Denmark Road High School

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Our School, Our Week

 

Student News

Cricket News

We have been named as one of the Top 20 all-girls' schools for cricket in the country by the prestigious Cricketer Magazine.  The success of the girls in cricket in recent years has been recognised by a panel of distinguished judges, including former professional cricketers such as Simon Hughes, who said: "This is a very special edition of the Schools Guide as it is the first to include the all-girls schools section, which is supported by former England cricketer Lydia Greenway’s ‘Cricket For Girls’ initiative. All of the entries received were worthy of inclusion in various ways so it was a mightily difficult task to shave the list down to determine the Top 20. 

This was achieved by judging each entry against a set of carefully considered criteria set by The Cricketer:  "It is a great achievement to make it into the guide in such a challenging summer and you should be very proud of your efforts."

A huge well done to everyone involved but particularly the girls for their commitment, enthusiasm and performance over the last few years.  

 

 

MP’s Christmas Card Competition

In November, Gloucester MP Richard Graham advertised a competition to design his Christmas card.  One of our students, Elizabeth Downing in Year 8, was selected as the winning entry with a majority vote, including a local artist.  Elizabeth and myself took a phone call from Richard where he congratulated her and awarded her a prize.

The Powerpoint is available to view here.

Mrs Williams

 

Science Video

Here is a fabulous video showing a news report on an acid spill on the M5.  It is constructed using lego and has excellent science content and humour. It is by Charlotte Von Oven in 7M. she took 500 still photographs to construct it. She really enjoyed producing it.

Ms Cundy

 

Chess News

Since September the DRHS chess team has competed in eight online tournaments against some of the top Secondary Schools in the country.

19 girls from Year 7 to Sixth form have played in all or some of the tournaments over the weeks.  Our best performance was finishing in second place in an all-girls tournament against some top chess school teams.

Well done to everyone who has played this term.

We have lots of tournaments planned in 2021. If you are interested in joining the team please let myself, Jaime Ashworth 9H or Mr Greenough know.

Verity and Anshu in Year 7 gave their opinion of the online chess club …

“We've enjoyed chess club this term because when it's online you can play against other schools as well as being able to do it in a team. You do not have the pressure of not being able to make it one match so there is freedom there in online matches as well, it is nice to be in a community where you can improve whilst having fun at the same time”.

Jaime Ashworth 9H

 

Year 7 Design

Aarika Sahdev of 7Be used her recently learned skills in perspective drawing to produce a cheerful Christmas scene and took it home to hand paint in watercolour.

Mr Freeman

Year 7 Performance Event

In November it was a real pleasure to work with a small group of Year 7 students who had signed up and auditioned for a virtual recording session in place of the music department's regular chamber concert.  

Mr Fitch was our audio and visual technician, and has done a fantastic job.  It was lovely to hear live music in the school hall again, and the students were all wonderfully supportive of one another.  

It was our first time recording in this way, and a learning curve for us all.  It takes much longer to position lights and camera than we anticipated, and the students coped marvellously with the extra pressure.

Here is the link.

We are continuing to record individual year group bubbles this term and it will be Year 8's turn in January - more details will be sent to students in the next few weeks.

Music Department

 

Year 8 Macbeth

Year 8s continue their study of Shakespeare’s Macbeth in English lessons.  This is Simran Dubb’s (8BE) very quick, but excellent interpretation of the Dagger scene at the start of Act 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FJ65yh9R7A&safe=true

 

 

Team Bath Netball Academy Development Centre

We are excited to announce that three of our students have been selected for the Team Bath Netball Academy Development Centre 2020-2021.

Team Bath Netball have a proud history of developing young netballers into Superleague and International players. The Team Bath Futures Pathway is made up Academy Development Centres that run across the South West. Megan, Rebecca and Coco have been selected as part of the Gloucester Academy, which is based at Hartpury College. They will gain top-class coaching plus lifestyle and sports science support. This is a fantastic achievement; we are very proud of you.

Mrs Davidson

 

 

News from the LRC

As it is now nearly Christmas, I am organising some seasonal activities and competitions for students and staff to enjoy before we end the term.  There are Winter Reading Recommendations lists to which both staff and students can contribute – please ask your son or daughter to send me the details of a book they’ve enjoyed this year, one they re-read regularly at this time of year, or one they are intending to read.  (Remind them to add anything they do read to the DRHS Reading Marathon)  Throughout December I’m sending out a daily quiz question to all tutor groups - the tutor group with the most correct answers by the end of term will win some chocolate to enjoy at the beginning of next term and earn some house points too.  I will also run the ever-popular annual jokes competition and the mystery loans, adapted to suit the current circumstances.

The Royal Society’s Young People’s Book Prize nominations are now available for our Year 9 team to read and discuss.  The team will be meeting once all students are back at school and have had the opportunity to read the texts in order to exchange informed ideas. The books include an interesting range of formats, including one that is a combination of non-fiction and fiction, and another that is a verse novel!

 

Scholastic Book Club

Just a reminder that the DRHS Scholastic Book Club page is open to new orders.  The December order is open until December 10 and I will be reopening the Book Club for our January order on December 12:  https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/schools/denmark-road.  Books are offered at a discounted price to parents and carers.  The LRC benefits in that we receive credit to the value of 20% of orders which we can spend with Scholastic on resources for our students.  Your books will be delivered to School.  Thank you, as always, for your support.

Ms Carol Cordall, School Librarian

Follow the LRC on Twitter   @DRHS_LRC and Instagram   drhs_lrc

E-mail: library@denmarkroad.org

 

 

 

 

Forward Look – dates for your diaries:

Tuesday 15 December           Year 8 Chelsea’s Story – 2.30 pm

Thursday 17 December         Year 7 and 8 Live Theatre Stream – Peter Pan – 2.30-3.30 pm

                                                    End of Term 2 at 3.30 pm

Friday 18 December               INSET Day - School closed

Monday 21 December 2020 – Friday 1 January 2021 - Christmas Holiday

Monday 4 January 2021        Start of Term 3

Monday 11 January -             Year 13 Mocks

15 January

Saturday 16 January              Bronze D of E Training

Sunday 17 January                 Silver and Gold D of E Training

Thursday 21 January             Sixth Form Open Evening (Virtual)

Tuesday 26 January             Invest Day 3

Wednesday 27 January       Year 11 Excellence Evening (Online)

Monday 15 –                            Spring Holiday

Friday 19 February

Monday 22 February             Start of Term 4

The DRHS calendar 2020/21 is available here.

 

How do I report an absence?

Please telephone the school on 01452 543335 and follow the automated message or email absence@denmarkroad.org before 8.30 am on the first and subsequent day of any absence.

 

Lost Property

A large number of items is lost each week within school. Please encourage your daughter/son to look after their own property (and seek to locate it rather than just buy a new one!) Whilst staff will make every effort to return named items to students it is the responsibility of all students to care for their possessions and seek to locate lost items.  Students’ property is brought into school at their own risk.

 

School Closure Information

In the event of bad weather or any other reasons,  information for school closure can be found on our website or Facebook: www.denmarkroad.org or: www.glosclosedschools.com

The information will also be available on the local radio station. Please also check the bus company websites for their up-to-date information:

Bennetts: www.bennettscoaches.co.uk

Willetts: www.willettsofyorkley.co.uk

Denwell: www.denwell.co.uk

Marchants: www.marchants-coaches.com

 

Finally, Follow me @DenmarkRoad365

Please follow me on Instagram at drhshead and Twitter @denmarkroad365.  You will see a snapshot into DenmarkRoad365 and the life of a Headteacher at one of the most amazing schools in the country.