It was a very busy end to the spring term with lots of success for our students and the School overall. A few highlights are shared below along with updates from the first week of the summer term. Darrick Wood School awarded Artsmark Gold We were delighted to receive recently the prestigious Artsmark Gold Award in a momentous year for the programme as it celebrates 20 years of arts, culture and creativity in schools. The Artsmark Award is the only…
This weekAssemblies have focused on the theme of Opportunity. There were some fascinating videos of teachers sharing moments in their lives where opportunities came along and the difference these made to them. As part of the Year 13 Level 3 BTEC in Children’s Play Learning and Development, students are required to demonstrate their knowledge of first aid. A representative from Daisy First Aid came into school on Tuesday to teach the students these skills during a two hour interactive first…
This week Assemblies this week were based on the well-known saying “From the horse’s mouth”. Students were informed of the possible origins of this phrase where in times gone by a horse’s age and therefore value was based on a check of their teeth – it was a reliable source of important information. Students were recommended to always use the most reliable sources when making decisions and judgements, for example making use of scientific research more than rumour and hearsay…
This week Assemblies for Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 this week focused on World Book Day celebrations. World Book Day is a UNESCO event which is celebrated in over 100 countries around the world. Staff shared about the books that have had an impact on them, either recently or when they were younger. Some very compelling reasons for picking up and reading a book were also shared. These include: This year parents/carers will be aware we opened the Reading…
This week Assemblies this week focused on why February is LGBTQIA+ history month and why it is important all in our community come together to support equality and to not by bystanders when minority groups are being treated unfairly or unkindly. Throughout all of February we have been flying the pride flag, and in the assembly students were shown an even more up to date version of this and informed what all the colours represent. On Friday, prefects who are…
This week As part of Children’s Mental Health Week, we were delighted on Thursday to welcome Dr Alex George, the Youth Mental Health Ambassador to give a talk in the Main Hall. It clearly went very well and many were able to get books signed at the end. Assemblies all week had a mental health theme and reflected on the importance of making connections with others. We are grateful to Dr George for spending so much time with our students…
This week This week in assemblies we have been preparing for Safer Internet Day 2023 which occurs on Tuesday, 7th February. The theme for this year is “Want to talk about it?” which encourages young people to talk about what they are doing online. In particular, we hope to foster positive conversations between children and the key adults in their lives about their online habits. Some helpful resources have been produced by the UK Safer Internet Centre to help parents…
This week Thank you to parents/carers who were able to attend the Year 13 Parents’ Evening on Thursday. We hope you found the opportunity helpful and that students understand how they can make the most of their time before public examinations this summer. We wish them well in their final year at school. They have exciting times ahead but the next few months will no doubt be challenging. Their teachers and other staff are here for them. Assemblies this week…
This week Assemblies this week have focused on how we relate to our neighbours. This has been considered within different contexts. We reflected on the meaning of the Hindu festival of Makar Sankranti, which takes place this Sunday. We also considered how getting to know our neighbours, always aiming to be kind to others and going out of our way to help them leads to a better life for all. Students were reminded of our School Rule 1: Behave sensibly…
This week We hope everyone had an enjoyable and restful time over the festive period. Happy New Year to all our students and their families. It was lovely to see everyone again after the break, and to have the School open without snow to deal with! However, I am sure we will all be looking forward to some lighter mornings and evenings along with the onset of spring – it seems permanently dark at this time of year. On a…