Dear Year 11 Student & Parents,
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all students at the start of the new academic year. It is incredibly disappointing to have to start the year with online learning but I know that all staff are doing their absolute best to ensure that the quality of lessons and learning remains at the highest level possible. There will be a lot of frustration and concern about this situation but I am confident that we will continue to move forward and encourage students to stay active, work hard and find the positive in everything they do.
I am delighted to be leading a strong Year 11 tutor team and would like to welcome Ms Jones and Mrs Johnson to DBIS. They bring with them a wealth of experience and I am sure they will make a fantastic contribution over the coming year. I would also like to welcome back Mr Carrigan who continues in his role as a tutor. I am very much looking forward to working with such a strong team.
The restart of online learning will bring with it some difficulties but I would like to remind all students of the expectations we have of during this time. Please ensure that you are out of bed in plenty of time, dressed, prepared and in an environment with natural light and an effective work space. You must log in punctually to every lesson on Google Meet and registers will be taken. All lessons will appear on your Google Calendar and all work will be posted on the Google Classwork section of Google Classroom. Behavioural expectations remain the same as if you are in school.
With regards to the lines of communication during the school year please contact the form tutor first of all. If this is not possible or you wish to contact me directly, then please do not hesitate to do so. If the matter is relating to student or parent wellbeing, Mr Broderick is also available to be contacted should the matter be something you do not want to discuss with me or your tutor.
The last academic year highlighted how important the work is that students produce throughout the year. With the level of uncertainty the Covid-19 pandemic is causing, it is essential that every piece of work is produced to the very best of their ability. Should there still be restrictions in place next summer then the work produced across the year will be used to provide a grade, much as it was done this Summer for last year’s Year 11. I can therefore not say strongly enough how important it is for all students to hit the ground running and ensure they are focussed on bettering themselves and working towards what they want to and deserve to achieve.
Should your son/daughter be unable to attend online lessons, please use the following jotform to inform the school: Notify DBIS of Student Absence
Kind regards
Tom Lemon