Stringer Press Spring Term 2025

Stringer Press SPRING TERM

Contents Page Message from Matt Hillier Message from Bridget Taylor Messages from Pastoral teams Fundraising update Staff half marathon School production - Antigone Spring Concert: Back to the 80s Mastermind 2025 Art classes Textiles trip British Science Week Berlin trip Malaga trip Natural History Museum trip Latin trip Dare to Dream St John’s College trip National Apprenticeship Week National Careers Week Young Speakers Challenge Eco news World Book Day Wicked Writers - Be the Change International Women’s Day Holocaust speaker HPQ presentations Geography Association Quiz DofE Bronze Award Canteen PE update Dorothy Stringer Dance Show Let’s Dance 2025 Student news Photograph competition Upcoming key dates Feedback

CONTENTS

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Dorothy Stringer open -evening Message from Mr Hillier HEADTEACHER'S MESSAGE A REVIEW BY LIZ UREN MATT HILLIER

Headteacher

Dear Parents, Carers, and Students, As we come to the end of a busy and exciting Spring term, I’d like to reflect on some of the highlights we’ve shared and look ahead to what lies ahead.

Firstly, with Spring around the corner, there is a real sense of energy and optimism throughout the school. This is reflected in the achievements of our students, particularly our Year 11s, who have completed their final mocks.

Their focus and determination have been impressive, and with exams approaching in May, we are committed to supporting them every step of the way.

One of the standout moments this term has been our school play, which was an overwhelming success. The talent, dedication, and hard work of our students shone in every performance. One audience member summed it up perfectly: “It was a seamless, compelling, and deeply touching play to watch. The students are so lucky to be at a school that values creativity and the arts.” A huge thank you to everyone involved in making it such a special event.

Our sports teams have also given us much to celebrate, with fantastic achievements across a range of disciplines. I particularly enjoyed watching our students become South-East champions in Rugby League, a sport I hadn’t seen played for many years! For more highlights, do visit our Instagram account @dorothystringerschool, which showcases the impressive talents of our students, both locally and nationally.

Another highlight was the Stringer Dance Show at Brighton Dome, the culmination of a week-long festival of dance as part of Let’s Dance, which Dorothy Stringer has coordinated since 2005. Both events are key moments in our school calendar, and it’s always a privilege to see our talented dance students perform on such a prestigious stage.

At the time of writing, our Spring Concert – ‘Back to the 80s’ – will shortly be taking place, and I know it will be another fantastic celebration of our students' musical talents. To round off the term, our students have also been busy baking for our Easter Bake Sale, with all proceeds this time going towards our latest fundraiser for new outdoor seating around the school site.

Looking ahead, rehearsals for our summer production of Footloose are already in full swing, with high-energy preparations taking place in the main hall after school almost daily. With such enthusiasm and talent on display, this promises to be a fantastic way to end the year.

As we enter the final stretch of the academic year, I’d like to thank our students, staff, and families for their hard work and support. I hope you enjoy the upcoming break, and I look forward to welcoming everyone back, refreshed and ready for the term ahead - especially our Year 11s as they prepare for their long-awaited GCSE examinations.

Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable Easter break.

Kind regards,

Matt Hillier Headteacher

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Dorothy Stringer open evening Update from Bridget Taylor A REVIEW BY LIZ UREN

Chair of Governors

In the usual mix of agenda items that the Governing Body meetings discuss there have been three big issues to consider this term, all of which have long term implications for the school, students and the wider community: changes to the admissions criteria for 2026, mobile phone access in school time and the condition of our school buildings.

Many of you will have followed the admissions debate across the city and seen our response to the Council proposals. The final decision taken by the Council, after considering all the responses to the consultation, responded to the concerns expressed about ringfencing 20% of places to students in single catchment areas by reducing this figure to 5%. The proposals to change our catchment area to include areas of Whitehawk and remove areas of Kemptown were agreed, as was the priority given to students receiving free school meals. Our Pupil Admission numbers (PAN) has reduced to 300 from September 2026.

As Governors we welcome the conclusion of this exercise; whilst recognising the strength of feeling on the single catchment area priority status, we feel that restricting this to 5% enables the impact of this change to be managed more effectively. This will also inform future decision making if pupil numbers continue to drop across the city as forecast.

Thank you to all those parents, carers, staff and students who responded to the survey on mobile phones. Your responses to this very topical issue were considered at our meeting in March. Most of us find our phones invaluable for all sorts of tasks and entertainment but we increasingly recognise the potential harm that they can have on us and our children, in particular in relation to mental health and wellbeing. A majority of parents/carers and staff supported the introduction of lockable phone pouches in school time to free up students and staff to focus on learning, The Governing Board therefore approved the introduction of phone pouches from the new school year in September, with a trial for a small group of students in the summer term.

You will hear more on the practicalities of this over the coming weeks from Mr Hillier and his team. Your support on this issue is appreciated.

The final subject I wanted to address is the dilapidated state of some of our school buildings and the amount of work that needs to be done on them to bring them up to standard. Both the Sports Hall and the Main Hall require significant maintenance and repair. We are also still trying to find a better indoor space for the canteen. We are working closely with the Council on how to achieve this and how to manage the final years of a PFI contract where the responsibility for some of this work lies. The costs of the works are considerable, but our objective is to explore all possible options to improve our physical environment and facilities. I will keep you posted!

Wishing you all a good Easter break.

Bridget Taylor Chair of Governors

DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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Yeargroup highlights - Spring Term Dear Year 11 parents and carers, Year 11 have had an incredibly busy and productive Spring Term, working with great dedication as they prepared for their final set of GCSE mock exams. Once again, they have shown remarkable poise and commitment, demonstrating their determination to do their very best.

Beyond their academic efforts, many students shone in the school production, delivering outstanding performances that showcased the incredible talent within the year group. A number of students also had the opportunity to visit Berlin on the school trip, where their impeccable behaviour was a credit to both the school and their families. Alongside their lessons, students have taken part in a wealth of enriching activities, from Latin trips and sports fixtures to our ever-popular Mastermind quiz and a captivating performance of Macbeth to support their GCSE English studies. And of course, the much-anticipated Stringer Dance Show once again left us in awe of the hard work, dedication, and talent of both our students and the PE staff.

As we move into the season of GCSE exams, many practical assessments have already taken place. I was fortunate enough to sample some of the incredible dishes created for the GCSE Food Technology practical exams – the standard of cuisine was truly exceptional!

This term also marked some key rites of passage for Year 11, as they received their leavers’ hoodies and had their final school photos taken. Meanwhile, a dedicated team of staff and students are busy designing this year’s Yearbook, and we can’t wait to see the finished product.

The Year 11 Pastoral Team will continue to support, guide, and encourage students in these crucial final weeks, fostering resilience, self-care, and confidence as they approach their exams. They truly are a fantastic year group, and I wish them so much good luck and care as we venture through these final school days.

I hope you all enjoy a well-deserved break over Easter. Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support.

Happy Easter!

Ms DeBrun, Mx King and Ms Smith

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Yeargroup highlights - Year 10 Dear Year 10 parents and carers, So much has happened over the past three months, I hardly know where to begin! One thing I often say at prizegivings, assemblies, and in newsletters is that every single day, someone in Year 10 does something that impresses me or makes me proud. There aren’t many jobs where you get to experience that, and it’s one of the many reasons I love working with this year group. So, keep up the great work, Year 10!

Opportunities and Celebrating Successes This term, Year 10 students have taken part in a variety of fantastic experiences. Some have attended academic excellence workshops at Roedean, developing valuable skills for their studies, while many others have been working hard on their Higher Project Qualification (HPQ), showing great independence and curiosity. A group of students have also been working with the YMCA to improve mental health support in school, and their ideas will soon be introduced to the SLG; a fantastic student-led initiative. The breadth of opportunities on offer here is really excellent and I’m always delighted when students throw themselves into these.

Beyond these opportunities, we’ve continued our fortnightly celebrations, recognising and rewarding students for achievements such as improving their Attitude to Learning (ATL), showing kindness, and positivity. Many of you will have received emails about these, as the sheer number of students being recognised has been remarkable. It’s been a pleasure celebrating with form groups and reinforcing the message that there are many ways to excel: every student brings something valuable to our school community.

Looking ahead As ever, Ms Dodds and I really value communication from home. Your insights help us better support our students, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any concerns or updates. We also love hearing about achievements beyond school - whether it’s playing for professional football clubs, securing auditions for drama productions, or excelling in completely different areas. If your child is involved in something exciting, please let us know!

Of course, with a year group of over 300 students, there are always areas to improve. Punctuality and uniform remain key focuses, as getting the basics right (arriving on time and dressing appropriately) helps remove distractions and allows students to focus on what really matters, such as achieving strong GCSE results! I appreciate your continued support in reinforcing these expectations.

As we approach the break, I hope you all enjoy some well-earned rest. Thank you for your ongoing support, and I look forward to seeing what next term brings for Year 10!

Mr Haddington and Ms Dodds

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Yeargroup highlights - Year 9 Dear Year 9 parents and carers, It was fantastic to see our Year 9 students making the most of Options Evening this term, carefully considering which GCSE choices will best suit them. They have engaged thoughtfully with staff expertise and carried out thorough research to ensure they are making informed decisions - an excellent step towards future success.

It was also a pleasure to welcome so many of you to Parents’ Evening, and I appreciate you taking the time to meet with your child’s teachers. As Year 9 progresses towards the challenges of Year 10 and 11, we have been impressed by the effort students are putting into developing positive habits and high expectations for their next stage of education. Their determination and focus have not gone unnoticed.

Year 9’s positive attitude is regularly reflected in staff feedback. This was particularly evident in our recent assemblies with Jack, an external speaker from the Dare to Dream programme.

Linked with local employers, this initiative encourages students to reflect on the skills and attitudes valued in the workplace. Jack was full of praise for our Year 9s, describing them as a credit to the school and a pleasure to work with.

We also welcome Mr Harvey to the Year 9 team as an additional Pastoral Manager. We know school life is not always easy for everyone, and we encourage students to reach out for support whenever needed. Whether it’s speaking with their tutor, Miss Alderson, Mr Harvey, or myself, we are always here to listen and help.

Looking ahead, please remember that you can check upcoming parent/carer events on our Parent Calendar via the SLG homepage.

This term, we have celebrated many student achievements, with numerous pupils recognised for their creativity, resilience, and respect. We have also enjoyed our much-loved Cake Day, where tutors nominate students for their positive contributions - always a highlight of the term!

Well done, Year 9! I wish you all a very happy Easter and look forward to welcoming you back in May, well-rested and ready for remainder of this year.

Kind regards, Mr Shilladay, Ms Alderson and Mr Harvey

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Yeargroup highlights - Year 8 Dear Year 8 parents and carers, It is exciting to see Year 8 complete another term of school life at Stringer. They are a dedicated and diverse group and are making great progress. This term the team have been supported by Andrew Harvey (Pastoral Manager for Year 8/9) who will continue to work with the year group.

Year 8s have been exceptional at immersing themselves in the school community through various avenues. A special mention goes to the large number of students in the year group who have been involved with auditions and rehearsals for our upcoming musical, Footloose, the wonderful Stringer Dance Show at Brighton Dome, and the Back to the 80s Spring Concert! In addition, many of the year group have been on school trips to Science Live and the National Theatre this term.

I must also add how proud I am of the Year 8 sporting achievements this term. Standout performances are the Boys Indoor Athletics team, who won the Brighton schools event by a massive 22 points and progress on to the Sussex Finals next term; the Rugby team who won the U13 Champions Cup Regional Final and go on to the last 16 nationally, and the U13 Girls Table Tennis team who won the Southeast Area finals. Huge congratulations also go to Klara in 8DWT who came an amazing 4th in her first ever National Triple Jump competition, as the youngest in the U15 category with a huge 45cm PB jump of 10.54m, missing out on bronze by just 2cm!

Aside from sport, students have received their first AtL grades for this year. It was lovely to celebrate with a number of students who improved their AtL from the last collection, in a lunch time AtL improvement party! Congratulations to all students who received a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze award.

Heading into the final full term of Year 8, we continue to aim high on maintaining and improving our attendance and working to receive more achievement points. Well done to BRS who currently have the highest attendance in the year group and HND who have the most achievement points!

With so much to look forward to in the Summer term, we are excited to see what else can be achieved by the year group in a variety of events such as Sports Day, Summer Concerts, Footloose, our Student Awards Ceremonies, and more!

Wishing all students, parents and carers a wonderful and restful break, Miss Leszniwskyj and Mr Harvey

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Yeargroup highlights - Year 7 Dear Year 7 parents and carers, Year 7 have embraced 2025 enthusiastically and have continued to get involved with everything secondary school has to offer. Our PE dept have been very impressed with the commitment and achievements of the year group across the whole range of sports and activities available, from rock climbing to rugby, trampolining to table tennis as well as our football teams. We are looking forward to cheering on the girls in their upcoming finals! The Stringer Scorers!

I was pleased to be able to welcome so many of you in for parents evening and thank you for taking the time to meet your child’s teachers. It is always a great opportunity to build relationships and put faces to names.

Throughout this term, we’ve celebrated students’ achievements, with many receiving recognition for creativity, resilience, and respect as well as our Attitude to Learning awards. I am also very grateful for the hard work of parents/carers and the students to make sure that the year group’s attendance is as high as possible.

Our Year 7s had the opportunity to go to the Natural History Museum this term and also to audition for the school musical 'Footloose' run by the Music department and the lower school play, 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' run by the Drama department. We look forward to seeing both productions next term. There was also Year 7 representation in the Dance Show at Brighton Dome and at the Spring Concert. Hopefully, at this time of writing, they will all be baking and/or donating cakes to help the school raise money for some new benches too.

I wish you all a Happy Easter, hope that the weather holds and that everyone enjoys the two weeks (and a bonus day) resting and recharging their batteries.

I look forward to welcoming the year group back on Tuesday 22 April ready for a busy summer term ahead.

Best wishes, Miss Poole and Ms Parmar

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Fundraising update Thank you!

We would like to start by saying a massive thank you to all of the students, staff, parents and carers who supported our minibus fundraising campaign over the past couple of years. We were blown away by the generous support from our school community and our fantastic new bus is now in action supporting our extra-curricular activities across the school.

Not only that, but we also received an electric vehicle as part of Toyota’s Community Loan Scheme thanks to a nomination by Dorothy Stringer Parent, Lisa Bristow. We’re absolutely delighted with these upgrades to our school fleet!

We’d also like to thank everyone who supported our half marathon team – all our runners did an incredible job on the day and we are so proud of them! If you would still like to donate, you can support our ongoing Dolawen fundraiser here and our Mind fundraiser here.

Thanks also go to Dorothy Stringer parent Will Santer, who has recently made a donation to us.

Will very generously donated some funding for us to purchase a new cricket mat storage unit and brand new cricket playing equipment for fixtures – we can’t wait to get lots of use out of these in the Summer term. As well as this, he also donated funding for a new sound desk for our Music department and we were so pleased to debut this at our Spring Concert on Thursday 3 April.

Finally, we’d like to say a big thank you to Owen Hissey, who recently donated some brilliant Science equipment via his workplace. This equipment will be used to support our extra-curricular offering and our STEM club are very keen to start experimenting with the electrical paint!

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Fundraising update What’s next?

We’re now looking ahead to new fundraising initiatives and, after surveying students, we have decided to raise money to improve our lunchtime provision. The first step on this journey is to enhance our seating around the school site. To achieve this, we need your help to raise £12,000 to purchase new external benches and picnic tables. Keep an eye on our social media for details of upcoming school events that you can support and as always, if you have any fundraising ideas, or if your business is able to support us with sourcing benches, we’d love to hear from you at communications@dorothy-stringer.co.uk.

Our students have already made a start on our new fundraising campaign by baking for benches!

They baked some fantastic Easter cakes on the final day of term and the bake sale went down a storm! Our bake off winners were Lila and Aoife and our runners up were Martha and Phoenix.

Thank you to everyone who baked!

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Fundraising update - Staff half marathon

On Sunday, March 2nd, members of our staff participated in the Brighton Half Marathon. The sun was shining, and it was a fantastic day!

We want to say a huge congratulations to all our staff members who took on the challenge, demonstrating incredible dedication and effort. Their commitment not only led to an amazing achievement but also helped raise significant funds for their chosen charities—The Dolawen Trust and MIND — both of which hold a special place in our school's heart. A massive thank you as well to everyone who donated and cheered them on along the way!

If you wanted to donate, there is still time: you can do so by following the links below.

Supporting MIND – Donate to MIND here Supporting the Dolawen Trust - Donate to Dolawen here We would also like to wish the very best of luck to Robin Fitzgibbon who is running the Brighton Marathon in memory of his son and former Dorothy Stringer student Robbie Fitzgibbon. Robin will be taking Robbie’s place in the marathon, and continuing his son’s efforts to raise money for MIND.

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School production - Antigone Huge congratulations to all the students and staff involved in this year’s school production of Antigone! Your creativity, dedication, and hard work truly shone over the four incredible nights.

Cast and crew put in countless hours after school and on weekends to bring this production to life, and their efforts paid off spectacularly. Well done to each and every one of you!

We’d also like to say a massive thank you to everyone who came to support our talented young actors and the Drama department. We hope you enjoyed watching the performance as much as we all enjoyed putting it together! We’d also like to extend a special thank you to Paul Winter (@paulwinterphoto) for capturing the stunning photos of the production. We also loved seeing everyone’s reviews! You can read them on the following pages.

What a fantastic achievement. Well done, all!

It was incredible. Not an easy piece to do, especially as a school production, but the kids were amazing.

Well done to them and everyone involved in the production.

An incredibly powerful and moving production. Well done to cast and crew alike.

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(We) came to see the show last night and wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed it. It was compelling and moving and beautifully staged.

(The play) was as usual an outstanding performance and very well done. So can you please pass on my huge thanks and congratulations to the staff team and the children who performed with such confidence and maturity.

24 hrs on from the final performance I'm still finding it difficult to put into words how incredible it was! I just wanted to say a huge thank you to you and the rest of the team for the huge amount of effort that went into bringing Antigone to life with the students. It was a seamless, compelling and deeply touching play to watch, and I know that (my son) has gained so much from being part of it. He is so lucky to be at a school which values creativity and the arts. Thank you.

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What an incredible week of theatre. I think you all know what an exciting experience it was.

Drama, you are a very special department!

I wasn’t sure what to expect, teenagers in a Greek tragedy?! I was astounded. The discipline, the focus, the understanding and the emotion. How incredible for a school to expose teenagers to complicated language, history and ideas. More incredible is the ease with which they communicated the story to us, the audience.

This was a very special performance, for the actors and audience alike.

It was absolutely brilliant! So beautifully staged, with moments of levity amidst the tragedy. I cried! Bravo to all of you.

Just a little note to say how phenomenal the play was. I am in awe of the students: they carried it so beautifully. The main actors were unbelievably impressive, and I was really struck by the supporting cast too - their deep stillness and poise brought gravitas to every scene.

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Just a quick note to say how impressed I was by the drama production last night. It was a privilege to be able to watch it.

Congratulations to everyone involved!

Spring Concert: Back to the 80s We were delighted to showcase such an incredible array of talent at this year’s Spring Concert, celebrating the vibrant sounds of the 1980s. Featuring a variety of performances from smaller ensembles to the full force of our impressive big band and choir, the evening was a brilliant testament to the musical passion and dedication of our students.

Despite many of them not having been around in the ’80s, our performers certainly proved their love for the era’s music, delivering energetic and heartfelt renditions of classic hits.

There was also an appearance from our staff band, with the obligatory audience participation!

A huge congratulations to all our students for their fantastic performances, and a very big ‘thank you’ to the Music Department and backstage crew for bringing the show to life. It was a night to remember!

We can’t wait for our next production – Footloose – next term!

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Mastermind 2025 On Friday 14 February, we hosted the highly anticipated annual Dorothy Stringer Mastermind Final. The finalists, some of the sharpest quizzing minds in the school, tackled a diverse range of specialist subjects, including Wallace and Gromit, The American Office, Taylor Swift, and The Life of Barack Obama.

The competitors performed exceptionally well, cheered on by a fantastic audience of friends, fellow students, and staff - it was wonderful to see such enthusiastic support!

After two minutes of specialist subject questions, the contestants faced another two minutes of general knowledge. The competition was incredibly exciting! Nikolai initially led by four points after the specialist subject round, but Kit delivered an outstanding general knowledge performance, securing victory for the second year in a row. The final scores were: Kit R – 25 points Nikolai L – 24 points Harriet M – 19 points Johann M – 19 points Huge congratulations to all the finalists for an amazing display of knowledge and quick thinking. We hope you all enjoyed the Mastermind experience!

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Art classes Year 7 have got off to a strong start looking at Pattern in nature, also creating collages to explore symmetry and rotoation. Their shell studies included blind drawing, using a continuous line and exploring shading.

Year 10 have been using acrylic paint in their studies responding to artist Sarah Graham, a photo realism artist known for her nostalgic images of childhood.

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Textiles trip

Our year 10 textiles students had the opportunity to visit a hidden gem of a museum in the Sussex countryside to explore the inspiring work of textile artist Tadek Beutlich.

The students also took part in a hands-on workshop, learning the absorbing art of weaving on traditional looms.

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British Science Week Stringer Science marked British Science Week 2025 with an exciting exploration of change and adaptation, featuring explosive science demonstrations and thought-provoking assemblies on the role of technology, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Every lunchtime during the week, Stringer Science hosted explosive demonstrations in the science labs, showcasing thrilling experiments that brought the theme of change to life. Students watched on as chemical reactions erupted with colour and light!

Assemblies focused on the rapid changes in technology, particularly the rise of AI. Students were introduced to the basics of AI, how it’s shaping industries like healthcare and entertainment, and the ethical questions surrounding its use. Discussions encouraged students to think about the ways AI is already part of their lives and how they can adapt to a future where technology is an even bigger force for change.

Inspiring the Future From explosive science to deep dives into technology, British Science Week at Stringer Science ignited curiosity and inspired students to think critically about the changes shaping our world. The event reminded everyone that science is ever evolving, and the key to the future is not just understanding it but adapting to it.

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Berlin trip In February half term our History department took a number of our Year 11 students to Berlin in support of their GCSE work on Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. The trip really helped to illustrate the trauma and persecution faced by so many under the Nazi regime, and we were really impressed by how sensitively and responsibly our students behaved. Thank you to all of our staff who made this trip possible – our students gained so much from the experience and you can read some of their feedback below.

Oscar – I enjoyed learning about the history of Berlin and going to the concentration camp. When you walk where History has occurred you learn better and are more engaged. This has aided my passion and interested in Weimar and Nazi Germany, as well as the Holocaust.

Ruby - I really enjoyed going to Berlin - the trip helped me understand more about what the Nazi dictatorship was like. I found visiting the concentration camp really emotional and brought History to life.

It was a fun group and everyone got on well.

Anna – I enjoyed seeing the Brandenburg Gate because it was so grand and looked very impressive. I also liked seeing the museums as it aided my historical knowledge.

Alesha - I thought the trip to Berlin was very good and it was probably one of my best experiences at Stringer and such a highlight. Not only for the education and expanding my knowledge on Nazi Germany by going to actual places where things happened, like the concentration camp. But also, speaking to the tour guides and asking questions. I also enjoyed experiencing a new country and just having fun.

Lexi - Berlin was an amazing experience which I really enjoyed and it also helped me gauge the level of oppression Jewish people went through when I visited Sachsenhausen. As well as this, it was amazing to see many historical sights, such as Checkpoint Charlie.

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Malaga trip In December 2024, forty students from Years 9, 10, and 11 embarked on a memorable trip to Spain, visiting the vibrant cities of Málaga, Granada, Jaén, and Sevilla. The week was filled with activities designed to immerse students in Spanish culture and language, blending learning with exploration and fun.

The trip began in Málaga, where the students enjoyed sunny weather, a welcome change from the chilly December back home.

A highlight of the trip was meeting their Spanish pen-pals at their school. Together, they participated in engaging activities such as a scavenger hunt, bowling, and group games.

Another favourite activity was visiting a local market, where students practised their Spanish by purchasing ingredients, which they then used to prepare their own lunches, combining language skills with culinary fun.

The trip also included exploring the unique characters of each city: the Alhambra, the Giralda, castles, etc.

The farewell party really stood out as a special moment for many. Hosted in a Spanish bar it was a night filled with music, dancing, and heartfelt goodbyes.

No recap of the trip would be complete without mentioning the unexpected star of the final evening Mr. Bernal and his dancing skills! His moves on the dance floor brought laughter and joy, ensuring the trip ended on a truly memorable note.

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Malaga trip

"The Spanish trip was a fantastic experience. Each day was filled with exciting activities like tours, eating out, and shopping trips. We visited four cities and made new friendships with Spanish teenagers while getting a glimpse of life in Spain."

"The Spanish Immersion trip was so much fun. We did lots of enjoyable activities, and the people and accommodation were great. I made new friends, both English and Spanish, and I’d recommend it to anyone."

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Natural History Museum This term, 47 of our Year 7 students had the exciting opportunity to visit the Natural History Museum in London, where they delved into the fascinating world of space exploration. They discovered what it takes to send rovers to Mars, exploring the challenges scientists face when trying to navigate and study the Red Planet.

Putting their newfound knowledge into practice, students designed their own Lego rovers, carefully considering the data they wanted to collect and how best to gather it. Once built, they programmed and tested their creations, seeing how well they could traverse the Martian terrain - while skillfully avoiding other rovers on their own missions!

After an inspiring hands-on experience, students had time to explore the rest of the museum. For many, the dinosaur exhibit was a particular highlight, rounding off a day filled with discovery, creativity, and scientific adventure.

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Latin trip On 4th February, our Year 11 Latin students embarked on an enriching trip to London, beginning their journey by train from Preston Park to Blackfriars.

Our first stop was the British Museum, where we had the opportunity to examine the Rosetta Stone, reflecting on its profound linguistic, cultural, and historical significance. Students considered how this extraordinary artefact unlocked the secrets of Egyptian hieroglyphs and shaped our understanding of the ancient world.

We then explored the galleries housing the Nereid Monument and the Parthenon Marbles, engaging in thoughtful discussions about the ownership of antiquities. Should these treasures be returned to Greece, or do they belong to the world? This sparked a lively debate, encouraging students to consider different perspectives on cultural heritage and historical responsibility.

After some free time in the museum, we made our way to King’s College London (Strand Campus), where we were warmly welcomed by Professor Daniel Orrells, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. Professor Orrells delivered a fascinating two-hour seminar on the voice of men in ancient literature, focusing on Catullus, Ovid, and Horace. Students explored thought-provoking concepts such as ‘anxious masculinity’, ‘ventriloquising’, and ‘choliambic’ - terms I hope they will now be able to confidently incorporate into their GCSE responses!

Following a brief tour of King’s College London, including a visit to its beautiful chapel, we returned on busy trains to Brighton. It was a fantastic day of learning, discussion, and inspiration, and we are incredibly proud of how our students engaged with this opportunity and represented the school.

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Dare to Dream We’ve really been enjoying taking part in the Dare to Dream project with our Year 9 students this term.

The Dare to Dream programme focusses on qualities and life skills that support qualifications and success. The events take place in school and include inspirational assemblies, interactive workshops and one-to-one mentoring.

As part of the programme, a group of Year 9 students also made a workplace visit to Kreston Reeves in Horsham in February, where they found out ‘accountancy is not boring’! They had a great time working with their mentors and were also joined by ex-Brighton and Hove footballer Adam Virgo, who shared his career journey and offered words of encouragement, making the experience even more special for the students.

A huge thank you to the Love Local Jobs foundation for making this project possible!

St John’s College, Oxford trip A group of our Year 10 students who are involved in our Scholars Programme made a visit to St John’s College, Oxford this term. Not only did they get to see the amazing range of architecture, from Brutalist to the 15th century, and have lunch in the ‘Hogwarts’ dining room, but they also made a visit to the Ashmolean Museum. The Scholars Programme is an initiative run by The Brilliant Club, which helps students to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to secure a place at a competitive university. Our students have loved getting a taste of university life and exploring the options available to them in the future.

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National Apprenticeship Week National Apprenticeship Week took place from 10–14 February, and we were delighted to welcome a range of providers into school to inspire our students about the exciting opportunities available through apprenticeships and post-16 education.

We were pleased to begin the week with James Brooklyn from ASK, who spoke to our Year 11 students about the many benefits of apprenticeships. Zoe Buckley from Brighton MET then introduced our Year 10 students to the diverse apprenticeship pathways available at the college.

Daniel Alder from the NHS engaged our Year 9 students in a discussion about the extensive range of apprenticeships within the health service, which can lead to over 350 different careers. Finally, Clare Barwick from Plumpton College met with our Year 8 students to showcase the unique and varied courses on offer, sparking interest in subjects many had not previously considered!

A huge thank you to all our visitors for sharing their expertise and insights. We hope these sessions have given our students a valuable glimpse into the wide range of future pathways available to them beyond Dorothy Stringer.

National Careers Week In March we were really pleased to welcome Stella and Griff from Woodfire Camping into school as part of National Careers Week. Stella and Griff spoke to our students about their career paths and how they ended up running a Gastro Camping business! Many of our students think of the world of work as ‘working for someone’, so it was a really interesting for them to listen to self-employed business owners from the hospitality industry who have taken risks, researched, and learned new skills.

During this week we also launched our UNIFROG platform with our Year 7 students. This is the first step in our careers education at Dorothy Stringer and for many students this is the first time they have considered what they would like to do when they leave school - it is really exciting to hear their ambitions and dreams for the future!

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Young Speakers Challenge This term a number of our Year 8 students have been taking part in an exciting new inter-school competition, the Brighton and Hove Young Speakers Challenge.

At the start of term, the students attended a launch event at Blatchington Mill School, and Mr Buchan and Miss McMahon were so impressed with how the students pushed themselves out of their comfort zones and took on the challenge along with students from other schools.

This oracy competition is an excellent opportunity for the students to build their confidence, communication skills and discover their voices. Mr Buchan and Miss McMahon are looking forward to running workshops and in-school heats to help them craft and prepare their pieces for the final competition.

Brighton and Hove Young Speakers candidates also got to experience a once-in-alifetime opportunity when they were invited to participate in an Advocacy event at the University of Sussex Mooting Room. The students got to learn what a real-life courtroom is like. The session was led by a University of Sussex Law lecturer and our students had the opportunity to discuss ideas and develop arguments with the help of the Sussex university ambassadors, an experience they really immersed themselves in. The students were incredible, and we have high hopes that one of our students will be the first ever Brighton and Hove Young Speakers Challenge champion!

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Eco news Sustainable School Climate Leaders from Stringer attended Brighton Town Hall along with others from BACA, Hove Park, Newman and Varndean to launch the start of the new topic focus on Food. They got to sample and judge a selection of foods created by the chefs of Plant Based School Dinners that supply Our Lady of Sion School in Worthing. They saw how these meals not only provide more protein and other nutrients but cost less than meat dishes, as well as tasting delicious! Over the coming months, these Climate Leaders will be working in their schools to help support the pledges made by their Headteachers to increase the amount of plant-based meal options in school.

Butterfly Haven Volunteer Day Well done to Iscah B-F, who came along to help us coppice the next section of hedge at the butterfly haven.

This will mean new shoots will grow back this year which will be perfect habitat for the Brown Hairstreak butterfly which has not yet established a colony in the haven.

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Eco news Raised beds and potato planting Our Groundforce volunteers and Year 7 Environmental Science students have been very busy in our allotment this term.

After the Groundforce team’s hard work building new raised beds, our Year 7 students began putting the first potatoes in the ground last week.

By the time this goes to print, all 330 Year 7 students will have planted potatoes in the allotment, and we look forward to harvesting them in July! Student volunteers are always welcome at the allotment on Wednesdays and Fridays after school.

South Downs ReNature grant We are delighted to have won a grant of £1000 from the South Downs National Park ReNature Programme!

The successful application was for planting native Spring bulbs in the school woodland this autumn.

Having been renaturing the school grounds for quarter of a century we are aiming to improve the biodiversity on the woodland floor.

Thanks to this grant, this autumn all students at Stringer will have the opportunity to be involved in planting native Bluebells, Wild Garlic, Wood Anemones, Snow Drops, Wild Tulips, Snakes Head Fritillary and more around the school site.

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World Book Day World Book Day was a great success this year, with students from all year groups getting involved in the various activities we had on offer. We had 18 members of staff ‘hunted’ down in the Teacher Treasure Hunt with the winning students, Sofia C and Leila S from 7STO identifying 16/18 teachers. The ‘Story in a Jar’ competition had some incredible entries; it was amazing how students had been able to catch the themes from novels such as Heartstopper, Lord of the Rings and Maggot Moon, but our overall winner was Eniko H in 7GTT with her fantastic jar based on the novel The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton.

Finally, the Stringer Escape Room… so popular we will definitely do it again next year! 24 teams took on the challenge over 3 days, trying desperately to locate the lost Sherlock Holmes manuscript before the time was up and it was locked away forever! The challenge involved code breaking, book hunting and some serious teamwork! Winning by a mere 30 seconds were Ruby C 7PHP, Delilah O 7BND and Nora S 7BND, who worked seamlessly to discover the hidden safe and the key just in time. Well done to all those who participated and to the wonderful library prefects. Same time next year!

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Wicked Writers - Be the Change A huge well done to all the KS3 students who submitted entries for this year’s Wicked Writers competition! Each participant received Head of Department Achievement Points and a certificate, presented by Mr. Hillier, in recognition of their fantastic efforts.

Thank you to the students for representing the school in such a prestigious national competition, their entries were truly outstanding!

What is Wicked Writers: Be the Change?

The National Literacy Trust, in partnership with the hit stage musical Wicked, runs this inspiring writing competition, encouraging young writers to explore how they can help change the world for the better.

This year’s theme focused on positive change in local communities, and our students truly embraced this idea. We were absolutely blown away by their impressive and moving submissions. We hope their success will encourage them to continue to progress with their creative writing.

Congratulations to our talented writers!

Alia C – Year 9 Macy M – Year 9 Angela D – Year 7 Edith W – Year 7 Hema I – Year 7 Polly T – Year 7

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International Women’s Day "Moving forward together – spotlighting women, educating and inspiring generations" International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8th, honouring the achievements of women in all aspects of life - social, economic, cultural, and political - while advocating for gender equality.

The 2025 theme is: 'Accelerate Action' for gender equality.

This term, we celebrated International Women’s Day during tutor time. Students engaged in discussions about the significance of IWD by exploring real-life scenarios designed to start conversations.

They also watched the inspiring speech by Emma Watson, actress and activist, on gender equality.

On the sporting side, following on from the success of our girls-only 3G session just before International Women’s Day, we were asked by female students to continue these sessions and are therefore supporting an ongoing trial of this initiative.

How can we Accelerate Action?

As individuals, we can all take steps in our daily lives to positively impact women's advancement.

Call out stereotypes Challenge discrimination Question bias Celebrate women’s success

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Holocaust speaker We were so pleased to welcome the son of Walter Kammerling (Peter Kammerling) into school in February to speak about his father and mother’s experiences of the Holocaust.

This included an in depth talk on the Kindertransport and the tragic horrors of the Holocaust.

It was emotive, exceptional, heartful and a true privilege to hear Peter's story and his family’s experiences.

We would like to thank Miss Moore for organising this event and Year 11 for being such a wonderful audience. Peter has since emailed to say ‘the presentation was one of the most meaningful that I’ve done. The year 11 students were so very engaged, and I was - to coin a well-know phrase - gobsmacked at the numbers that wanted to talk to me, ask me questions and even shake my hand just before the exit doors!’

Thank you, Peter for taking the time visit us. Pictured is a photo of Peter’s parents on their wedding day in 1944.

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HPQ Poster Presentations: A Celebration of Intellectual Curiosity and Dedication For the third consecutive year, the Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) poster presentations took place this year on Thursday, 20th March, marking the culmination of months of hard work by 30 Year 10 students. Choosing to take on this additional qualification is no small feat; it requires students to develop essential academic skills, including research, referencing, and essay writing, while also learning how to present their findings effectively.

The presentations showcased an impressive array of creativity, research, and dedication, with students tackling a fascinating range of topics. From insightful explorations of women in STEM to the psychology behind falling in love, the diversity of subjects reflected the students’ passions and intellectual curiosity. Posters on speculative evolution and stop motion animation stood out for their imaginative flair, while projects on state vs. private schooling and the fall of the Roman Empire demonstrated thorough historical analysis.

Some students embraced more unconventional subjects, such as the existence of Bigfoot, sparking lively debate and intrigue. Others tackled contemporary issues, with powerful presentations on body image and the media, highlighting the impact of representation on self-esteem. Each poster was carefully crafted, combining eye-catching visuals with clear, concise information. It was evident that students had poured hours of research and creativity into their work, delivering engaging and thought-provoking displays.

Beyond celebrating academic achievement, the HPQ presentations highlighted the importance of independent critical thinking and originality. The event was an inspiring testament to the students’ enthusiasm for learning beyond the traditional school curriculum. A huge well done to all our HPQers – your hard work and passion truly shone through!

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Geography Association quiz Well done to our Year 10 and Year 11 GCSE Geography teams who took part in the annual Local Geographical Association quiz. Twenty teams from seven Sussex schools took part in this event which was held at Varndean College in March. Comprising six rounds, at the half-way point our Year 11 team were in sixth place. Having come second in the 2024 quiz, the Year 11s were determined to do their very best to at least equal this outcome, and they showed true resilience in the final 3 rounds, crossing the 2025 finish line in a nail-biting finish – just one point ahead of the teams from Ardingly College and Davison High School - to be crowned the winners! Our Year 10 team are looking forward to returning next year and aiming to keep the title at Stringer!

DofE Bronze Award Congratulations were in order for some more of our Year 10 students who completed their Bronze DofE Award this term! The students completed all 4 sections of the award, including Volunteering, learning a New Skill, challenging themselves with a Physical Activity, and the Expedition.

We’re proud of the commitment these students have shown to completing the award and we hope that the new skills and experiences they have gained will support them in the future. Well done, everyone!

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Canteen Our summer canteen menu will be in place from Tuesday 22 April and we are looking forward to a number of new dishes, including BBQ bao buns and Korean tacos! Our popular street food day will also be continuing on a Thursday with brand new dishes every single week.

Take a look at the new menu below.

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PE update - Spring Term What a fabulous term of PE, Sport and Dance we’ve had at Stringer! We say it every time, but this one truly has been busy. Extra-curricular clubs and fixtures have taken place daily, alongside the annual Stringer Dance Show and Let's Dance. It’s been wonderful to see students' enthusiasm and commitment each week. With the Netball, Football, Rugby and Basketball clubs concluding for this academic year, we now look forward to our Summer programme featuring Rounders, Athletics, Cricket, and more.

Netball Our teams have had a fantastic term, with dedication and strong performances across the board. Miss Leszniwskyj and Miss Swain are very thankful for the girls’ continual dedication to their teams and are proud of the way that they immaculately represent the school at each fixture.

Year 7 enjoyed a brilliant first season and have really gelled in their teams, culminating in the 7A team qualifying for the County finals - we look forward to seeing how they get on! Year 8 built on last year’s progress, with Poppy H excelling as captain. In Year 9, Savannah S shone, consistently earning Player of the Match. The team have had a busy term of fixtures with some great results. Year 10 showed commitment, regularly showed up for training and always ready for games showing real team spirt - they secured some excellent wins, with Syah and Ruby standing out for their goal-scoring. Finally, thank you to the Year 11 Netball team who have been an absolute joy to coach over the last 3 years. It has been a real pleasure on those early Tuesday mornings to be met with such enthusiasm and commitment - good luck in your next steps and please don't stop playing netball! We look forward to welcoming all players back in September, and remember, it's never too late to join a team.

Football We are extremely fortunate at Stringer that girls football club is so well supported by students. It has been great to see new faces attend club and integrate into our established teams. We have also established an exciting new partnership with Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation who have been running the girls extra-curricular club since the New Year.

The U12 Girls have shown a great attitude to their first season of school football. They finished second in the league. They made it to the semi-final of the County Cup, unfortunately losing to a strong Forest School team.

They still have their District Cup semi-final against local rivals Varndean to play and we wish them all the best for this game. It has been a pleasure coaching them this year.

Stringer’s U14 girls' football team put up an incredible fight in the Year 8+9 girls Brighton Cup semi-finals, showcasing skill, resilience, and determination every step of the way. The match ended in a 3-3 draw, leading to a 4-2 result in penalties, with Stringer narrowly missing out on a spot in the final. But the performance on the day was nothing short of remarkable. The team faced an exceptional striker from the opposition, but Stringer’s 39 defence held strong, showing impressive composure and control. Summer N made outstanding saves, coming off her line to manage the box and ensure her team stayed in the game.

PE update - Spring Term Two new players, Alexis and Sienna, made their debuts and wowed the coaches with their performances, quickly making an impact on the field. A warm welcome to both players as they begin their journey with Stringer! Training attendance has been strong, with 25-30 girls regularly coming out to hone their skills and improve their game. We have had the privilege of having Albion in the Community joining training sessions, providing an extra boost of inspiration and learning for the players. This season has been a testament to the team’s growth and dedication, and there’s no doubt that Stringer’s girls’ football will continue to build on their strong performances heading for even greater success in the future.

The boys’ teams have also had a great season. Year 7A finished third in the league and reached the District Cup semi-finals. They have shown great spirit and resilience this season, always working hard for each other until the final whistle. Well done to all. The Year 7C Team have held a few extra games this year, rewarding the commitment to football club shown by many of our students. The games have been a great experience for those participating and it’s been great to see so many wearing the Stringer shirts! Year 8 reached the Brighton District Cup semi-finals, narrowly losing 5-4 on penalties to Blatchington Mill after a 1-1 draw.

Y9 Boys Training has been well attended all year and it's great to see the continued commitment to the club. A Team: A mixed season this year - we made the District Cup Quarter Final and finished 5th in the league. Not all results went our way, but despite the results not being what we wanted, the development of the team is progressing well and we have high hopes for next season. B Team: There have been a few games organised and played throughout the year, allowing many students to gain experience playing full size games and being part of the team.

As the Year 10 Boys football season enters its final weeks, everyone can be proud of their individual and collective achievements. Regrettably the team lost another penalty shootout in the National Cup, and like the County Cup, faced elimination without losing during normal game play. In the league, the boys applied themselves until the very last minute of the last game, with over 40+ students representing the team at various points. And finally, the team has reached the Brighton cup final for the fourth time, where they are looking to defend their title for the third consecutive year against either Patcham or PACA.

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PE update - Spring Term The 2024/25 Football Season is nearly complete, and it is of course the final year for the Year 11 Boys and what a fantastic year it has been. They have won the Brighton Schools Football League and have made it into two finals. They will play Blatchington Mill in the final of the District Cup and after a narrow 1-0 victory against Buckswood School, and play Steyning Grammar in the Sussex Schools County Cup Final. TBP Wednesday 7 May 5pm KO at Lancing FC. These lads are part of a tight knit squad which boasts 40 U16 players who regularly turn out at 7.30am on a Wednesday morning to train. More important than any amount of silverware is the fact that they have grown into such good young people. They have displayed great tenacity, team spirit and resilience and Mr Brown and the PE department are proud to be associated with them; they are a credit to the school and their parents. Can they complete the treble? COME ON STRINGER!! We all look forward to the Y11 Boys football Squad v The Staff on Friday 2 May 3.30pm KO on Stringer Astro.

Basketball Basketball club numbers continue to rise, with students enjoying both training and fixtures. The Brighton Schools Tournaments continued for the U13s, U15s and U16s this term. The U13s were up first with some great competitive play despite being unfortunately eliminated in the play-offs. The U15s and U16s won their Brighton Schools tournaments, beating strong competition from 8 other local Brighton schools. The Girls' team secured a thrilling 32-30 win over Kings School in a friendly fixture - special mention to Peggy D as top scorer.

Huge thanks to Brighton Cougars and Coach Nick for their support in running our Basketball provision.

Rugby League Before Christmas the Year 8 boys’ team qualified for the Southeast Regional Final and travelled to Brunel University to take on Howard of Effingham School. The boys played brilliantly, tenacious in defence and accurate and ruthless in attack. Big tackles from Barley G and some strong ball carrying from Jack B and Jimmy M saw Stringer win 38-22 - London and Southeast winners! We now travel to Hull to represent the region in the last 16 of the National Cup. Can we make it to the Quarter Finals?

Rugby Union The rugby teams continue to go from strength to strength, with over 30 students regularly attending Year 7 and 8 club night. Their commitment to training has paid off, with three age groups reaching County Cup Finals this year.

The Year 7 boys team has made fantastic progress, welcoming new players throughout the year. They were narrowly beaten 25-15 by a strong Seaford College side in the County Cup but secured a fine win over Beacon Academy to reach Finals Day. Facing Downlands, a team they had lost to earlier in the season, the boys produced a superb display, with Marley Y scoring a hat-trick and Murdo B controlling play at fly-half to seal a413515 victory. They also took part in the Snell Cup 7s at Brighton College, performing brilliantly to top their group and reach the Cup Finals, finishing an impressive 3rd out of 16 schools. A hugely successful debut season!

PE update - Spring Term The Year 8 boys team aimed to defend their County Cup title while also playing friendlies against Patcham, Blatchington Mill and Hove Park to give new players valuable game time. Competition for places is now fierce, and they once again reached the County Cup Final, at Brighton Rugby Club, where they put in a dominant display to beat Warden Park 50-5, with Eddie S scoring a hat-trick. County Cup Champions again, a terrific achievement! The team also competed in the prestigious Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s, the largest Rugby tournament in the world, winning four of five matches, with a narrow 35-25 loss to Llanishen High School from Wales. Leo B scored the try of the day in what was a fantastic experience for all involved.

Year 9 boys team have also enjoyed their rugby this year, progressing in the County Cup with a hard-fought 75 win over Patcham in wet and muddy conditions before a battling defeat to Sackville. They also played a competitive friendly against Lewes Old Grammar School, winning 27-24 thanks to tries from Jude, Harvi, and Louis, with captain Louis A leading by example. A great team performance!

The Year 10 boys team had a mixed season, progressing past Uckfield in the County Cup before a tough defeat to local rivals Patcham. Despite the loss, they should be proud of their efforts. Well done to George H, Eddie B, Stanley T-W, Haydn P, Freddie K, and Finley B who continue to support the Year 11 team this year.

Year 11 boys had a remarkable campaign, reaching the County Cup semi-finals against Heathfield. Despite trailing 17-0 early in the game, they showed great character to fight back in the second half and win 31-24, with Robert Z scoring 2 tries and Eddie B impressing with his kicking. In the final, they faced Warden Park—an achievement in itself, having never reached this stage before. Though they were outplayed by a stronger side, the boys have come a long way over the past five years and should be immensely proud of their journey.

Girls’ Rugby Girls’ rugby at Stringer continues to flourish, with Year 8 and 9 players attending a successful training session at Hove Park School before competing in an exciting tournament at St. Oscar Romero Catholic High School.

Despite facing more experienced teams, the girls grew in confidence and skill with each game. Lara G earned the Resilience Award from the referees for her fearless tackling and determination.

In addition to the Year 8 and 9 girls, Year 7 girls have also shown keen interest, attending Tuesday rugby club sessions, with plans already in place for tournaments next season. The enthusiasm and progress across all year groups are inspiring, and the coaching team looks forward to seeing even more girls join the rugby community. With this level of enthusiasm and skill development, the future of girls' rugby at Stringer looks promising.

With the Women’s Rugby World Cup at the Amex in September, the momentum will only grow, providing an incredible opportunity for the girls to witness top-level rugby and aspire to great things. With such strong support and inspiration from both their local community and global role models, the sky's the limit for girls' 42 rugby at Stringer.

PE update - Spring Term Swimming This term saw the swimming team compete in the Brighton Schools Swimming Championships at the Price Regent. Some familiar faces as well as some opportunities for new swimmers to represent the school for the first time. As always, the Stringer swimmers put in some strong individual and team performances. The team finished 2nd overall on the night, a fantastic achievement but a special mention to Niamh E, Aysha C, Amelie B, Ray D, Murray D and Leo M who took GOLD in the squadron relay. Well done all.

Climbing This term the Stringer Climbing team took part in the annual Boulder Brighton Inter Schools climbing Competition. 18 Schools from across the Southeast took part this year and our 14-student team placed 6th overall on the day - a fantastic achievement. This meant that they qualified for the U16 Finals Day where only the top 3 climbers represent the school. Our team of Ronnie B, India S and Elvie W completed some particularly challenging climbs and eventually finished 4th. Well done to them and also to everybody who represented the climbing team this year.

Athletics We are well into Cross county season and this term saw some of the biggest competitions take place all over the county: the Brighton Schools, Sussex Schools, and Year 7 & 8 Sussex Schools Cross Country competitions. Yet again, the Stringer runners put in some strong individual and team performances. At the Brighton Schools at Waterhall, in cold and snowy conditions, Stella G won the Year8/9 race and Lara C won the 10/11 girls’ race. The Year 7/8 Sussex Schools Championships again took place at Christ Hospital, perfect sunny conditions for Cross Country and the two Stringer teams didn’t disappoint in their performances. With over 300 competitors in each race, competition was fierce, Stella G took silver in the Year 8 girls’ race and Amelia D took bronze in the Year 7 girls. The Year 7 Girls team narrowly missed out on team gold by just 6 points, but they should all feel very proud of their performances. Special mentions to Stella G, Amelia D, Florence R and Amelie B who all finished inside the top 20 in their races and so were selected to represent Sussex at Inter Counties. Well done!

We also wish the Year 8 Boys Indoor Athletics Team the best of luck in the upcoming Sussex Finals where they will represent Brighton and Hove.

It has been a fantastic term of PE and extra-curricular sport and dance. A huge thank you to all students who continue to support our extra-curricular programme, the PE department hope to see old and new faces attending clubs in the Summer Term.

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Dorothy Stringer Dance Show Bringing the week to a spectacular close, this year’s Dorothy Stringer Dance Show took place on Saturday 22 March, showcasing the incredible talent and dedication of over 300 of our students. The performances were a stunning display of creativity, featuring work from our extra-curricular dance programme, dance lessons, and original pieces choreographed as part of our students’ GCSE examination work.

We are incredibly fortunate to host our dance show in such a prestigious Brighton venue, providing a fantastic platform for our students to shine. A heartfelt thank you goes to all the staff at Dorothy Stringer and Brighton Dome who have worked so hard to facilitate this, as well as to the students whose hard work and passion made this year’s performance such a success. Not forgetting the families and friends in the Stringer community whose enthusiastic support helped make the event so special!

We can’t wait for next year!

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Let’s Dance 2025 We were delighted to once again host a week-long festival of dance at Brighton Dome this month, combining Let’s Dance and the Dorothy Stringer Dance Show to create the biggest celebration of school dance in the UK. From Monday 17 to Friday 21 March, we invited more than 2,000 students aged 5–18 from over 70 local schools, colleges and dance groups to dance at Brighton Dome as part of Let’s Dance. We also had dozens of Varndean College students helping backstage, gaining experience in stage management and learning what it takes to put on such a big show.

It was wonderful to see students of all ages and dancing experience taking to the stage supported by our brilliant local community, and we can’t wait to do it all again next year.

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Student news

Tyler C had the exciting experience of being a mascot during the highly anticipated Brighton vs Bournemouth match. Tyler was paired up with João Pedro, the talented number 9 for Brighton.

It’s clear that this experience will stay with Tyler for years to come. Getting to stand alongside a professional player like João Pedro and being part of such a special event at the Brighton vs Bournemouth match is a wonderful opportunity.

Jaiten, Year 11, recently competed in the England National Indoor Championships in Sheffield. There were 21 women in her category, and Jaiten managed a personal best of 11.76m and was placed 2nd in England in U17 women's triple jump. As well as that, Jaiten has now got the Brighton and Hove club record in both U17 and U20 triple jump and is only 2cm off the senior one. Congratulations, Jaiten!

Congratulations to Klara in Year 8 who came 4th in her first ever National triple jump competition. Klara was the youngest competitor in the U15 category and made a huge jump of 10.54m, setting a new PB and just missing out on the bronze by 2cm! Well done, Klara!

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We’re always so proud to hear about what our students have achieved outside of school and really enjoy celebrating these successes with them. If your child has been dedicating themselves to activities outside of school, no matter how big or small, we would love to know about it – just email us at communications@dorothy-stringer.co.uk.

Well done to Otis T and Oren YG who, together with their Streetfunk crew, Y2K, competed in the British Dance Festival championships in Blackpool in March. We are delighted to report that they came 2nd overall! Otis also made it through to quarter and semi-finals for three other events. Well done to all - a brilliant weekend all around!

Huge congratulations to Annie in Year 11 who boxed at the English Boxing National Championships in Wigan last month and took home a bronze medal! Annie has been training hard with coaches at Whitehawk Boxing Club and is hoping to break into the England squad.

Well done, Annie!

We'd like to extend massive congratulations to Bella F-M in Year 7 who has been competing at the English and British Gymnastic Championships over the past few weeks. These competitions are used to select national squad members as well as select for competitions such as the Olympics, Commonwealth and Europeans and Bella has done really well, coming 2nd in GB on vault, 5th in GB on floor, and 3rd in England on floor. Well done Bella on these brilliant results!

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PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION Send your submission to photocomp@dorothy-stringer.co.uk by Friday 2 May 2025 Enter as many categories as you like, maximum 3 photos per category.

Photos must be high quality. Please mark each entry with your name and the category you are entering it in.

Winning entries will receive a prize and your photos will be featured on our website, social media and printed communications including the Stringer Press.

The categories are:

Black and White

Animals and Nature

Brighton & Hove

Colour

Shape and structu re

48 s e c a l p l a c i Mag

Upcoming Key dates key dates - Summer term Thursday 24 April - Year 8 Parents’ Evening - early closure 3pm Wednesday 14 May - Coffee morning for parents and carers dealing with emotionally based school avoidance Thursday 15 May - Year 7 & 8 student award ceremony Friday 16 May - Year 9 & 10 student award ceremony Friday 27 June - Inset day Monday 7 July - Sports Day Monday 7 July - Friday 11 July - Year 10 Work Experience Tuesday 8 July - Friday 11 July - Enrichment Week Wednesday 16 July - Footloose - School Musical Production Friday 18 July - School closes for Summer - early closure 12.30pm

Please click below to see our full parent calendar with further information about events.

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Positive feedback WHOLE SCHOOL CHRISTMAS FOOD BANK COLLECTION

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to send us feedback and kind words this term; it is always appreciated. We've been really delighted to receive some lovely feedback from parents and carers recently, so we thought we'd share some of the comments with you.

I just had to email you to say how wonderful the Dorothy Stringer Dance Show was last Saturday evening. Many congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to perform such a super show. We really appreciated the time it must have taken in practice and the superb choreography involved wow, we were speechless at such professionalism.

To the staff and students at Dorothy Stringer, just wanted to send a HUGE thank you for your super kind and generous donation to Hollingdean & Fiveways food bank! We were blown away by the amount you collected! It really boosted our stock hugely and every item of food you gave contributes to the work we do in changing lives and changing our community.

On my way home from work last Thursday I noticed four of your male students at the bus stop alongside a young mum with a baby in a buggy. As the bus arrived and the doors opened, all four students stepped out of the way letting the young mum with buggy go first, and asked her if she needed any help. I was so impressed and I thought I should let you know.

I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for the outstanding support and encouragement that has been provided for my daughter during her time at Dorothy Stringer. When my daughter joined the school, she was hesitant to try new activities due to her autism and severe anxiety. However, through the school’s swimming programme, she discovered a passion that has been truly life-changing. The positive impact swimming has had on her mental health is undeniable, and I firmly believe this has been made possible by the unwavering dedication of Mr. Gill and the incredible PE staff. Their patience, mentorship, and ability to introduce and integrate new team members gave my daughter the confidence as a new swimmer to participate in competitions, and even join the local swimming club, an opportunity that has significantly boosted her confidence and well-being. Thank you again for fostering such a supportive and inspiring environment.

If you would like to leave us any feedback please email office@dorothy-stringer.co.uk 50

Social media photos

Share Your News We are always interested in hearing about our students’ achievements outside of school as well, and would love to celebrate them in our termly news and on social accounts. Please share them with us by emailing communications@dorothy-stringer.co.uk.

Weekly News Updates Remember to keep an eye out for our weekly news update from the Headteacher in your email inbox! It can also be viewed by logging onto the SLG, where you will find it under ‘Newsletter’.

Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Instagram to keep up to date with current news, school events and student achievements.

@dorothystringerschool 51