Dear Families,
I hope this update finds you and those closest to you in good health having enjoyed some quality downtime over the recent Easter break. You will be aware that next week is a shortened week due to the bank holiday and the placement of the additional Jubilee bank holiday on Tuesday. Many of our families will be celebrating Eid al Fitr and the end of their fasting at this time and we wish Eid Mubarak to all families who are celebrating.
Covid Update
We are continuing with our enhanced levels of cleaning around the site and sanitiser is still widely available but other restrictions around face coverings and segregation of year groups have now been lifted. Good hygiene and regular handwashing are the best defence against Covid and other infectious diseases at present and we will continue to encourage students to practice good habits with this. The CovidAlert email is no longer required for students who are showing symptoms, instead, please use the usual absence line as this is the best method for reporting if your child is unwell. You can find guidance on symptoms from the NHS website.
Sporting Update
Our Year 9 boys Football team gained promotion to the ‘A’ league last night, after a 4-0 win over Woodlands in the Play-off final. This tops off an excellent season for them, having lost only one game all year.
The Yr11 boys football team are into the County Cup semi-final, where they will play Netherthorpe School from Chesterfield in the coming weeks.
Derby Moor’s Got Talent
Our rescheduled Talent Show is just around the corner now on Thursday May 12th. We have some exceptional performers lined up who really can showcase the, sometimes, hidden talents that exist across our school community. Tickets are still available at £3 each, from the cast members who will be visiting forms on a Tuesday and Thursday morning. Students can also purchase them from the Honour Hub but they are selling quickly. The event will be held in the school hall and will begin at 6pm.
Superstar Day
Following on from Derby Moor’s Got Talent, our Superstar Day takes place on Friday May 13th. This is a coordinated day of activities across all our schools in the Spencer Academies Trust in support of the Spencer Superstars Foundation. This is a charity designed to support young people in our trust to realise their potential and fulfil their dreams. We have lots of activities planned during the day and there will also be a Superstar Fair during the afternoon which families are able to attend. More details to follow next week.
Science Big Bang Competition
There is some exciting news from the Science Faculty this week in that three of our Year 9 girls have been put forward to the final of the Big Bang Competition. Their project, ‘Helping those with speech impediments’, has impressed the judges enough to also be put forward for both the Royal Air Force Teamwork Award and the Stantec Developing Future Communities Award. A big thank you to Mr Hough who has been running the competition and huge well done to the girls.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
The DofE expedition season is upon us and the Year 9 and 10 Bronze group have been issued their kit ready for the Practice Expedition on Saturday 7th to Sunday 8th May. Mrs Burrows sends a polite reminder that all paperwork should now be submitted and all monies should have been paid in full. Good luck to the Bronzes as they discover the joys of camping and walking in the Peak District.
The Silver DofE weekends are set for 1st to 3rd July and the 15th to the 17th July. Miss Lancaster will be giving out information during the Y11 assembly and will see all students on Thursday 12th May to prepare them for the expeditions.
Careers Update
We ended the last term with a trip to Goldmann-Sachs in London and have begun this term with a Year 12 trip to St.Edmund Hall at Oxford University. The students were given a tour of the College by some current Oxford students and enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the College dining room. The workshops focussed on dispelling the many myths surrounding applications to Oxford as well as a practical session taking them through the application process. The students were really engaged and inspired by the visit and one student said “It was a really nice city and the architecture was one of a kind. The trip was really informative as I got to meet other undergraduates who study the subjects I want to do at university. It made applications to Oxbridge clearer and it encouraged me to apply for Oxbridge even more!”
On Thursday we received our Platinum Careers Mark Award. After a reaccreditation process to secure our Gold Award Status it was a surprise and a recognition of the quality of our careers provision that we have now been granted the Platinum Award. The process of reaccreditation involved a number of interviews, predominantly with students but also with some key staff. Our students were able to confidently articulate how the provision at Derby Moor develops the skills employers are looking for and provides them with such a variety of experiences that they are able to make informed choices at key milestones in their educational journey.
Wishing you a wonderful extended weekend,
Scott Doyle
Principal
