International Women's day celebrations

This week, we are celebrating International Women's day (8th March) by talking about inspirational women which have made an impact in our curriculum subjects.  

Food Technology:

One inspirational woman our pupils are learning about in Food Technology is Eliza Acton who wrote the first cookery book:

Spanish: 

Clara Campoamor was one of the main driving forces behind women’s suffrage in Spain. Campoamor fought to establish gender non-discrimination, legal equality for children born in and out of wedlock, equality within divorce, and after successfully winning a parliamentary debate against those opposed to the female vote, universal suffrage. Thanks to Campoamor, in 1933, women voted for the first time. They could do so just once more before Franco revoked their right six years later.

English

Virginia Woolf paved the way for modernist female literature and gave a voice to the voiceless women after the 1st world war, when the country and its identity was in turmoil. Her stream of consciousness narratives birthed a new generation of writing and poetry. 

PE/Dance

Ellie Simmonds OBE is one of the most recognised female athletes in Britain due to her achievements as a Paralympic Swimmer. Born with achondroplasia (dwarfism), Ellie Simmonds was the youngest member of Team GB at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and brought home a Gold Medal in the 100m Freestyle and 400m Freestyle, where she beat her own record by over 7 seconds. Since then, she has gone on to win medals at an array of sporting events including the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics.​

Misty Copeland has made history as the first African American Female to become Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. Born to a struggling family, Misty Copeland started her Ballet journey at the late age of 13, but as a true prodigy, she has gone on to perform in some of the most famous roles, including Clara in the Nutcracker, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Odette/ Odile in Swan Lake, for which she was the first African American Woman to do so. She has gone on to win many awards, has written her own book and has received an honorary doctorate from the University of Hartford.​

Just before half-term our KS3 Netball team played their first fixture together against Studley School. Our students have been learning and training all year and have now embarked upon their competitive journey against other schools. Unfortunately, they lost this game 13-4 despite their best efforts and amazing team spirit. We have no doubt that they will get better and better after each match. Well done girls, we are all proud of you.

Just a reminder that Netball training is available for all to be involved in on Tuesdays 3:10pm – 4:00pm with Mrs Pugh and Miss Cumberpatch 

This year’s ski trip was an unforgettable adventure in Prato Nevoso in Italy, filled with laughter, thrilling descents, and cherished memories. Whether you’re an experienced skier or a beginner hitting the slopes for the first time, this trip had something for everyone.

Our group was greeted by stunning mountain views as we arrived at the resort, with snow-capped peaks towering in the distance and clear blue skies overhead. After a brief orientation and a chance to rent equipment, we dove right into the action. 

For the beginners, including Mr Chin, the gentle slopes made learning a breeze. Soon, everyone was zooming down the hill, feeling the rush of wind and adrenaline as they gained confidence and technique. The camaraderie among the group was infectious, with everyone encouraging and cheering each other on.

The evenings were filled with laughter, games, and plenty of good food. Apres' ski activities included snow tubing , shopping as well as a quiz and pizza night.

Overall, this ski trip was a true success. From breathtaking views and exciting runs to great company and unforgettable moments, it’s an adventure that will be talked about for years to come. Can't wait for next year's trip already!

See you on the slopes next year!

This week we have delivered important messages to our pupils in our e-safety assemblies.

E-safety, or online safety, refers to the practices and strategies aimed at protecting individuals, particularly children and young people, from potential risks and dangers while using the internet. It involves safeguarding against a variety of online threats, including cyberbullying, identity theft, inappropriate content, and online predators.

Key areas of e-safety include:

1. Privacy Protection: Ensuring personal information is kept private and not shared with strangers online.
2. Cyberbullying Awareness: Educating about the impact of bullying online and how to report or avoid it.
3. Safe Social Media Use: Understanding the risks of social networking and the importance of setting strong privacy settings.
4. Secure Online Communication: Using encryption and secure channels when sharing sensitive data.
5. Identifying Scams and Phishing: Recognizing fraudulent schemes and how to avoid them.
6. Digital Footprint: Teaching individuals to be aware of what they post online and the potential long-term effects of sharing personal content.

E-safety is important because as people spend more time online, they are increasingly exposed to risks, making it essential to understand how to stay safe in the digital world.

As a parent, you can seek advice from the NSPCC HERE

On Friday 7th February, as part of our PSHE programme, we welcomed Saltmine Trust Theatre Company to Dame Elizabeth Cadbury to perform 'Filters' for pupils in Year 8 and 9. Saltmine have been touring theatre in education nationally since 1980, educating the next generation on current social issues and empowering them to make wise choices. Filters is a production and workshop which focuses on social media use, sexual harassment, consent, cyberbullying, AI, and pornography. These are sensitive topics, but they are delivered in an age-appropriate way. This powerful production aims to encourage pupils to take control of their own futures, to be encouragers and positive influences on each other. 

The statutory Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education guidance in secondary schools from the Department of Education states that by the end of secondary school pupils should know: about different types of bullying (including cyberbullying); online risks, including that any material someone provides to another has the potential to be shared online and the difficulty of removing potentially compromising material placed online; how to identify harmful behaviours online (including bullying, abuse, or harassment) and how to report, or find support, if they have been affected by those behaviours; the impact of viewing harmful content; and that specifically sexually explicit material e.g., pornography presents a distorted picture of sexual behaviours, can damage the way people see themselves in relation to others and negatively affect how they behave towards sexual partners.

As part of national apprenticeship week, we have been immersed in activities which have highlighted which apprenticeships are available to pupils when they leave school and which can be studied with specific subjects on our curriculum.

In Science, some of our students have been looking at how they can gain an apprenticeship in nuclear power. Key stage 3 have been looking at how science can help gain an apprenticeship in jewellery making.

Maths have built in apprenticeships into each key stage by displaying the types of maths problems someone might be asked to solve in a certain role.

Health and Social Care have also been looking at what NHS apprenticeships are out there.

Year 7 Spotlight

Year 7 are continuing to develop their knowledge and skills within geometry this half term. 7y1 have been looking at the properties of different shapes focusing specifically on properties of quadrilaterals. After identifying the different properties, they then created their own ‘What shape am I?’ task and challenged each other to identify their chosen shape given the clues they created.

Year 12 Spotlight

Our year 12 mathematicians are continuing to work through their A Level scheme of work. Miss Buckley’s class have been extending their knowledge of trigonometry from year 11 and are learning to manipulate trigonometric expressions using trigonometric identities. Both groups are working incredibly hard and are making good progress with some of the more complex A Level topics.

This week we are celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2025 (10th-16th February) as part of our Careers curriculum at DEC.

We have lots of exciting opportunities lined up for pupils, including form time activities on 'Green Apprenticeships' and lessons throughout the week focussing on subject specific apprenticeships.

As a parent or carer, we know you will want to be able to guide and advise your child towards the best opportunity for them. So, where do you start? Being open-minded about the range of opportunities, and equipping yourself with knowledge and information is the best way to build your confidence, and ultimately to support your child to make the best decision for them.

The links in this message will help you to help your child. 

See our website for more advice on careers https://matrixcareersguide.co.uk/

Apprenticeship Hints Tips for Parents/Carers

Amazing Apprenticeships