Welcome back and welcome to DHSB Year 7 and Year 12

I hope you all enjoyed the sunshine and some well-deserved quality time together as a family over the summer break.

It has been a real joy welcoming our students and staff back over the last couple of days. Everyone has returned in high spirits, and it is wonderful to hear the school site filled with chatter, laughter, and energy once again. A particularly warm welcome goes to our new Year 7 and Year 12 students joining our school community—we are thrilled to have you with us as you embark on this exciting new chapter.

Starting a new school is always a milestone moment, and there was a brilliant buzz on Thursday as our new Year 7s arrived. While it is completely natural to feel a mix of excitement and a few nerves, our Year 7 Tutors, Heads of Year and Support Staff were on hand to help everyone settle in smoothly. It was fantastic to see the students exploring the grounds, making new friends, and getting familiar with school life right away.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us get the term off to such a positive start. We look forward to a fantastic year ahead working alongside you and supporting your children to thrive.

Sixth Form

It has been an utter joy to welcome so many vibrant and smiling teenagers to the Sixth form yesterday and today. We are looking forward to working with them in their studies, helping them to connect with each other and to grow in spirit and character. Here are our shared goals and also a photo of Mr Braun's lovely tutor group. We are also thrilled that so many year 12 have already signed up to become Senior Prefects and start their leadership journey too. They'll be out en masse to help run a smooth 11+ in the events coming up on the 12th and 19th September.

Year 13 have returned with energy and smiles and know their capabilities so we'll be thrilled to help them as they take the steps to success next summer. Let's go!

Mrs Davidson

Assistant Head - Post 16

New Staff

We are delighted to welcome the following new staff to DHSB and look forward to working with them:

Spencer Segan - Teacher of Mathematics

Sue Marsh - Teacher of Science

Sophie Cooper - Careers Advice Officer

Miriam Eddy - SEND Learning Mentor

Beth Drury - Office Administrator

And, we also welcomed three student teachers:

Joseph Bond - Maths

Ieuan Noakes - History

Alexandre Stoekler - Modern Foreign Languages

DHSB’s Year of Reading Launch

2026 is the National Year of Reading with a mandate to encourage young people to engage more with reading and to recognise the importance of reading as a vital life skill. DHSB is joining the celebration for the academic year 2026 - 2027 and we are going to be running a wide range of activities and events across the school to encourage our community to embrace reading and the opportunities that it provides socially, personally and academically.

Why are we running a Year of Reading?

The National Year of Reading was established by the Department for Education in direct response to concerns from several organisations like The Education Select Committee  and The National Literacy Trust (NLT). They flagged a serious decline in reading by teenagers generally but especially by boys in the age range 11 -18. This has been a longer term pattern but seems to have been accelerated by constant digital distractions, reduced attention spans and busy lifestyles. 

The evidence for the importance of reading is overwhelming with the NLT identifying 5 key benefits of reading:

1. Reading can grow empathy

2. A love of reading can grow a child’s confidence

3. Reading for enjoyment can spark imagination

4. Reading can expand horizons

5. Reading can support learning and academic achievement 

Our Year of Reading at DHSB is our chance to positively impact on students by unlocking the benefits of reading which can be life changing. Each week in the Head’s Blog we will be sharing some book reviews from within our school community and tempting others to try them. Some of the planned events for this year include: reading groups, Poetry Day, author visits and a Literary Festival in the Spring. It should be an exciting year!

Dr Downes

Head of English

What We Did this Summer

Although it feels like a distant memory already, here's how a few of our staff spent their summer.

Glasgow the City of Cones

"My highlight of the summer holidays was volunteering at the Scottish Event Center (SEC) for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

I was chosen to work in Event Services at the SEC, which meant we were the friendly face of the games. Part of what we did was welcoming, waving good-bye, making sure that accessibility needs were met and generally being helpful.

Even though I worked in seven different teams during my shifts, it felt like we were all one big team. It was really rewarding to see many happy faces and also to cheer them up, when their team lost, especially the kids. Foam hands and Hi-Fiving usually did the trick. Sometimes giving out little temporary mascot tattoos (Finny) was even better.

I also was lucky enough to experience all the different sports which found their home in the three different venues: Bowling, Boxing, 3x3 Basketball, Judo and Netball. Especially Netball, was entertaining and a learning experience, as I never seen a netball game before.

By the way, the Glaswegons put traffic cones on nearly everything they can. I just included one picture, but it should give you a hint when the unicorn mascot has a traffic cone as its horn. I only can encourage everybody to volunteer in such events, it is so rewarding and you make memories for life!"

Ms Hitter

Science Technician

DofE and France

"I spent a month in France eating and then attempting to learn to cook lots of delicious food, watching the solar eclipse, visiting a chateau and working on my French grammar but before that, the first week of the summer holidays was spent accompanying a group of DofE Gold students walking in Eryri in North Wales. The students did exceptionally well in challenging conditions due to the heat, adapting their routines to include early starts and accommodate the physical effort."

Mr Guy-Fierens

Teacher of Physics & Duke of Edinburgh Award Manager

My Summer of Lighthouses, Walks and Wonderful Memories

"This summer has been a busy one, filled with adventures, fresh air and plenty of exploring. From tracking down all 41 lighthouses for St Luke’s to walking across Dartmoor, watching an eclipse on the Moors and enjoying fireworks, there has certainly been plenty to remember!

The Lighthouse Challenge

One of the biggest adventures of my summer was taking on the challenge of locating all 41 lighthouses for St Luke’s, which was about 11.5 miles. It was a fantastic way to get out and explore different places, while also supporting such a worthwhile cause.

Each lighthouse had its own character and story, and finding them all turned into a real adventure. Some were easy to spot, while others required a little more effort and exploring. It was satisfying to slowly work my way through the list until, eventually, I had located all 41!

It wasn’t just about ticking the lighthouses off the list either. The challenge gave me the opportunity to see parts of the town and coastline that I might not otherwise have visited. There were plenty of beautiful views along the way, making the miles well worth it.

Walking on Dartmoor

I also spent time enjoying some walks across Dartmoor. There is something special about being out on the Moors, surrounded by open countryside, dramatic skies and amazing views.

The walks were a great chance to escape from the everyday routine and simply enjoy being outdoors. Whether the weather was bright and sunny or the clouds were rolling across the landscape, Dartmoor always seemed to offer something different.

And, of course, there was plenty of walking involved! After a summer spent hunting down 41 lighthouses, I certainly wasn’t going to let a few hills get in the way.

An Eclipse on the Moors

One of the most memorable evenings was watching the eclipse from the Moors. Standing out in the open countryside as the sun disappeared was an incredible experience.

The wide-open landscape made it feel even more spectacular. There was something quite magical about watching such a rare event surrounded by the peaceful scenery of the Moors.

And the evening didn’t end there…

Fireworks Under the Night Sky

Along with watching the eclipse, there were fireworks to enjoy too. Seeing the night sky light up after spending the evening watching the sky change made it a particularly memorable occasion.

It’s funny how some of the simplest moments can become the ones you remember most — standing outside, looking up at the sky and enjoying the spectacle.

And of Course… the School Site!

No summer adventure would be complete without walking past the school site!

It became another familiar part of my walks, and it was interesting to see how things looked while passing by during the summer.

From colourful lighthouses by the coast to spectacular sunsets over the Moors, this summer has given me plenty of photographs, memories and stories to take into the rest of the year."

Mrs McGowan

Success Hub Manager

A Week at Summer School

"What a week we had! Our brand-new Year 7s brought incredible energy and enthusiasm to this year’s Summer School, diving headfirst into every challenge with huge smiles. From expressing their creativity through vibrant art and acting and performance workshops, to taking in the breathtaking views after climbing the historic tower next to Devonport Guildhall during our day at the Devonport Market Hall. Of course, no Summer School would be complete without the ultimate finale—Friday’s laser tag battle—which once again proved to be the absolute fan favourite of the week. The group was truly amazing from start to finish and spending time at Summer School was the perfect way for our new students to build confidence, make lasting friendships, and kick off their journey with us in style!"

Mr Campbell

Proctor

Miss Hicks, Teacher of Art and Design, added "During Summer School, students got creative designing and crafting their own mini skateboards. The results showcased some incredible artistic talent and an inventive use of materials!"

PTFA News and Updates

I hope that you had a lovely summer. We have our first PTFA Meeting of the year on Wednesday 16th September, at 6.30pm, in the Conference Room (directly behind the Visitor Reception). Inevitably we lose parents as their children leave DHSB so we are always keen for new parents to join us. Please come along - we’d love to meet you! I promise it’s not daunting - we are a small but effective PTFA and you would be warmly welcomed. Refreshments provided too. If you are thinking of coming along, please email ptfa@dhsb.org so we have an idea of numbers for catering. Last minute attendees welcome too as we know life can be unpredictable!

We look forward to meeting you.

Beverley Kinsella

Alumni Engagement & Archives / PTFA Liaison