Our School Captain Mackenzie Pike has been busy recruiting a group of capable Year 10 students to undertake the role of junior prefect.
These students will be working alongside our team of senior prefects in a selection of school based duties.
Miss Cunningham, Head of Houses and Community, said, “This opportunity provides a great introduction into leadership and allows the junior prefects the chance to learn from our excellent team of senior prefects. The application process highlighted the wide array of skills these students possess already and developing these skills in this way can only benefit the wider school community. The Year 10 team will be in role until the end of the academic year and we will look to recruit some more willing young leaders after this, so if there are any keen Year 9 students, stay tuned”.
Mackenzie added, “‘Ever since I launched this project, I’ve been continually amazed by the eagerness and enthusiasm of the younger members of our school. It’s delightful to give a sense of responsibility to our new junior prefects and allow them to be role models for the rest of the school. They really epitomise everything the school is about: politeness, respect and a passion to benefit the local community”.
Our junior prefects are: Caleb Caleshu, Jack Chen, Harry Crocker, Isaac Davey, Tom De Wilde, Joe Hibbert, Isaac Lazenby, Austin Mair, Otto Malm, Archie Moore, Giles Pahdi, Jack Piller, James Taljaard and George Underhill.
Assemblies
Students in Years 7 to 10 attended year group assemblies thsi week looking at the potential risks of social media.
Heads of Year delivered a message around age restrictions and the advantages and disadvantages of different social media platforms.
eSafety Advice
Recently students have been looking at Artificial Intelligence and how it is increasingly becoming a part of modern life. The explosion of ChatGPT, for instance, has brought this kind of technology into a more purposeful context, with millions now using the language model to help solve problems, write computer code or even complete their homework.
In tutorial, students have looked at how it might evolve, the dangers of relying on chatbots like ChatGPT and next week think about how it relates to plagiarism. Ms Buckler has added the National Online Safety information leaflet to the folder on our esafety pages:, but you may also find the following interesting:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/guide-to-chatgpt-for-parents-and-caregivers
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/well/family/ai-chatgpt-parents-children.html
Ten Tors Challenge 2023
We want to wish our four Ten Tors teams every success as they face this tough challenge over the weekend.
Many thanks to members of staff who have supported students through their extensive training programme and to everyone who helped to set up the base camp yesterday.
If your child is taking part in the Ten Tors Challenge with an organisation outside school then we'd like to celebrate their achievements too.
Please complete the Google Form available at this link to let us know.
During the challenge you can track the progress of the school teams at this link and we'll bring you a full report in the Head's Blog next week.
35 mile team - route code AE
45 mile B team - route code QF
45 mile A team - route code XE
55 mile team - route code ZD
Here are some of the students as they were preparing to leave school today.
Also, thank you to Mrs Wills for these images from the final (very wet) weekend of training.
Excellent Work
Students in Year 8 are working on a unit about the continent of Africa. These maps enable students to develop their physical geographical knowledge alongside the human/political geography of the continent. This is essential in allowing the students to deepen connections and understanding.
Mrs Green said, "Harry Kingsman 8N in particular demonstrates excellent cartographic skills".
Thank you for sharing these pieces of work.
PSHEE Activities
Year 7 students this week were learning all about Superbugs - what they are, how they spread and how we need to try to keep them under control with hygiene procedures.
Year 8 students began to think about pension planning. It's never too early to start saving, or at least knowing different ways to prepare for the financial future!
A group of Year 9 and 10 students interested in a Law career have been selected at random to attend Plymouth Crown Court on 11 May and as part of their preparation for the visit they, along with the rest of these two year groups, have used some of the ‘Court in Action’ resources, which cover the following topics:
how the police bring a prosecution case to court,
how the police support victims and witnesses,
the role of the judge and how they determine sentences,
the role of the prosecution and the defence,
the role of probation and pre-sentencing reports, and how legal aid works.
Year 11 students had an important speaker from the Oddballs Foundation who talked about the importance of regular health checks re testicular cancer.
Next week they have their Year 11 class photo sessions, and then as the exam season starts they will use tutorial time for quiet revision, and for checking that they all have a plan A and plan B for their destinations following results day.
More details of the programme and speakers next week.
Ms Moreton
PTFA News
There are further places available for the Alton Towers trip due to some cancellations. Please send an email ASAP to ptfa@dhsb.org if you would like to book a place.
Also our next PTFA meeting is at 6.00pm on Tuesday 9 May in the Conference Room (just to the right as you drive in to school, behind the Visitor Reception).
Please join us if you can - we'd love to see you. Refreshments are provided.
Mrs Kinsella
Sports Update
Table Tennis
Many congratulations to Hugo Nguyen 9N for finishing third in the School National Table Tennis finals. After stepping in for his twin brother due to injury, Hugo was outstanding, playing some unbelievable table tennis against boys twenty plus ranking places above him.
Mr Campbell said, "A huge achievement in which he should be incredibly proud. Hugo is pictured here with other winners at the finals".
Football
In football news this week congratulations to the Year 11 football team for securing a place in the Plymouth cup final after winning their semi-final match against Plympton Academy.
Also well done to the 1st XI who remain top of the Devon Wednesday League after beating the City Police team 3 - 2.
Sailing
Congratulations to Harry Mills and Edward Lee who came second and third in the Southwest Traveller event held in Paignton last weekend.
Additionally, Edward was selected by British Youth Sailing for the Southwest's Topper Regional Training Group this winter and over the weekend is competing at the national event n Rutland, East Anglia. We wish him every success.
Hockey
Congratulations and good luck to Henry Whitwell, Henry Howell and Tom Wilkinson who are playing in a national men's hockey final at the Olympic Stadium in London on Sunday. Charlie and Henry Shuttleworth have also played in the tournament.
The students all play for Devonport Services Hockey Club; they are unbeaten this season and have the highest goal difference (196) in all English Hockey leagues.
Henry Whitwell, Charlie and Henry Shuttleworth were all awarded prizes last weekend for their performance through the season.
The hockey final will be live streamed on Sunday from 09:45 and can be viewed at this link:-
Golf Club
Mr Carpenter said, “Great to get DHSB golf up and running again in the sunshine! Great work tonight with swing practice and Albert taking away the prize”.
Looking Ahead
Mr Orkney, Director of Sport, reports that students are training for a Rugby tournament taking place next week and that cricket fixtures will be starting soon.