Welcome to the latest SEND newsletter. There is lots of information in regard to external support for both young people and parents/carers. Please take time to read the information within this newsletter as we would encourage you to attend the various events.

If there is any information you would like to see in future newsletters please let us know. All suggestions welcome. If you require further information please don’t hesitate to contact the inclusion team.

West Midlands Police has been made aware of an App called “UNICO LIVE”.  The app is publicised as age-restricted 12+ and designed for young people to upload videos of them performing, singing and dancing etc. It has come to our attention that there is inappropriate content on the platform involving young people which is being investigated.

The content does not appear to be monitored and we urge you to raise awareness widely to increase vigilance and reduce the likelihood of any child being sexually exploited.

Please discuss at the earliest opportunity with your family.

We are happy to launch our very first SEND Newsletter in what has been a very busy, yet constructive, start to the new term.

We are very pleased to welcome Ms Field, who has already made a positive impression, to the Inclusion Team following the retirement of Mrs Loudon at the end of the Summer Term.

Please take time to read through our SEND Newsletter below and check back soon for our next edition.

We wrote to you recently to outline the process and anticipated feedback from our recent Ofsted inspection.

We are pleased to share with you the final Ofsted report that confirms that we continue to be a good school.

We hope that you will recognise the many positive observations, conclusions and strengths that inspectors have commented on. We value the recommendations that have been made, most of which are in-line with the school improvement plan for this year.

You can read our parental letter below.

You can read the full report below.

It has been an outstanding start to the new academic year. Pupils have settled back into their routines quickly and their work ethic has been superb; they really have started as they mean to go on.

Year 7 have made a tremendous start too. Whilst they are still learning their way around our school site, staff have been so complimentary about their manners, diligence and aspiration to succeed. I have also been overwhelmed by the parental emails received providing feedback on new year 7’s, many of whom have returned home beaming about their experiences at school in the first week. Thank you all who have taken the time to email in with this great feedback. For ongoing updates of everything going on at DEC, please check our website regularly and follow us on social media: twitter @followdectc.

Well done to all pupils for such a strong start to the new school year and to all parents/ carers for supporting your children to be so ready to start back.

Parking Fines and Penalty Points

As parents you will also be settling into your new, or continued school run by car doing the daily pick up and drop off. Sadly, due to several instance of both illegal and dangerous parking at the end of the school day, I have had no choice but to involve West Midlands Police who will be running several ticketing visits over the coming weeks. Senior staff will also be at the front of school to take photographic evidence of illegal/ dangerous parking – all of which will be forwarded to West Midlands Police. Support from other parents is greatly appreciated and requested. If you see illegal or dangerous parking please forward any evidence from photographs or dash-cams directly to me via enquiry@decschool.co.uk. The children’s safety is our primary concern and anything which puts them at risk simply can’t and won’t be allowed.

As always we encourage the use of public transport, bicycles and walking to school. Small groups of local friends are a great way of setting up a coordinated ‘walk to school’ plan so youngsters are not walking to school alone.

We are all beaming with pride as Year 11 have collected their GCSE results. “Hard work beats talent” has become a reality for Year 11 who have surpassed all DEC records and achieved the best ever results in the school’s history, as well as national averages in so many areas. There have been countless tears of joy, disbelief and a raft of exceptionally proud families. We have also been touched by the number of thoughtful gifts brought in by parents and students to thank specific staff for their unrelenting effort, their exceptional teaching and their belief in children’s potential, such is The DEC Way!

We are delighted to share that Year 11 have achieved an outstanding rate of progress and have achieved exceptional results across their subjects. Many subjects have supported over 80% of children to achieve grades 9-4 across the board and we now look forward to welcoming a new, larger Year 12 cohort in September who begin their A-Level and BTEC journey in our 6^th form. I would like to thank every parent and member of staff for their unwavering support of every pupil, and I would also like to thank and congratulate every pupil… you have Respected, Aspired, Believed and Committed consistently throughout Year 11; you are now enjoying the fruits of your labour and the life chances these results will give you. We are all so, so proud.

Well done to everyone!

Students are expected to collect their exam results on the following days:

A-Level/Level 3 Examination Results

Thursday 15^th August 2019, 9.00am – 10.00am

GCSE Examination Results

Thursday 22^nd August 2019, 9.00am – 12.00pm