemic students would have visited these workplaces and met a wider variety of employees, but the activity they have managed to complete has nevertheless been very worthwhile.