Dear Families,
I hope this update finds you all in the best of health. We have had another positive week at the Academy with our new students in Year 7 and 12 finding their feet and settling into our community. I have witnessed so many acts of kindness this week with older students helping out younger or new students, guiding them to classrooms, young people volunteering to help tidy litter blown around by the wind and so on. Our ClassCharts app has helped us to capture this and give our students the recognition they deserve. If you haven’t logged on yet, please do so as it is vital that you engage with your child around this. If you are having difficulty, please contact your child’s Year Team.
Year 6 Open Evening
Our Annual Open Evening for prospective Year 7 students takes place in just under 2 weeks on Thursday 6th October. For families with children in Year 6 this will be an opportunity to visit the school, speak with students and staff and hear from myself and members of our Student Leadership Team. For students who are already part of our community there will be letters to bring home about volunteering to help out at the evening as a helper or guide.
Parking on Moorway Lane
Please can I ask families who collect students in motor vehicles to avoid parking on Moorway Lane. It creates a blockage that makes it difficult for others to access or leave our site and creates an additional danger for our students who walk home. Please use the turning circle out of courtesy for other road users.
Computing E-Safety
Our computing team have given me an update for families about the ‘Hi Mum’ WhatsApp Scam. This is a threat known as Phishing. In this case it is the use of ‘real’ or authentic looking messages or emails pretending to be someone else in order to gain access to your personal information and/or account details. More information and signs to look out for can be found using this link.
Maths Update
Our Maths Department recently launched their new online homework platform called Sparx Maths (from the makers of Hegarty Maths). All students in years 7, 8, 9 and 10 will be using this exciting research-based platform as a mechanism for growing their confidence and making accelerated progress in maths. Look out for more details on this new platform and ways you can support your child in an email from Mr J. Press (Head of Maths).
PTSA
Last year our Parents, Teachers and Friends of Derby Moor Association (PTFA) was formed. We are keen to build on the success of this from last year as we further develop our community reach. Mr Scott is now organising the group and asks any prospective members to make contact so the first meeting of the year can be arranged. You can mail Mr Scott here.
Student Leadership
With our Student Principals now in place, we have begun the process of recruiting this year’s senior student leaders with 18 Year 12 students having been called to interview next week. Those selected have received a letter confirming this and the details of the interview.
Areas that families may want to discuss with students ahead of the interviews include: How would being a Student Leader utilise their strengths and help improve their areas for development? How could Student Leadership develop the school to make it even better?D
Duke of Edinburgh
The Bronze DofE group has made a really positive start to the term and are relishing the challenges ahead of them. If any young people are considering joining, they should pop along to HO1 on a Thursday, 3:05 to 4:05pm. Mrs Burrows will shortly be in touch with the parents who have indicated that they are available to help fund raise. If any parents wish to be involved in this please email dofe@derbymoor.derby.sch.uk
The Derby Moor Dispatch
Every Friday, Mr Telford, our Post 16 Pastoral Lead, sends out the ‘Derby Moor Dispatch’ to all students in Years 11,12 and 13 to their school email address. It includes a wide range of opportunities that exist outside of Derby Moor including: ideas for apprenticeships, summer schools, work experience, work placements and so on. If you have a child in sixth form, please ask them about this and encourage them to check their school email on a regular basis.
Sporting Update
We have enjoyed another really positive week at the academy with the school operating at full capacity and our students having now walked through a full week of lessons. They have started the
Final thoughts
Y7 Football – The Y7 team went to their very first football tournament on Wednesday as Derby Moor, playing the first of 3 up-coming tournaments. They were unlucky in their first outing against Murray Park and lost 2-0. They brushed themselves off and came together for the next 3 matches with all players playing a vital part. Drawing against Littleover, Woodlands and John Port gives the team good grounds to work on for the next tournament. We saw a brilliant attitude from captain OP and Vice Captain MG who were a credit to the school and showed great sportsmanship throughout.
Y9 Football – A tough game against Da Vinci started well when MA found himself in behind the back four. He slotted home well to give us a 1-0 lead but Di Vinci were quickly back on level terms when a well hit effort found itself in the top corner from the edge of the box. The second half was cagey and scrappy, with very few chances. Derby Moor battled on well and, in the last 5 minutes, MA found himself in an exact replica situation to that of the first half, and again, he took his chance well. RM then found himself one on one with the keeper after a good ball over the top, which he chipped over the keeper into the net. Di Vinci pulled one back with the last kick of the game but it turned out to be just a consolation goal as Derby Moor ran out 3-2 winners.
Y10 Football – This was the first game in the top division for the Yr10 boys and it ended in a narrow defeat. Despite a bright start with goals from KR and LP, West Park pulled a goal back just before half time. Soon after, the score was level at 2-2. In an even game with chances at both ends, either team could have won…… West Park broke free on a counter attack and scored a winner with only 2 minutes remaining. The Year 10s played some good football, with plenty positives to take forward into next week’s fixture.
Cross Country – We have runners competing again this week at Woodlands. Next week Derby Moor will be hosting the cross country event for students in Years 7-11.
Careers Update
As part of the tutor programme, students in all years are shown a ‘job of the week’. This is a two minute video that introduces students to a wide range of jobs, many of which they may not have known existed. The aim is to encourage our students to become inquisitive about the range of employment opportunities that exist and the employability skills and qualifications required. This week’s job of the week is a ‘Hydrogeologist’.
Our Year 11 students have started their 1:1 meetings with our Careers Advisers Kat Garland, Jessica Townsend and Flavia Ojok from Luminate Careers. Following the session, students will be issued with an ‘action plan’ which will set out the steps to help them research and prepare for the future. Year 11 students have also completed a ‘Future Plans’ questionnaire to help us provide more targeted support throughout the year. Students are asked to identify the pathways they are most interested in, whether it be a sixth form, a college or an apprenticeship. We will be adding some bespoke workshops to support the different pathways in the near future. Luminate also have an excellent website with a wealth of useful information on their website.
Final thoughts
After a short but rewarding week in school I have had the pleasure of attending the Spencer Academies Trust Leadership Strategy event today. Whilst I would always prefer to be in school, working with our students and our community, it is also good to connect with colleagues from across our Trust and listen to some inspirational speakers talk about professional learning, equality and diversity in schools. As we say to our students, taking time to reflect, evaluate and plan is a key part of learning and intellectual growth and, since learning is our core business at Derby Moor, it has been a day well spent.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Best wishes,
Scott Doyle
Principal
