Dear Parents and Guardians of Year 7,
We have been delighted to welcome our new Year 7 students into school this week and have been hugely impressed by the way in which they have embraced their new environment with enthusiasm, positivity and resilience. As a team, we are looking forward to guiding them through this year, encouraging them to involve themselves in all aspects of life at DBIS and enabling them to achieve their very best in all areas of the curriculum.
It has been a pleasure to meet many of you over the course of this week, but for those of you who were unable to attend our Meet the Team evening on Wednesday, I would like to take this further opportunity to introduce myself and the team to you.
I have led many pastoral teams across the Secondary phase during my teaching career as well as having also been a residential housemistress in a boarding school. Pastoral care is at the forefront of my practice, and I particularly enjoy working with the younger Secondary students as they make the transition from Primary School and into their Secondary education. I aim to get to know students as individuals and help them to aspire to and achieve their full potential, both academically and socially.
I would like to introduce the rest of the Year 7 tutor team, who will be your first point of contact for your child:
Jack Piggott Y7DÂ
email: [email protected]
I am pleased to be starting my fifth year teaching at DBIS and equally excited to start my role as a form tutor for our incoming Year 7 students.
Year 7 is an exciting time, full of both challenges and rewards. I believe in my tutees’ ability to overcome these obstacles and succeed, and I will be dedicated to supporting them in this journey.
For this academic year, I will be your first point of contact. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or updates that may arise throughout the year. Open communication between us will be crucial in this very important school year.
Temmy Maclean Y7B
email: [email protected]
I am very much looking forward to getting to know your children this year. I am pleased to see so many smiling faces each morning already.Â
I am originally from Scotland but have lived in Hong Kong for almost 30 years, having originally come for just a week. I spent just over 25 years here working for another international school system as an English, EAL and Global Perspectives teacher.
I am excited about the opportunity to work at DBIS as an English teacher, helping your child receive the holistic education of which this community school is rightly proud.
Jamie Owen Y7I
email: [email protected]
I am thrilled to introduce myself as a new member of the DBIS family, joining the Secondary School PE department and serving as 7I’s tutor.Â
As 7I’s tutor, I look forward to building positive relationships with them all, being their champion, and nurturing them as they navigate this important stage of their lives.
Key dates for your diary in Term 1
Monday 26th August – Friday 6th September – Guidance for SMART target setting
Monday 9th – Friday 20th September – Target setting for all year groups
Tuesday 24th September – Year 7 tutor reports published
Monday 11th – Friday 15th November – Week Without Walls
Thursday 28th November – Year 7 short reports published
Friday 13th December – End of Term 1
Some other key reminders for Year 7:
Uniform
We value our school uniform and the shared identity it creates in our school community. Students should wear the correct uniform at all times, including footwear. Details of our uniform requirements can be found HERE. If you have any questions about the suitability of an item, please contact your child’s tutor. Â
Absence and Punctuality to School
We would like all students to aim for high levels of attendance at school and would hope for all students to aim for at least 95% attendance in the academic year. If however your child is unwell or unable to attend school, please complete the jotform on the DBIS hub HERE
Student Diaries and Laptops
Students should bring their diary to each lesson and ensure that they are recording home learning and other important information such as 1:1 tutor meetings, which will begin soon. Parents and guardians should sign the diary each week. Laptops should be brought to school fully charged. Chromebooks can be borrowed from our IT department in cases where a student’s own device is under repair.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s tutor. We are very much looking forward to helping your child grow and flourish in this exciting new phase of their education.
Best wishes,
Louise Tyrrell
Head of Year 7