News and events
What's been happening in DASP?
Global Citizenship
A group of DASP schools are now meeting regularly to look at the issue of Global Citizenship. This is part of their working towards becoming Level 2 Rights Respecting Schools. To support this and any other schools interested in Global Citizenship, we now have a page on the DASP website to pull together resources and links.
Student Voice
DASP has a very active Student Voice Programme. With individual schools meeting, then getting together in mini pyramids to share thoughts. And then finally, at least once a term, all DASP schools Student Voice groups meet as one. To see a report on a typical mini pyramid meeting click here.
Sunninghill Prep in First Full Partnership between State and Independent Schools
Sunninghill Prep School in Dorchester has joined the DASP schools partnership in a pioneering venture that will break down traditional barriers between state and independent schools. Sunninghill Preparatory School is a co-educational school for children aged 2 years 9 months to 13 years. The partnership involves co-operation on planning for new initiatives in the curriculum, such as ways to deliver effective preparation for the demands of the Government’s new Secondary curriculum. It also involves teachers working together at all levels and pupils collaborating on special projects.
Mr. Andrew Roberts-Wray, Headmaster of Sunninghill Prep, points out: “Sharing good practice between teachers helps to generate creative solutions to shared problems and thereby increase the standards achieved by all the schools involved. At the same time, breaking down the artificial divide between our pupils and those from state schools, will benefit the community and offers a model that could benefit society in general,” He goes on to emphasise: “It is time to break down the social barriers that can cause problems for young people in later life by creating opportunities for them to work together without fear or prejudice during their school years.”
Sunninghill’s Chairman of Governors commented: “The established DASP partnership is nationally recognised for its excellent academic results, through close co-operation between its schools and yet every school involved retains its individuality and ethos. As Governors we support this move as it creates stronger links with Thomas Hardye Secondary School, to where many of our pupils move onto at 13.”
DASP Director, Peter Farrington and Head of Prince of Wales First School in Dorchester summarised. “Inviting Sunninghill into our partnership has given us a new dimension that supports our commitment to aim to provide the best education possible for our young people. We hope to share good ideas and get involved in new joint initiates that will enrich and broaden our curriculum.”
Another Prom Night Triumph
On the evening of Saturday 27th June 2009, in a Marquee in the grounds of Thomas Hardye School, the DASP Music Service held its annual ‘Last Night of the Proms Concert’.
The concert Involved students from all DASP Schools; ranging from Reception to Sixth Form. Taking part, for the first time, were pupils from Sunninghill Prep school, who recently joined DASP. A visual highlight was the First School’s Guitar Orchestra, where some 60 plus guitarists filled the stage! Damers First treated us to a dance display with backing from Saxaphonics. And a magical ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ from the Harmony Group was a vocal delight. As usual, the evening concluded with rousing performances of Land of Hope and Glory and Rule Britannia (featuring soloists Pippa Goss and Jon Pugsley). The Thomas Hardye School Orchestra played with its usual gusto and precision, demonstrating the musical talent that the school possesses. They were directed by James Baker, Head of Music at Thomas Hardye and Walter Brewster.
All Dorchester schools have a commitment to fostering the joy of music to its pupils. The children rehearsed very hard to attain this level of performance and the evening provided a fantastic spectacle for its audience of parents and other members of the community. Incoming Director of DASP and Head of St Osmund’s Middle School, Ron Jenkinson, said the event was a tribute to the work of music teachers and the DASP Music Service, led by Liz Adams. It also showed the strength of the way DASP worked, by school children of all ages and from across the area, working together.
Traditionally now this event incorporates the presentation of the annual DASP Citizen Awards. These celebrate pupils who have demonstrated exceptional effort at being good citizens within their school community. The winners are nominated by their peers and must demonstrate throughout the whole year their commitment. The Mayor of Dorchester kindly presented the awards to the pupils.
The evening concluded with a lively firework display, courtesy of the Thomas Hardye School. The Prom Concert has become a fine tradition for Dorchester and provides not only a fantastic spectacle, but also a very real demonstration of the talent of young people in the area.
OFSTED say Milborne St Andrew First School is Outstanding
Yet another DASP school has been declared Outstanding in their OFSTED Inspection. On Tuesday 28th April the school was inspected by Ofsted. They were hugely impressed by the partnership the school shares with parents and the local community. The Report includes quotes such as: "Pupils love coming to school because of the high quality education and care they receive" and "Staff are very skilled at pinpointing exactly where any individual child has difficulties in learning and at putting in place especially effective strategies to address this. As a result, by the time pupils leave, standards are well above those expected for nine year olds"
The schools committment to citizenship was recognised when they said "They have an excellent awareness of other cultures and of their rights and responsibilities as global citizens, gained through the work to achieve Rights Respecting School status". We offer our congratulations to Headteacher Tom Leech and his staff (and the children of course) for their achievement.
Thomas Hardye Science College: Miss Hilton is going to Antarctica!
Thomas Hardye Head of Chemistry Lyndsay Hilton writes:
"Well after a rigorous selection centre, I was delighted to find out last month that I have been selected to go on a science expedition to Antarctica in November 2010. The expedition is organised by a charity called the Fuchs Foundation, who aim to raise the profile of science in schools and the exciting research that is being carried out in places like Antarctica and encourage more young people to study science. I will be going with two guides and three other teachers from around the UK. During out 6 week stay we will each be conducting a science project and camping in temperatures down to -40°C, man-hauling all our tents and equipment and possibly even climbing mountains that have never been climbed before.
The science project I will be carrying out concerns the impact that nanoparticles could have on the world in the future. Nanoparticles are tiny particles that can only be seen with a very highly powered microscope, and billions of pounds is currently being spent by industry and the government into the benefits these particles may hold for us. Exciting new research has found that the glaciers in Antarctica may contain nanoparticles of iron oxide which may actually be able to slow global warming. Part of my project is to analyse the glaciers to determine if they do contain iron oxide, how much, and if this will have an impact on global warming. The second part of my project involves testing the wide variety of clothing that now contains nanoparticles. These have been engineered specifically to produce, for example, clothing which will never stain and socks that will never smell no matter how long you wear them. I am looking forward to testing those claims out!
One of the key benefits about me going is, on my return I will produce a number of lesson plans/resources based on my experience and use them in my own and other schools (particularly within DASP). I am keen for it not to just benefit science, as I am willing to collect a range of data for other subjects. Examples I have thought of are collecting physiology data to be used with PE, diary entries to be used with English, climate information for Geography, historical information on Antarctica for History etc.
To prepare for the expedition, we need to have lots of training in the UK and we are also going on a training expedition to Norway next year, bringing the total cost of the trip to around £35,000 per teacher! I need to raise £14,000, so watch this space for fundraising events coming up! One appeal I am making is for people to donate anything they have around the house that they no longer need and haven’t got around to selling yet. If you have anything like this at home, then please bring it into school. All donations I receive will be sold in my charity ebay store and all the money raised will go towards my fundraising target. Additionally, if you are planning on ordering from a retailer online, you can do so through my webpage and I will receive up to 12% of the purchase order from each retailer towards the expedition. Retailers include Next, M&S, Thorntons, Waterstones and the Early Learning Centre. It will cost you absolutely nothing and there are often unique special offers to be had through my website: http://www.buy.at/lhilton1.
First School Concerts
The last week of term before Easter, saw the annual concerts of DASP's First Schools. As in previous years, the venue was St Osmund's Middle School and on both nights the hall was packed with parents, to enjoy some marvellous singing. This years theme was the Rights Respecting Schools Award, which all DASP schools have been undertaking. Each school performed their own piece of music and /or dance. Then they joined together to perform wonderful ensemble pieces.
Listen to an audio file of the finale song from Wednesday night. Click on the links below (choose either mp3 or Windows Media Format). You may be asked if you want to Open or Save the file. Choose open to have the file load into your favourite Media Player.
Listen to an audio file of a song from Thursday night. Click on the links below (choose either mp3 or Windows Media Format).
When the Saints Go Marching In (mp3)
When the Saints Go Marching In (wma)
Rights Respecting Schools
DASP enthusiastically supports this nationwide award scheme which promotes the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as the basis for enhancing teaching, learning, ethos, attitudes and behaviour. Dorchester schools have entered the scheme as a complete Partnership, probably the first in Dorset to do so. Linking with our own DASP Citizen scheme and our very active Student Voice, it encourages our students to know their rights, but also to make sure they know they have responsibilities that go with these. They also realise that every one else has rights that we must respect.
Each DASP school has worked towards reaching Level 1 status. This is achieved by judgement from an independent observer. They look to see what schools are doing to ensure they become Rights Respecting Schools. And it is important that the philosophy is embedded in the school curriculum and is not just a 'bolt-on'. Schools have held events and special days to celebrate children's rights and responsibilities. Some schools have entered Dorset's Rights Respecting Schools Song Competition, with the prize being a guitar signed and presented by Billy Bragg.
As of September 2009, 15 DASP schools have achieved Level 1 status and we expect the rest to soon follow suit. Our Schools have worked in co-operation with Dorset LA and UNICEF to provide input to support teachers and inform children. For up to date information see the DASP Rights Respecting Schools page at this website. Click here.
Damers First declared outstanding by OFSTED
In February 2009, Damers First School became yet another of our DASP schools to achieve an outstanding judgement from OFSTED Inspectors. Congratulations to Headteacher Phil Minns and his staff. In March, the school held a day of activities to celebrate this achievement. As part of this, the school commissioned a huge cake, which everyone got a slice of.
A new Pirate Ship activity centre was also officially opened in the playground.
