Everyone Succeeds.
Today I’d like to share my termly update on the progress we are making as a school towards our current priorities and to ensure that we strive to achieve our vision that ‘Everyone Succeeds’
We have targeted the most significant challenges since September and have formed our School Development Priorities.
You’ll find my updates at the foot of today’s Blog but first please read about Wednesday’s special charity day.
Whole School Charity Day
Our charity day on Wednesday saw the school at its best. It was wonderful to see and feel the real sense of community from students, staff and parents.
I’m very pleased to announce the grand total for the day raised is an amazing £7667.29.
This includes the funds raised on Simon’s new Justgiving page, our Christmas raffle, mufti-day, donations from parents and friends and all the House stalls and activities.
Susan Marsh, Head of Newton, is very proud of everyone who took part and said, “The fundraising day was truly a whole school event with everyone pulling together to support Simon and his chosen charities, CLIC Sargent and the Teenage Cancer Trust”.
Paul Gathercole, Assistant Director at CLIC Sargent, said, “A massive thank you to DHSB from everyone at CLIC Sargent. It is amazing to see a school give so much support”.
Pictured are Jordan Anderton, Fundraising Engagement Manager for Devon & Cornwall and Jo Annand, CLIC Sargent Social Worker, with Mrs Marsh.

A representative from the Teenage Cancer Trust added, “Huge thanks Devonport High School for Boys and everyone who took part in your amazing football tournament. We hope you had a great time! Thank you so much for supporting young people with cancer”.
We are still accepting donations – please see this link if you would like to make a contribution.
Simon is a keen footballer and there was a strong football theme throughout the charity day. A highlight was the match between Simon’s XI and Mr Manley’s XI.

This is the moment Mr Manley’s team scored an equaliser! The final score was 2 – 1 to Mr Manley’s side.

Elias Klockars 10N won the half-time crossbar challenge

At the end of the match Simon was presented with a signed shirt donated by
Plymouth Argyle Football Club
Other activities include the DHSB’s got Talent Show.

Pictured are the Mamma Mia Mealtime Assistants

The House Dodgeball competition was fast and furious!

This is just one of the many House stalls
The activities on the day raised £1714.43 so a huge well done to everyone who contributed.
The Christmas raffle, organised by Michaela Armstrong, raised £2,500 towards the grand total.
She said, “Special thanks to our parents and to the following companies for their generous support of our Charity Raffle including First Great Western, Focused Vision, C-Learning.net, Theatre Royal, Plymouth, Delta Force Paintball, Plymouth, China Fleet Country Club, Saltash, Rockets & Rascals, Plymouth, Clip n’ Climb, Plymouth, Jump, Plymouth, Brimbles Bakery, Plymouth, Waitrose, Saltash, Morrisons, Plymouth and Calor Gas, Plymouth”.
Christmas Card
In other news this week it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Solly Hunter 7S is the winner of our Christmas card competition. He receives a gift voucher and the knowledge that his design will be printed and distributed to over 100 friends of the school this year.

Carol Service
Also, we’d love you to join us at our Carol Service at St Andrew’s Church on Monday 11 Dec at 7.00pm.
Year 7 students will be leading the singing and this morning they were sounding fantastic in their rehearsal.

Exam Certificates
Mrs Edwards has asked me to mention that the A level and GCSE certificates from the Summer 2017 exam season are ready to collect from her office.
Individual Sports Success
I’m pleased to share with you some individual sports success this week.
Thomas Ringrose Year 13 has been selected for the Great Britain U20 Ultimate team for the World Championship taking place in Canada in August 2018. This will be Tom’s third year in the U20 team.

Very well done to Ethan Carlisle 9C who was successful at the Devon County Cricket trials. Ethan will train with the winter squad for the U14 team.

Congratulations to Jackson Spry 11S pictured here collecting two awards from the Lord Mayor for his recent performance in the Plymouth City swimming gala. These awards are for overall top boy in the gala as well as top male youth swimmer.
He also won a shield for winning the male “super final” 100m Backstroke overall.

Jackson also attended the Irish age group nationals swimming competition in Dublin, with Ben Suckling 11C.
This was a great experience for them, with both boys performing well in their age groups at their first experience of a national swimming event.
Sports Update
There were lots of fixtures this week.
Badminton
Congratulations to the U16 badminton team who won their pool in the Plymouth Schools competition this week. All three teams (U18s, U16s and U14s) have qualified for the Devon finals.
Basketball
Well done to our Year 7 basketball team who took silver after losing 2 – 1 to Stoke Damerel in the final of the Plymouth competition.

Rugby
The Year 9 Rugby team beat Plymouth College 55 – 17 to make it into the final of the West Devon Cup. Well done both teams for a really entertaining game.
Football
The U13 team go out of the National Cup after a really good game with St Peters School, Exeter, winning 4 – 0 at the end.