Our weekly In to Win attendance incentive is helping pupils build excellent habits by aiming for 100% attendance and punctuality every week. Pupils who are in school and on time every day are entered into a live prize draw each Monday, streamed via Teams, creating real excitement and healthy competition across all forms.

The initiative encourages pupils to start the week strong—and there’s a clear message: if your name is drawn but you’re not in school on Monday, the prize is re-drawn and awarded to another pupil. With every form competing, In to Win is proving to be a fun, motivating way to celebrate commitment, consistency and great attendance.

All Year 11 pupils who attend school every day, on time, over the next two weeks - between Monday 2nd February & Friday 13th February - will be entered into a raffle on Monday 23rd February with a chance to win a free Prom ticket (£45) or a voucher. This does not depend on their current attendance % - ALL pupils with 0 days missed in the next 2 weeks will be eligible. 

All Year 7 pupils who attend school every day, on time, over the next two weeks - between Monday 2nd February and Friday 13th February - will be invited to attend a free film screening on Monday 23rd February during P5 - popcorn and sweets included! Film TBC. 

Roses are red, violets are blue, We love attendance, and you should too!

Years 7–11: Be in school every day, on time from 9–13th February and enjoy a Valentine’s treat on Friday 13th.
Plus, you’ll be entered into a prize draw — one voucher winner from each year group!

On 27 January, and throughout this week, our school has marked Holocaust Memorial Day, a nationally recognised day of remembrance. This forms part of our commitment to supporting pupils’ personal development, promoting respect and tolerance, and helping young people understand their responsibilities as citizens in modern Britain.

Holocaust Memorial Day remembers the six million Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust, as well as the victims of other genocides around the world. At an age-appropriate level, pupils have been encouraged to reflect on the consequences of prejudice, discrimination and hatred, and the importance of standing up for others.

Through assemblies and other activities, pupils have been able to:

• Develop historical understanding and empathy
• Reflect on the importance of respect, inclusion and equality
• Consider how language, attitudes and choices can affect others
• Strengthen their understanding of shared values such as tolerance and mutual respect

Sixth formers, studying A-level History, carefully planned and sensitively delivered our assemblies, with a focus on learning from history.

This work supports our wider curriculum and reinforces our school values by helping pupils to become thoughtful, informed and respectful members of society.

Year 9 - Anne Frank Trust webinar

Furthermore, six of our Y9 students had the opportunity to take in a webinar organised by the Anne Frank Trust to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

During the webinar, students listened to testimony from Max Snidjers. Max was born in North Holland in 1929 and, until the end of the Second World War, survived Nazi persecution by hiding in several different locations. One of these was a farm owned by the Schouten family in Westerblokker in Netherlands, with whom Max and his family remain in contact with to this day.

Hearing Max’s testimony was a powerful and moving experience for our students, and a meaningful way to help them 'Bridge Generations', echoing this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day. The students were phenomenal throughout and represented the school brilliantly, clearly demonstrating our STRIVE values through their engagement and respect.

The Envision team (Amelia H, Evie H, Ella M, Amelie S, Jabid S, Isaac K, Sabar A, Enoch S, Musa A and Leo W) recently showcased their project at St Andrew’s Stadium, delivering a confident and professional presentation in front of an audience of more than 80 people. The event brought together four schools in total, each presenting their own social action projects, making for an inspiring and competitive atmosphere.

The DEC team were a true credit to themselves and the school. From start to finish, they demonstrated outstanding commitment and maturity by writing and delivering their own script, clearly communicating both the purpose and impact of their project. Their presentation stood out not only for its clarity and structure, but also for the confidence and teamwork shown on stage.

The team received incredible feedback from judges and attendees alike, particularly praising the way they answered questions with thoughtfulness and assurance. Their ability to explain their ideas clearly, respond under pressure and highlight the real-world impact of their project left a lasting impression on everyone present.

Overall, the Envision team represented the school exceptionally well, showing the Envision essential skills of teamwork, creativity, communication and determination were shown by all students.

21 January 2026

DEC was proud to host a highly successful Careers Fair on Wednesday 21 January 2026, providing students with a valuable opportunity to explore a wide range of future education, training and career pathways.

The event brought together an impressive mix of employers, colleges, universities, training providers and uniformed services, enabling students to engage in meaningful conversations, ask questions and gain real-world insight into life beyond school. From higher education and apprenticeships to creative industries and public services, the fair showcased the breadth of opportunities available to young people today.

We were delighted to welcome representatives from the following organisations:

• Access Creative College
• Access Sport (Alvechurch Football Academy)
• Army
• Aston University
• Aston University Engineering Academy (AUEA)
• Birmingham City University
• Birmingham Metropolitan College
• BOA
• BET
• Cadbury College
• Department for Work and Pensions (Schools Team)
• Fortem
• Halesowen College
• Joseph Chamberlain College
• Newman University
• Royal Air Force 
• Royal Navy
• Sandwell College
• Solihull College
• South & City College
• SSFC
• Stratford College
• SYSTRA
• University College Birmingham (UCB)
• University of Birmingham

Throughout the day, students demonstrated excellent engagement, confidence and professionalism. Many visiting organisations commented positively on the quality of conversations with students and praised their enthusiasm and maturity.

The DEC Careers Fair is a key part of our ongoing commitment to careers education, information, advice and guidance. Events like this help raise aspirations, broaden horizons and support students in making informed decisions about their next steps.

We would like to thank all participating organisations for giving their time and expertise, and our staff for their hard work in organising the event. Most importantly, well done to our students for making the day such a success.

Preparing students today for the opportunities of tomorrow.

January marked the successful re-launch of our Mental Health & Wellbeing Calendar, reinforcing our ongoing commitment to supporting pupils’ emotional health and wellbeing.

Each month, the calendar features events designed to promote positive mental health, encourage open conversations, and ensure pupils know where and how to seek support. Some events also aim to raise awareness or celebrate important occasions, such as Volunteers' Week. Pupils can take part in drop-in sessions, themed activities, and signposting to internal and external support, helping them feel supported, informed, and empowered.

By embedding wellbeing-focused events throughout the year, we create regular opportunities for pupils to pause, reflect, and engage with initiatives that matter to them. We look forward to continuing this work and making wellbeing a visible and celebrated part of school life.

On Monday 19 January, we were delighted to welcome parents to our Brew Monday KS3 parental event, providing a valuable opportunity for families to talk openly about mental health and wellbeing together in a supportive setting.

Conversation prompts on arrival were well received, helping to guide discussion and reduce barriers to talking about mental health. Parents and carers also welcomed the sharing of our Mental Health & Wellbeing Calendar, highlighting key awareness weeks and upcoming wellbeing activities.

A range of thoughtful ideas were shared by parents to further strengthen our wellbeing provision, including expanding the website with downloadable resources, exploring the option to stream and record future sessions, creating a dedicated mental health section in the library, introducing a Reading for Wellbeing group, and developing a buddy system linked to upcoming Wellbeing Ambassador training.

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed. The event highlighted the strength of our school community and our shared commitment to supporting positive mental health and wellbeing for all pupils.