The Darrick Wood Way
Parent Bulletin

Welcome to this edition of our Parent Bulletin – The Darrick Wood Way. As ever, life in school never stands still. There is lots to read about in this edition and I hope you enjoy hearing about the past two weeks.

I was very impressed with students in Year 11 last week who completed their Pre-Public Examinations (PPEs for short). They conducted themselves very well all week and will hopefully feel their hard work is paying off when they start to get their results back and head into the final weeks before the actual public examinations start in May. They still have time to make a difference to their outcomes. Whilst in school there are their usual lessons and additional after school revision sessions we call Period 6 (which will start up again soon), the biggest difference they can make is to be regularly re-visiting their learning from Years 10 and 11 in their own time at home. As they are probably tired of hearing us say, this does not mean sitting with a book and a highlighter. Research shows that it is far more impactful that learners actively engage with the subject content, writing down what they can recall, turning it into perhaps a picture or diagram, revisiting what they cannot recall using resources from school and online, annotating text, answering quiz questions and challenging themselves to retrieve information previously learnt. It is also important to practise examination questions, understanding what exactly the examiner is asking for and applying the knowledge to the specific question being asked. We have high hopes for Year 11 and if any of them needs any additional support or advice they only need to ask. Likewise, parents/carers are also welcome to get in touch via the Office and/or your your child’s tutor or teachers and we will be happy to help. 

Next week we look forward to seeing parents/carers of students in Year 9 for Options Evening (on Wednesday, 12th March). Please see the list of upcoming events elsewhere in this Bulletin – we have a busy few weeks ahead with lots scheduled before the Easter break.

Lockdown drill

During assemblies this week I have notified students that we are planning a drill before the end of this term to test our revised lockdown procedure using the School’s new announcement system. Over the next fortnight we will begin to talk to students about this further. We will explain what the procedure is, but we will also want to reassure them that we would very much hope not to have to use it for real very often, if at all. It is, however, necessary for schools not only to have a procedure for evacuation of the buildings (which will continue to be signalled by our fire bell), but also one where it is deemed safest if everyone remains or move to an inside space (i.e. lockdown). Lockdown procedures may be activated in response to any number of situations, but some of the more typical might be:

· A reported incident/civil disturbance in the local community (with the potential to pose a risk to students and staff in school).

· A call or intelligence received at Reception of a potential threat.

· An intruder on the school site (with the potential to pose a risk to students and staff in school).

· A warning being received regarding a risk, locally, of air pollution (smoke plume, gas cloud etc.).

· A major fire in the vicinity of the School.

· The close proximity of a dangerous dog or other animal roaming loose.

· Serious accident on-site, requiring good access for emergency services, or restricted access for students.

Our procedure recognises two levels of lockdown (Amber – partial, and Red – full). A partial lockdown means everyone moves to, or remains in, an inside space (usually their classroom), but normal activities can continue to progress (i.e. teaching and learning), whilst staff remain on alert in case a full lockdown is required. In a full lockdown further procedures are to be followed that aim to keep everyone as safe as possible during the increased risk, including locking or barricading doors, closing blinds, turning off lights and awaiting further instructions. In this full lockdown, normal school activities are on hold until the all clear has been signalled. In the situation where a full lockdown is required emergency services will have been called.

Please talk to your child about these measures, why they are necessary to keep everyone as safe as possible, and their role in following the instructions given to them by staff. Having held a drill before the end of this term, we will review it and it adapt it based on feedback from staff and students.