Dear Families,
I hope this update finds you and your family in good health. It has been another challenging week for everyone associated with the academy due to our continued issues relating to covid and absence. I thank all our families, staff and students for pulling together throughout this and continuing with as close to a normal school week as we possible in the circumstances.
Covid Update
Having reviewed our current position, it looks as though we can return to normal service again on Monday with all Year Groups attending as usual. As in previous weeks, we need to ready to respond should a number of our team be unavailable at short notice as happened last week. We will send updates to families via email and text if we make a decision to move to online learning for the Year Group your child is in. The decisions around this will be based upon the number of classes that need covering each day.
We are continuing to wear face coverings throughout the site and thank our families for their support in this. If you could ensure your child attends school with one covering to wear and one spare, that would really help start the day promptly. Our whole community is looking forward to the day we no longer have to wear them, but, as things stand, they remain an essential part of keeping our case numbers down and school open. Additionally, the twice weekly testing for all members of our community should continue with all results being reported to the NHS and positive results to school via the covidalert@derbymoor.derby.sch.uk email.
Year 13 Parents Evening and Mock Examinations
Our Year 13 Parents Evening took place online this week via our SchoolCloud software. You may have heard about the upcoming mock examination dates during your consultation which I can confirm are due to start on the 14th March for most subjects. Students will receive specific dates and a timetable in due course.
Year 11 Intervention and Mock Examinations
A selection of Year 11 students took part in one of our fish and chip events last night, enjoying a bite to eat with friends and some additional maths support. Whilst there were definitely some tired young people at the end of the day they was a real feeling of positivity and drive amongst them that will stand them in good stead for the upcoming mocks. The Year 11 mock examination window begins on February 28th, immediately after the half term break.
Holocaust Memorial Day
Year 9 History students welcomed two speakers to our Academy on Tuesday to talk about Holocaust Memorial Day. One of the speakers Mala Tribich, aged 91, was a Holocaust survivor who spent time in both Ravensbrueck and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. She was there at Belsen in April 1945 when the camp was liberated by the British Army and was later moved to Sweden after the war with other survivors. Her brother, Sir Ben Helfgott, was one of the ‘Windermere Children’ and he subsequently represented Great Britain at the 1956 & 1960 Olympic Games as a weight lifter.
Having been moved by the presentation, two of our students composed poems about the holocaust during their lunch break that they have asked to be included in this weeks update. You will find them at the bottom of the web version of the update.
Staffordshire University Visit
This week the Level 3 BTEC Sport students visited Staffordshire University to take part in sports injury and laboratory-based testing sessions. Students were given the opportunity to participate in practical workshops to supplement the content required for their course and use equipment and facilities normally reserved for specialists. Students thoroughly enjoyed the day and valued the opportunity to take their learning beyond the classroom.
Careers Update
There are three careers updates for you this week, firstly information about our tutor programme, secondly an open letter about apprenticeships from the Minister for Skills and finally information about a Rolls Royce open evening.
Tutor programme – We have recently introduced a ‘Job of the week’ activity into our weekly tutor programme. It takes the form of a two minute video, describing a particular job, whilst also giving information about qualifications and salaries. This week the job is a Water Scientist and can be viewed on youtube here.
Apprenticeship letter – Alex Burghart, the Minister for Skills, has written an open letter to students and parents about the opportunities and benefits apprenticeships can bring to young people. The intention of the letters is to encourage students and parents to consider apprenticeships when they are thinking about career choices. You can find a copy of the letter to students here and the letter to families here.
Rolls Royce Open Evening – Rolls-Royce are hosting an Apprenticeship Open Evening Thursday 10th February 2022 17.00-20.00pm. There are 3 sessions 17.00, 18.00 or 19.00 for students to attend using the links below to book their place. This is an Invitation Only event to share information about future employment opportunities at Rolls Royce and will provide students and parents with the opportunity to explore the schemes available including a chance to talk with representatives from the Apprentice Development team, current apprentices and Recruitment Team who will be available to answer any questions you may have.
The invite is open to Yr. 11 – 13 students only who are currently either completing GCSEs or A-LEVELS/BTEC subjects and there is a maximum of 3 tickets available per household. You can book your tickets through the following links: 5:00pm, 6:00pm and 7:00pm.
Half Term Dates and Jubilee Bank Holiday
We have two more weeks remaining of this half term with school ending at normal time on Friday 18th February. All students will return to school at normal time on Monday 28th February. You can find the rest of our term dates on our website.
You may be aware that there is an additional bank holiday this year to commemorate the Queens Platinum Jubilee. This takes place nationally on Friday the 3rd of June. As a school, this falls within our May half term break so the additional holiday will take place a month earlier on Tuesday 3rd May 2022. As such, school will not be open on that day with students returning to school on Wednesday 4th May.
Wishing you a safe and relaxing weekend,
Scott Doyle
Principal
