This week We have been impressed by the way our pupils conducted themselves during this third week without bells to signal lesson changeovers. The parts have now arrived and the system should be fixed over the weekend. School without the bell has certainly been a different experience for all of us. There are pros and cons of having a bell ring across a busy school. It can provide structure to the day and a sense of urgency to get where…
This week Prize Giving week is always very busy for all those involved in its arrangements, but by Thursday afternoon the Main Hall was decorated, the chairs were all out and refreshments prepared. By the evening, the Hall was filling up and the Mayor had arrived along with other special guests including former student Carly Borrow, who had kindly accepted the invitation to be Guest of Honour. It is always a pleasure to report to the School community on the…
This week After the long summer break it is always pleasure to welcome back our pupils and staff and to begin a new academic year. The new Year 7 pupils seem to be settling well and our Sixth Form has also attracted a large number of new students from other schools. We look forward to what we are sure will be another very successful year. The vast majority of pupils looked really smart this week and we are grateful that…
New school year The autumn term starts on Monday, 3rd September but the first day back is for staff only. Year 7 and the Sixth Form return on Tuesday, 4th September. The rest of the School start on Wednesday, 5th September at 8.35am. Roadworks Please be aware there are currently multiple roadworks on the routes used by many of our pupils to travel to school. Assuming these works continue, we anticipate that pupils will need to allow additional time for…
This week Students and staff from Nanya School in China arrived on Tuesday. After a short opening ceremony and introductions, the students were paired with Darrick Wood students and attended their lessons all week. On Tuesday evening they were introduced to cricket and on Wednesday after school interesting discussions were had between Darrick Wood students and their Chinese counterparts, comparing their educational experiences and lives in their different countries. A farewell ceremony was held on Thursday afternoon when gifts were…
This week We were delighted to learn on Monday that Darrick Wood School has been re-accredited as a World Class School, an accolade first awarded to us in 2015. This recognises the achievements of all students and staff at the School and marks our continued success as a non-selective school striving to provide the best education for all of our students. Two of our Year 12 students accepted the award at a special ceremony in London. Part of the re-accreditation…
This week It has been another fantastic week with our students showcasing their talents. The annual Dance Production on Tuesday, 3rd July included with solo, pair and group performances across a range of styles. Our thanks go to Mrs Rose and Mrs Berry along with other staff and of course the students themselves for making this such an enjoyable event. The School’s Summer Concert was then held on Thursday evening. This included a mix of instrumental and vocal performances. Many…
This week There are lots of evening events taking place over the final weeks of term. Our annual Art Exhibition and Gifted and Talented Showcase were highlights on Wednesday evening. Our Art rooms were transformed into galleries displaying examination pieces for GCSE and A level Art as well as A level Photography. The standards achieved in all three were very high indeed. At the Showcase event, pupils from across all year groups demonstrated their enthusiasm for particular subject areas and…
This week The final few examinations are being completed and finally our Year 11 and Year 13 students can start to relax. Year 11 celebrated in style at their Prom on Thursday evening. They all looked amazing, dressed to impress, dancing the night away with moments of relaxation outside on the patio where they could enjoy the late evening sunshine on the longest day of the year. We now look forward to seeing them all again on Monday for their…
This week Examinations have continued smoothly all week with internal examinations for Years 7, 8 and 9 and GCSE/A level examinations for Year 11 and Sixth Form. Public examinations will continue through next week before finishing at the end of June. China 2019 Over Easter 2019 , for ten days (8th to 18th April), a group of Darrick Wood students and staff are visiting China. This will include a three day visit to our partner school, Nanya and lots of…