Christmas arrived at DHSB this week.

Christmas Trees have been erected and decorated, tinsel has been hung, the first Christmas lunches were served in Refuel and Mischief received a makeover!

On Wednesday, staff and students enjoyed a Christmas lunch whilst listening to live music from our House Christmas band, and were invited to place a pin in a 'Where in the World?' board to show who where in the world they or their family are from. This is part of a project being organised by Mrs Luing-Holmes, to celebrate the amazing diversity within DHSB.

Later in the day, staff enjoyed a wreath making session with mulled wine and mince pies.

The Winner of the Christmas Card Competition is...

Year 7 students were invited to design a school Christmas card which is printed on the DHSB Christmas cards and sent to friends of the school. They were able to use any medium – paints, pencils, pens, graphic design, photographs.

Luv Sharma's digital entry was chosen and cards bearing his design have been posted today. Well done Luv!

Year 9 Challenge Day: A Trip to the University of Plymouth

As part of our Challenge Day and DHSB Careers programme, all of Year 9 enjoyed an exciting and inspiring visit to the University of Plymouth today - a fantastic opportunity for students to explore what life could look like as a future undergraduate.

The day began with an early registration in the Edgcumbe Theatre before the year group set off together for the short walk to campus. On arrival, students were welcomed by the University team and introduced to the day’s activities.

Throughout the morning, tutor groups rotated between two key sessions:

• Subject Explorations – Students sampled a range of academic disciplines and experienced what it’s like to learn in a university environment.

• Student Life – A dedicated session where current students shared their experiences, offering insight into societies, independence, study styles, and the transition from school to higher education.

After a well-earned lunch break, students toured the campus - including a look at university accommodation - gaining a clearer picture of the facilities and opportunities available. They then gathered in the Sherwell Building for a final Q&A session, asking thoughtful and insightful questions about courses, careers, and university pathways.

Mr Scott

Leader of Careers & PSHE

Sixth Form Open Evening

On Tuesday evening, we welcomed current Year 11 DHSB students and external Year 11 students and their families to our information event. During the evening, subject leaders were available to answer questions about the A level courses we offer at DHSB, and there was the opportunity to attend a presentation from Ms Davidson, Mr Adams and current Sixth Form students to hear about our curriculum offer and wider leadership and super-curricular opportunities.

The event was a great success and many lovely comments were received, praising our warm approach, amazing students and stunning subject presentations. 

If you were unable to attend, you are able to view the presentation by following this link.

Visit from Former Student

Former DHSB student, Midshipman Jack Todd came in to school on Thursday to share his experiences of training in the Navy with current students.

It was great to see Jack back in school and hear about his progress. He was asked lots of great questions from students in Years 10-13.

Mr Alsop

Deputy Head of Sixth Form &

Head of Business and Economic

HEXADECIMAL ENCRYPTION

This week in Year 10 Computer Science, students delved into the fascinating world of hexadecimal numbers and their applications in the digital world.  The class began by exploring how hexadecimal, or base-16, is used in computing - not just for colour codes in web design, but also as a fundamental part of encryption and security.

To bring these concepts to life, students investigated the real-world case of the DVD/Blu-ray cryptographic key leak, which highlighted the importance of secure coding and digital rights management.  This discussion led naturally into the concept of freedom of expression online and the creation of the infamous Freedom of Speech flag.

For a hands-on activity, students converted their own names into hexadecimal codes.  They then combined blocks of six hexadecimal digits to generate unique colour codes, with each block representing a different section of their own HEX flag. This creative exercise allowed students to see the direct connection between abstract numbers and visual design, while also understanding the importance of encryption and data representation.

The lesson was a fantastic mix of mathematics, computing, and creativity, giving students a tangible understanding of how hexadecimal underpins both everyday technology and more complex cryptographic systems.

It was inspiring to see the students excitedly comparing their personal flags, discussing colour combinations, and reflecting on the intersection of technology and freedom of expression in the digital age.

Mr Scott

Head of Computer Science

Educake

Students recently took part in an Educake competition to set their own questions for revision purposes, with one lucky student being chosen randomly to choose a prize. We didn't win, but our students answered a brilliant 11093 questions that they set themselves - in only two school weeks!

Educake is an online platform that provides homework and revision quizzes for primary and secondary school students. Since the beginning of this academic year, our students have answered nearly 400,000 questions from teachers and themselves - demonstrating fantastic effort and great recall.

Well done!

Mrs Pearson

Teacher of Chemistry

Science Intervention & KS4 Coordinator

Sparx Maths and Sparx Reader

Each week we celebrate our highest performers in both Sparx Maths and Sparx Reader, two of our core homework platforms. We are proud of all of our students who complete their homework each week to such a high standard but these students deserve a special mention.

Congratulations!

Last weekend Year 9 student Bodhi Wills, represented the South West Region at the British Mountaineering Council Youth Climbing Grand Finals in Manchester. Bodhi qualified to represent the region at the national event by finishing second ranked climber in the South West Youth Climbing Series, which is contested in both Bouldering and Lead Climbing.

Well done Bodhi!

Sports News and Updates

Year 10 Football

The Year 10 DHSB football team won against Sir John Hunt in Round 1 of the Plymouth Cup on Thursday.

The final score was 3:2 to DHSB. Well done to the whole squad. We will be playing Round 2 of the cup in the new year.

Year 8 Football

Year 8 football team lost 4-3 on penalties in the Schools Football National Cup 5th Round this evening against Ivybridge.

A brilliant game of football from two excellent teams - credit to all the players from both schools!