Community & Collaboration

September has been filled with restoration and celebration for the Art Department at Dene Academy. The revival of the fantastic poppy display is well underway, as well as some of our fantastic artists having their artwork displayed in Durham.

Last year, an inter-school competition was launched across the ALP schools in connection with Durham University and the Arts Collection. Students from all year groups could submit original artworks, ranging from paintings, sculptures, photography and printing.
There was a shortlist from every school and the judges selected 24 finalists, with the winning entries now on display (until the end of November) at the Bill Bryson Library within Durham University. To reward the artists involved, Mrs Coyne (the Head of Art and Design) took the students to see their work on display at Durham University.
The whole school is so proud of our artists and the excellent work they have created.
As well as Durham displays, Dene Academy’s poppy revival has commenced. In 2017, students, staff and community groups came into school to make and paint a ceramic poppy which created a mesmerising memorial at the front of the school. The following year they were put into storage. This year, Mrs Coyne has decided to give them a new lease of life; students, staff and families have been coming together once more to paint and replant the poppies in preparation for Remembrance Sunday. Mrs Coyne says: “So far,
we have restored around 250 poppies and we’re hoping to reach our target by half term! At Dene, we love to see our students’ creativity on display and it’s been fantastic to have families join students for this joyful project.”

The Dene Experience

Dene Academy has recently welcomed the Parents and Carers of children from the local area to attend our annual Dene Academy Open Evening. This was an exciting opportunity to look around our school and meet our staff team and some of our current students. It is also a fantastic way for families to see what Dene Academy has to offer and to ask any questions.

Throughout the evening, families had the opportunity to meet our Headteacher, Mr D. Nelson, and toured the school. Visiting children took part in the many experiences on offer throughout the evening,
starting with badge making and ‘Art Attack’ upon arrival, which was described as “so much fun!”
The vast array of activities ranged from ‘Wizz Bang’ chemistry, hunting book characters, a maths trail, flag design, biscuit making and music madness, as well as a taster of the fantastic sporting facilities available, including building muscle on our new state-of-the-art gym, bouncing on the trampolines and a scramble up the fantastic rock-climbing wall.
We hope to see many of the smiling faces from the open evening joining our school family in the near future. If you missed the open evening but still wish to visit the school, or would like more information,
then please do not hesitate to contact us.

Spread Your Wings and Soar

Leaving school is a momentous, and often daunting experience for all students. Leaving the comfort of secondary education behind, a new journey begins; a journey that is new, exciting and yours for the taking.

Once again, students at Dene Academy have achieved superb GCSE results across a range of subjects. This year, Dene students have excelled in: Science, Mathematics, Sport and English Literature.
Furthermore, 80% of students achieved a Grade 9-4 in Art, 82% of students achieved a grade 9 to 4 in Photography, 93% of students achieved a grade A* to C in Childcare, with 63% achieving A/A* and
93% of students achieved Distinction* in Dance.
Amongst the many Dene students celebrating exceptional GCSE results, including prestigious Grade 8 & 9s are: Alex Todd, Lillie Mae Brown, Ruby Downing, Evie Edwards, Toby Grady, Mason Prince, Lillia
Ball, Daisy Bell, Morgan Whiteoak and Islam AlKhalid.
Headteacher, David Nelson, writes: “I am incredibly proud of all of our students at Dene. These results demonstrate that the school is providing high-quality education to students and, more importantly,
that students feel challenged and supported to achieve their full potential. As a school, we are committed to the philosophy of excellent teaching for all. Achievement like this comes from core motivation
and high aspirations.”
Dene Academy now welcomes a new cohort, and a new class of 2024, who can now strive for the stars. With hard work, determination and ambition, we look forward to seeing our students succeed and reach
their full potential.

STEM Festival at Dene Academy

In June, Dene Academy saw its biggest STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) event yet! Over the course of an incredible 3 days, 300+ students from Years 7 to 9 immersed themselves in 315
hours of engaging activities, led by 20+ external experts from education and industry.

Different establishments with STEM roots hosted a range of challenging activities which gave an insight into the world of STEM skills and their application in further education and various careers.
From building intricate structures to coding complex robotics, our students showcased their problem-solving skills and unleashed their imaginations, discovering the power of teamwork and the limitless
possibilities that STEM skills offer.
Some of the highlights included: a visit from Channel 4 where students created their own TV adverts; ‘Squishy Science’ with Durham University in which students explored how the world scales from
nanoscale viruses to bouncy castles; an out-of-this-world journey under an inflatable planetarium where stars, galaxies, and mysteries of the universe came to life, and a rocket inspired masterclass in which students used air-powered model rockets to experience the power of military-grade precision.
There were many more fantastic businesses and people who made this a day many students will never forget. One student stated, “they loved that science was brought to life, and they loved seeing all the
possible STEM jobs that are out there”. This event took all the KS3 pupils at Dene Academy on an extraordinary, inspiring voyage into the realm of knowledge and creativity.

Life Outside the Classroom

School is not just about education, but about helping shape young people into rounded individuals. Extra-curricular activities at Dene Academy provide students with opportunities to discover new skills outside of the classroom.

Studies show how important hobbies are for young people, with many children stating that sports help them regulate their emotions, develop their confidence and help them make new friends. Extracurricular
clubs at Dene enable students to learn new hobbies and the vast range of options available mean no student is left behind.
Our clubs include sporting activities, such as dodgeball and archery, and academic clubs such as book club, cooking class, gardening and performing arts to name a few.
Abigail Perry, who takes part in Book Club, said: “I look forward to every Thursday evening as I meet my friends and have fun reading Harry Potter, and the skills I learn in Book Club have also helped me in my English lessons.”
Many of the extra-curricular clubs also enable students to compete locally with other schools. The Year 10 Dodgeball Team won all four games against rival schools in March, showing their fantastic skills on the pitch. Earlier in the school year, our fantastic Rowing Club also took part in an indoor rowing competition, with many of the students taking the silver medals.
Further sporting clubs include Peterlee Archers and Durham City Archers, who now lead sessions in our gymnasium, enabling students to see experts at work. East Durham Archers club’s mission is to make the sport available to the community whilst keeping costs as affordable as they can.
Our baking experts Mrs Irvine and Mrs Riad have also been inspiring the next star bakers, whilst also using baking to discover new cultures by teaching our students to make traditional Arabic biscuits.
Each extra-curricular activity is a fantastic opportunity for our young people to develop skills that will enable them to grow and succeed in life outside of education, whilst also making new friends and
memories that will last a lifetime.

Celebrating Individuality

At Dene Academy, our school values are at the heart of everything we do: aspiration, resilience, respect, integrity and happiness. All of the values help to create a school that celebrates diversity and promotes equality for all.

Every year, our ‘Equality and Diversity Week’ encourages students to celebrate their differences and complete activities that help to develop an understanding and tolerance of the wider world and the
people in it. Activities this year have included discussion and tasks based around sexism and racism in sports and music and creative projects promoting kindness and self-reflection, culminating in our
annual ‘Pride Day’.
Pride Day at Dene is a fun-filled day in which students are encouraged to celebrate their differences. Our school speakers are filled with empowering songs, and our walls are adorned with student artwork,
including pride buntings created and designed by each pupil.
A photo-booth brings good friends together to pose with our Pride props and even get their own little keyring – a keepsake to treasure forever. Many students also put their baking skills to the test and
bring in sweet treats for our bake sale that is held across breaks and lunch times, as well as pupil being given opportunities to win prizes by competing in different games.
Our Pride Day is something both staff and students look forward to as, not only does it raise awareness of the importance of diversity and equality, but it also helps us raise hundreds of pounds for our school
charity. School is not just a place to ascertain grades, but a place to develop knowledge and awareness that will make the world a happier and safer place for all: “the beauty of our world lies in the diversity of
its people”.

Seize Every Opportunity!

School trips are so important to us here at Dene Academy, and this year we have provided so many fantastic opportunities for students to visit a vast range of places, both locally and nationwide.

One of our most exciting opportunities involved a trip to Oxford University. The trip was part of the Scholars award through the charity ‘Brilliant Club’; students lived as University students for three days, staying in halls of residence, visiting museums and experiencing seminars from PhD students.
Mr Ryan, a member of staff who accompanied the children on the trip, said that “a stand out moment was watching the students take part in mini academic tasting sessions as it inspired them and opened them up to different opportunities; it also helped develop their communication skills with adults, a skill so important in today’s technological society.”
Additional trips have included theatre visits to see the musical classic Annie at the Theatre Royal, a heart pounding climb on a high ropes assault course, a blast to the past at Beamish Museum, and a girl power trip to Durham University, helping our aspiring female scientists to discover the wonderful world of STEM.

These are just a few of the exciting opportunities students have had this year; we believe that trips are so important for building cultural capital and for enabling our students to have fun, whilst also seeing the wider world from outside of the classroom.

An Aspirational Curriculum

At Dene, our Curriculum is ambitious and aspirational. We believe that all young people have an entitlement to study a broad and balanced curriculum. We believe that every child is unique. As such, we aim to provide high quality teaching and learning within a personalised curriculum built around children’s individual needs and abilities, to enable them to achieve their full potential and maximise their talents.

During Years 7, 8 and 9, all children study the full range of National Curriculum subjects, as well as a varied and interesting programme of Personal Development. Our curriculum is designed to ensure that it both consolidates and rapidly moves beyond the curriculum that has been studied in their primary school. Most lessons are taught in sets, to ensure that work can be differentiated to suit the needs of each individual child. By the end of Year 9, we have ensured that the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum has been covered in depth and so that our children are fully prepared for the next part of their education journey.

At Key Stage 4, in addition to the core curriculum of English, Maths and Science, our children can choose to study a broad range of qualifications. We support and encourage our children to make fully informed choices about their option subjects. This is because we believe it is imperative that children make the right choices and that they are given the opportunity to develop their individual skills, talents and abilities. The Key Stage 4 curriculum ensures that our children can access options that meet their individual needs including an extensive range of GCSE, Vocational and Technical Qualifications.

At Dene Academy, we believe that home learning can really enhance and develop your child’s education. This is why we expect all of our children to complete regular reading and homework. To support our children with their home learning, we have developed a new online platform called Firefly. This platform has a range of resources which will ensure every child has the support they need to be successful when learning at home.

As a school that celebrates high levels of achievement, we know that our children leave us with the qualifications that will enable them to excel in the next stage of their educational journey and then on into their future lives.

Developing the Whole Child

At Dene, we prioritise the wider personal development of our students though our core school values of happiness, aspirations, resilience, respect and integrity.

We know that good examination results are important for future success. However, we strongly value the development of the whole child. This is why our Personal Development Curriculum enables students to make links between their schoolwork and their lives outside of school. It is designed to help to give our students the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active, responsible citizens with high levels of integrity.

As part of the personal development curriculum, students are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities and experiences across and beyond the curriculum, contributing fully to the life of their school and the local community. In doing so, they learn to recognise their own worth, work well with others and become increasingly responsible for their own learning.

It is important to us that students have access to a range of opportunities throughout the year. This is why, already this year, many students have: visited local landmarks, universities and museums; been inspired by famous writers and guest speakers; immersed themselves in the School of Sanctuary Project and challenged themselves on an outward-bound residential. Furthermore, many of our Year 8 and 9 students are looking forward to their trip to France to visit the battlefields, a chocolate factory and a French market.