Stringer Press
AUTUMN TERM
Message from Mr Hillier
Chair of Governors update
Year group highlights
Open evening
Update to our school video
Fundraising update
Staff half marathon
Antigone
Drama trips
DT - Laser cut Christmas decorations
Film Studies GCSE trip
English work
RS work
History work
Geography
Art
Photographers’ Gallery trip
Music department updates
Greenwich Royal Observatory trip
A Taste of Science
UK Bebras Challenge
PE and sporting news
Donatello Shield - primary school tournament
Green Flag Award
Eco-Code poster winner
Woodland working day
Secondary Schools for a Sustainable Future
School library update
Library bookmark competition
Culture Day and Show Racism the Red Card
Year 7 Clubs Fair
Transition awards
Duke of Edinburgh celebration
Lower school postcard design competition
Post-16 progression evening
Unifrog - work experience
Roedean Academy 2025 programme
Odd socks day
YMCA - Mental health champions
Student success
Alumni news
Upcoming events
Upcoming key dates
Positive feedback
Dorothy Stringer open evening
HEADTEACHER'S MESSAGE
MATT HILLIER
Message from Mr HillierHeadteacher
Dear Parents, Carers, Staff and Governors,
Welcome to our Autumn term Stringer Press
As we approach the end of the Autumn term, I would like to take this opportunity to reflec busy and successful term for our school community The last 13 weeks have been filled wi exceptional opportunities and I am incredibly proud of all the students and staff for their achievements.
This term, our students have excelled in a variety of areas, with Maths Challenges, the Stringer General Knowledge Quiz, as well as fantastic sporting successes We have seen many of our teams perform exceptionally well, with notable achievements in Rugby with our team continuing their form in National cups and demonstrating both talent and teamwork.
Students have also been busy rehearsing for the upcoming drama production of Antigone, and we are excited to showcase the hard work and creativity of our talented performers at this event next term Looking even further ahead, this term students have chosen their activities for Enrichment Week in the Summer term, when we will also be holding our first musical in many years, and I know many students are looking forward to taking part in this extravaganza.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to our parent community for your continued support Your involvement in school life, whether through attending fixtures, parent evenings, supporting fundraising events, or simply keeping in touch with the tutors, plays a crucial role in creating a positive and thriving environment for all here at Stringer.
We are delighted too that with your support, we have been able to purchase our much-needed new minibus, which will arrive next term We are grateful to our parent fundraising group, the Stringer Supporters, for their help with this. In addition, thanks to a referral from a parent who works for Toyota, we have been able to apply through their charitable fund for an additional vehicle as well. Keep your eyes peeled for our new upcoming fundraising drives next year, and please do get in touch if you or your employer can offer support for the school in any way
As we break for the holidays, I hope you are all able to rest and recharge with friends and family. We look forward to welcoming our students back in the new year, ready for the exciting opportunities and challenges of the Spring term.
Wishing you and your families a merry Christmas, and a peaceful and joyful new year
Kind regards,
Matt Hillier Headteacher
Dorothy Stringer open evening
Update from Bridget TaylorChair of Governors
In the last issue of the Stringer Press in July I wrote about the Council’s proposals on f g schools in the city. This issue appears to have been “parked” this term as the Council focus their activity on changes to admission arrangements to address falling pupil numbers and create the conditions for greater equality of outcomes across the city’s schools
As many of you will be aware, an initial engagement exercise was held with three options for future catchment areas and some proposed changes to school admission numbers and criteria. Our Governing Board discussed the proposed catchment area changes at length but felt that without more detail it would be difficult to provide meaningful feedback We have previously considered reducing our Pupil Admission Numbers (PAN) from 330 to 300 as our numbers have grown over the years with a detrimental impact on the operation of the school, due to the limitations of the site. We are therefore supporting the proposed reduction of our PAN to 300 from 2026/27 and are confident that we can offset the loss of funding.
The Council has now published a revised option for changes to our catchment area. Matt Hillier and I recently met with the Parent Support Group (PSG), set up in response to these proposals, to discuss their analysis of the impact of these changes on the school. Governors have formed a small working group to consider this issue and will be holding an additional meeting in January to finalise our response to the consultation, which we will share with parents and carers. The consultation exercise is open to all and can be found via the Council’s ‘Your Voice’ portal - click here to go to it. We encourage you to share your views
At our Board meeting on 2nd December, we considered some ideas about changing the way in which we manage behaviour in the school as the current system of sanctions is not working effectively for students and staff. We heard about a programme called Reset which is being operated in other schools, that takes a more restorative approach, and we will be reviewing this approach again next term.
James Bennett, one of our Parent Governors has been replaced by Emma Hill this term. We thank James for his contribution and welcome Emma to the Board.
Season’s Greetings to you all.
Bridget Taylor Chair of Governors
Yeargroup highlights - Autumn Term
Year 11
Year 11 students have demonstrated exceptional dedication and focus throughout the first term of this pivotal year. They recently completed their mock exams with great diligence, following instructions carefully and making the most of the feedback they received to help support them in preparation for their GCSEs Their commitment reflects both resilience and a clear academic drive Many have already visited colleges and submitted their applications, showing maturity and responsibility as they plan for their post-16 education.
The students have also embraced revision and extra-curricular activities, attending sessions to enhance their skills and participating in clubs, which has many benefits as well as helping them to earn prom points! Year 11 made a strong impression during Culture Day, contributing food, ideas, and clothing that celebrated their diverse backgrounds. With college applications in hand and a term full of positive achievements, Year 11 students have made a flying start – well done all!
Ms DeBrun, Mx King and Ms Smith
Year 10
What a start to Key Stage Four it has been for our Year 10 students. Over the past three months, 29% of the year group have improved their Attitude to Learning (ATL) scores since Year 9 - a testament to their hard work and growing maturity
This maturity has been evident since September, accompanied by a greater sense of respect and responsibility. While there’s still room for growth, their effort so far has been excellent.
A highlight this term has been our fortnightly celebrations, recognising achievements such as improved ATL, commitment to form time, and contributions to school life These celebrations underline the many ways in which students can excel, and the value of their unique skills and attitudes
Year 10’s extracurricular achievements have also been impressive, from successes in the national cup for boys’ football to preparations for the school play and music concerts, their dedication to a variety of creative and athletic pursuits is truly impressive The girls’ football team has also made a fantastic restart, and many students contributed to events like Open Evening and Culture Day Their enthusiasm is inspiring, and I encourage you to share any additional successes your child achieves outside school.
Of course, when working with 300 plus adolescents, there are still areas for improvement, such as punctuality, which remains a key focus, but the progress made this term has been highly encouraging, and I’m confident it will continue
Working with such a vibrant year group is a privilege. Well done Year 10!
I wish you all a lovely Christmas.
Mr Haddington and Ms Dodds
Yeargroup highlights - Autumn Term
Year 9
It has been wonderful to see our Year 9s settle in so well this year. They are a dedicated group, making great progress and embodying our values of Creativity, Resilience, and Respect. Their maturity and sense of purpose are evident, and they continue to be positive role models for younger students
We know school life is not always easy for everyone, and we encourage our Year 9s to use the support of the Pastoral Team if they need it, talking to their tutor, Miss Alderson or myself about any concerns or worries. We are always happy to help.
Most students have adapted well to their new timetables, especially enjoying their practical subjects The next key milestone is selecting their GCSE options, which will be the focus after the break.
Looking ahead, please note that you can check upcoming events on our Parent Calendar via the SLG homepage.
Throughout this term, we ’ ve celebrated students’ achievements, with many receiving recognition for creativity, resilience, and respect. We’ve also enjoyed our regular Cake Day, where tutors nominate students for their positive contributions.
Well done, Year 9! I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a wonderful start to 2025.
Mr Shilladay and Ms Alderson
Year 8
As we approach the end of term and 2024, I want to highlight the fantastic start Year 8 has had It has been a pleasure working with such a talented year group, full of potential!
It’s been wonderful to see so many students demonstrate our core values of Creativity, Resilience, and Respect, both in their learning and through extracurricular activities
A few key achievements include:
40,313 achievement points across Year 8 (at the time of writing)
72 students receiving a Head of Year certificate
Nearly 170 students taking part in the Robbie Fitzgibbon Stringer Run, despite the wind and snow!
Celebration assemblies have been a highlight, with students showing great pride in their tutor groups. A big thank you to the Year 8 students who featured in our new school video – we hope they enjoyed the experience!
We look forward to seeing the year group continue to represent the school in clubs, sports, music, drama, and art next term
Wishing you all a restful break, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for another successful term. Merry Christmas!
Miss Leszniwskyj and Mr Harvey
Yeargroup highlights - Autumn Term
Year 7
What a fantastic first term Year 7 have had! They made an excellent start during their two transition days, embracing our school values of Creativity, Resilience, and Respect, and quickly adapted to navigating the school site and meeting their new teachers The clubs fair was buzzing with excitement as students signed up for various extracurricular activities, and our new sports teams have already seen success.
The CATS assessments weren’t easy, but the Year 7s handled them well and behaved brilliantly. The results have helped staff tailor learning to best support the cohort
It was heartwarming to see so many students representing the school at Open Evening, offering advice to Year 6s and showing how well they had settled in. All Year 7s successfully passed their transition half-term and received a certificate and achievement points from Assistant Head Mr Knott. Year 7 also shone on Culture Day, celebrating diversity and wearing red to stand against racism. They continued to show their empathy by participating in Odd Socks Day during Anti-Bullying Week to raise awareness of bullying
As the term ends, with a snow flurry falling over the traditional Stringer Run, where 170 students braved the cold to run a 2-kilometre course, with our fastest completing it in under 9 minutes!
I look forward to welcoming Year 7 back in the New Year, ready for more exciting adventures, including our highly anticipated Dolawen trips.
Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a wonderful 2025!
Miss Poole and Ms Parmar
Open evening
Thank you to all our students who helped showcase the school during our annual Open Evening, and to everyone who supported them.
The students involved were so enthusiastic about sharing their enthusiasm for their experiences here at Stringer and the subjects they are enjoying studying. It was especially heartwarming to see our new Year 7s excitedly showing Year 6 families around the school, proudly telling them how much they already feel part of our community.
Special thanks go to our Head Students Cassidy, Emma, Kit, and Iona and our two Year 7s, Rory and Martha, who made confident and heartfelt speeches to prospective students and parents, alongside Mr. Hillier. Thank you for representing the school so wonderfully.
Dorothy Stringer open evening
Update to our school video
This term, we welcomed a film crew to update our school video and capture life at Dorothy Stringer.
A big thank you to all the students and staff involved! We believe the video beautifully showcases the breadth of our curriculum and highlights the exceptional pastoral care we provide. Our school dog, Broccoli, even made her debut appearance!
click here to view our school video
Fundraising update
t a students with exciting opportunities and experiences.
We’re also very excited to share that as well as a minibus, we have also been successful in our application to receive an electric 9-seater vehicle from Toyota as part of their Community Loan Vehicle Programme! We’d like to thank the parent who very kindly nominated us for this programme – the vehicle will be an incredibly useful addition to our fleet.
Our new vehicles will be with us in the new year; we look forward to sharing a further update with you once we have taken delivery of them.
Christmas fundraising
This term we once again ran our annual foodbank collection with all donations going to the Hollingdean and Fiveways foodbank. We'd like to thank our school community for their generous donations; the foodbank were incredibly grateful for our donations and we had a great time delivering the items and helping to sort them
Well done to our Senior Students who did a great job of delivering boxes to form groups and helping out with the delivery of items. A big thank you as well to our drivers, Mr Brown and Mr Kipling, who helped us to load the minibuses and transport the goods.
Fundraising update
As well as collecting for a local foodbank, on the last day of term we also held a non-uniform day in support of The Clocktower Sanctuary, a local charity supporting young people experiencing homelessness. It was great to see everyone in their festive outfits and we look forward to sharing how much we raised in the new year
Dorothy Stringer School Fund donations
We would like to remind parents that you can set up a regular donation to the Dorothy Stringer School Fund, which supports our extra-curricular provision and enables us to support families facing financial difficulties. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a significant difference and helps us make our school inclusive for our whole school community. You can download our Gift Aid Form here and return it to Sarah Norris, Finance Manager at sarah.norris@dorothy-stringer.co.uk. Alternatively, you can donate to The Dorothy Stringer School Fund via the PayPal link on our Fundraising page
Fundraising in 2025
We have big plans for 2025, including new fundraising initiatives and the return of our famous Comedy Night on Friday 28 March! Keep your eyes peeled for more information and tickets in the new year.
A big thank you to parents who have nominated us for charitable donations through their workplaces this year If this is something the company you work for offers, please do get in touch about donating through our registered charity, the Dorothy Stringer School Fund.
We’re also keen to grow our team of Stringer Supporters who have been doing a brilliant job of supporting our campaigns and events – if you ’ re interested in getting involved, please contact us at communications@dorothy-stringer co uk
Staff half marathon
Dorothy Stringer Staff Team running the Brighton Half Marathon for Dolawen Trust and MIND charities
Our staff team are lacing up their running shoes and taking on the challenge of the Brighton half marathon to raise funds for two causes close to our hearts: Dolawen Outdoor Activity Centre, The Dolawen Trust and the mental health charity MIND
Supporting the Dolawen Trust - Donate to Dolawen here
Dolawen, the school's outdoor education centre, is nestled on a working farm in the breathtaking Snowdonia National Park in North Wales For years, it has been a transformative destination for students, offering activities like mountain walking, abseiling, canoeing, and gorge walking Hundreds of students, regardless of their background, have had the chance to explore, grow, and challenge themselves in this incredible setting. However, Dolawen is in urgent need of updates and renovations to ensure it remains a safe and inspiring space for future generations. Donations raised through this half marathon effort will help preserve the centre and continue to provide students with these life-changing experiences
Supporting MIND – Donate to MIND here
In addition to supporting Dolawen, the team will also be running in memory of Robbie Fitzgibbon, an exStringer student and talented athlete. Donations will go to MIND, a mental health charity close to the hearts of many in the school community
Mental health awareness is a significant focus at Dorothy Stringer, and the staff’s decision to support MIND reflects their commitment to this important cause. By raising funds, they hope to honour Robbie’s memory and contribute to vital resources and support systems for those in need. The Dorothy Stringer staff team would love you to get involved, whether by donating to the fundraisers by using the links above, sharing them with others, or cheering them on during the half marathon! Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference
ANTIGONE - Drama department production
DOROTHY STRINGER DRAMA ARE PROUD TO PRESENT ANTIGONE.
Modern -day Thebes, hours after the end of a bloody civil war. A new leader trying to establish new laws and calm. A dead brother, declared a traitor and left on the roadside to rot. And a sister, Antigone, single-mindedly determined to do what's right and bury her brother. But in honouring the gods and her brother, Antigone defies her uncle's new laws and has to live with the consequences.
In a contemporary re-imagining of this classic Greek tragedy, we explore sharply relevant themes of authority, family, love and responsibility.
Rehearsals have been in full flow this term, with the cast even turning up through Mock Week. Students have really shown resilience and respect throughout and we can’t wait to see all their hard work come together.
Tickets will be available soon; details on how to purchase will be sent out in our weekly news update and the SLG.
Drama trips
In October, the Drama department and Year 10 drama students travelled to the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton to witness the awe-inspiring War Horse on stage. All 62 of our students were captivated by the live theatre production. A first visit to this incredible venue and certainly not the last!
Just before we broke up this term, we took a group of Year 7 and 8 students to see Ballet Shoes at The National Theatre, London. The show is a spectacular re-imagining of Noel Streatfeild’s novel about three adopted sisters with big ambitions. This was a wonderful experience, and we thoroughly enjoyed the day.
DT - Laser cut Christmas decorations
Mr. Russell set a competition for his Year 9 Design and Technology class to create unique designs for laser-cut acrylic Christmas tree decorations Using a computer program, students mapped out their designs digitally, and then submitted their final creations. After carefully selecting the best designs, the DT teachers and Year 9 class used a 3D printer to turn these into festive decorations for our school Christmas trees that we can reuse for years to come.
A huge thank you to everyone who submitted their creative ideas, and congratulations to the competition winners!
Film Studies GCSE trip
In September, the Year 11 GCSE Film Studies students went on a four-day filmmaking retreat to Dolawen, Snowdonia. The purpose of the trip was for each of the 26 students to shoot their own individual short film – which will eventually be worth 30% of their final GCSE.
As well as being responsible for all the aspects of filmmaking (they’re editing them at the moment), they also acted in each other’s movies. Each day they had to find their locations, set up their shots, and then work with their cast and crew to create a film. The students were amazing and, from what I've seen so far, the films are looking to be some of the best GCSE films ever made here at ‘Stringer Studios’!
In a few months, keep an eye out for details on where and when you will be able to see the finished films!
English work
Audrey F, in Year 10, has demonstrated incredible creativity with her latest project inspired by Macbeth. Her work for Mr. Sillery's English classroom has captivated everyone with its extraordinary attention to detail and thoughtful execution. Among her creations are representations of Marley and Lady Macbeth, both intricately designed to embody the essence of their characters.
Mr. Sillery couldn’t be more impressed by Audrey’s dedication and artistic skill, and her contributions have added an exciting and thought-provoking dimension to the classroom. The effort and imagination she put into these works are amazing!
Last half term, Ms Uren’s class were studying how writers raise tension and the short story genre. As part of this work, her Year 9 group were asked to plan, write and design a dystopian graphic novel for home learning. The results were stunning.
English work
RS - Jewish festival of Hanukkah
Currently in Year 8 RS, students are learning about different religious festivals. This leads to an assessment on the commercialisation of religious festivals and whether some may have lost their religious meaning.
Students have been learning about the Jewish festival of Hanukkah – the story behind it and the celebrations. In class, they have been having some festival fun, playing “spin the dreidel”.
Hanukkah this year starts on Wednesday 25th Dec and lasts for 8 nights.
History department
Year 7 have been studying the Norman conquest this term in History under the enquiry question of ‘Can William I be seen as a dictator?’ Students have unpacked William’s controversial leadership but also studied one of his major successes, castle building Students have designed and built their own Motte and Bailey as part of a competition. Some of the entries are seen here.
KS3 Geography
This term our KS3 Geographers have been studying a wide array of topics, from Map Skills in Year 7, Weather and Climate in Year 8, to Tectonics in Year 9 Students have been getting creative in class by using playdough to model contours, completing an in-school fieldwork based on microclimates, and at home they have been working on a series of independent projects to demonstrate and consolidate their learning.
Year 7 have been making contour models of Greenal Island- a cross curricular project with Drama where they have learned about Greenal island through working on "Two Islands" by Ivan Gantschev
Year 8 delivered some brilliant Weather and Climate projects with some students making board games, posters and sundials.
In Year 9 some students showed off their culinary skills by baking volcano cakes which they were kind enough to share in class, others wrote fictional accounts of eruptions and created posters. Thanks so much to all the parents and carers who supported students with these projects, we hope you also learned something along the way!
Art classes folder
Year7havegotofftoastrongstartlookingatPatterninnature,alsocreatingcollagestoexploresymmetry androtation.Theirshellstudiesincludedblinddrawing,usingacontinuouslineandexploringshading.
Year10havebeenusingacrylicpaintintheirstudiesrespondingtoartistSarahGraham,aphotorealism artistknownforhernostalgicimagesofchildhood.
Year11AmazingcourseworkprogressinGraphicsandTextilessketchbooks.
Photographers’ Gallery trip
A group of 29 Year 10 students visited the stunning exhibitions of two female photographers, collage maker Deborah Turbeville & Sicilian photo journalist Letizia Battaglia.
Music department - Carol Concert
TheMusicDepartmentwereproudtohostthefirstconcertofthisyearattheendofterm.TheannualCarol ConcertwelcomedfriendsandfamilyfromtheStringercommunitytocomeinfromthecoldforanightof festivemusic.Theeveningshowcasedtheamazingmusicalityofourstudentsandwasourbiggestyet, thankstoariseinnumbersatourextracurricularclubs.Therewereover80studentsinvolvedintheChoir, BigBandandsmallerensembleperformances.
ThisyearweopenedtheconcertbycandlelightwithourYear7soloistDelilahOsmondsingingOnceInRoyal David’sCity.TheothertraditionalhymnsandcarolswereinterspersedwithChristmashitsperformedby ChoirandBigBand,likeRockingRobin,SantaClauseisComingtoTownand,thestafffavourite,Fairytaleof NewYork.AlsoaspecialwelldonegoestoLailaHelmywhotookonthetraditionalYear11soloforInThe BleakMidwinter.
Theaudienceweretreatedtosomebrilliantbandperformances,allorganisedandrehearsedbythestudents themselves.ParticularwelldonetoMillie,Ella,Louis,George,Ted,Conor,Daniel,Eddie,Esme,Sadie,Layla, Isla,Lily,Ella,Cici,LolaandMaiwenn,whoallacedtheirauditionstograboneofthecovetedspots.
Music department - upcoming events
Wearereallylookingforwardtotherestofourmusicalyear.We’repleasedtoannounceourSpringConcert willtakeplaceonThursday3Aprilandwillbethemed‘Backtothe80s’,aschosenbyourstudents.
Wearealsoexcitedtoannouncethat,forthefirsttimeinmanyyears,DorothyStringerwillbeputtingona musicalinplaceofourSummerConcertthisyear.AftermuchdebatewehavesettledonFootlooseand cannotwaittobringthisproduction’sinfectiousenergytotheStringerstage.AuditionswillbeinJanuary–keepaneyeontheMusicdepartmentwhiteboardformoreinformationcomingsoonifyou’rekeentoget involved!
Greenwich Royal Observatory trip - Science
The Science Department took 60 Year 10 students to the Greenwich Royal Observatory on the 4th of November. The objective of the trip was to gain a greater understanding of our Sun and the Universe. The trip was of great use to those students studying triple science and those students with a particular interest in astronomy
On the day, students had a workshop on studying sunlight, where they had a brief lecture on how astronomers analyse sunlight and view its spectrum (the light coming from the sun). The spectrum is used to find out many things, including the sun ’ s composition of gases, its temperature, and is also used to classify the sun into category of a star type
The group also had a planetarium show where they were given a talk on the Solar System and the galaxy. The show also had a question-and-answer session where some interesting and well thought out questions were asked.
The group stopped for lunch and then had chance to have a look around the exhibits of the Greenwich Observatory with some historical artifacts, including Harrisons clocks and the old telescopes used before the light pollution in London stopped them being useful. older
A Taste of Science
On Thursday 10th October the Science department hosted an evening of Science learning for Year 7 parents and carers. They were thrown into our science labs to brush up on their key chemistry knowledge and experience a lesson just as their children do.
Those who attended felt the evening was beneficial to help them to support their children with home learning and to access the online platforms we use in our Science teaching.
Watch this space for future learningopportunities for the wider Stringer community!
UK Bebras Challenge
The UK Bebras Challenge, organised by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in partnership with the University of Oxford, is a nationwide event designed to inspire logical thinking and problem-solving in young people aged 6–19. Taking place each November under the supervision of teachers, the challenge is conducted online. Participants have 45 minutes to complete a series of interactive tasks tailored to their age group, with automatic marking by the competition system.
This year, our students excelled in the challenge, with three students achieving a perfect score and an impressive total of 34 students placing in the top 10% nationally, earning them the prestigious Gold Award certificate These high achievers have also secured an invitation to the next stage of the competition
Below are the results for each year group:
Year 7
Gold Award – Top 10% nationally Distinction – Top 25% of the school Merit – Top 50% of the school Top Performers:
Joint 1st Place: Jonas J, Lukas J, and Leon M, all achieving the maximum score of 220 2nd Place: Madeleine C, with a fantastic score of 214 In total, 21 students from Year 7 earned the Gold Award certificate
Year 8
Gold Award – Top 10% nationally Distinction – Top 25% of the school Merit – Top 50% of the school Top Performers:
1st Place: Wynne BW, with an impressive score of 214. 2nd Place: Sonny NM, with a score of 204. 3r
In tota A mas proble und!
PE and sporting news
Mr Gill, Head of PE
As always, the PE department are delighted to have such high levels of student participation in the PE and Dance extracurricular activities. It has been another successful term, with an increase in opportunities for students to get involved in. As well as the usual clubs such as Football, Netball, Rugby, Trampolining, Dance, Basketball, Table Tennis, Badminton and Swimming, we are pleased to now offer an Indoor Cricket Nets club, and a new Strength and Conditioning club, run by FMG Project Please do ask your PE teacher for more information on these
Whether students participate in clubs for pure enjoyment or for competition and to be able to represent the school, there is something for everyone Thank you to all our students who regularly support our extra-curricular provision and those who represent the school
Netball
It has been great to kick off the netball season in such a positive way! Huge numbers of students turn up weekly, showing their commitment to the sport and the school, resulting in a lot of games played The season kicked off with Year 9 and Year 11 netball tournaments, with both teams ending up being placed 4th, whereas other year groups have begun their seasons with league games
It has been great to see lots of Year 7s take to the court, allowing us both an A and a B side The Year 8 team have started strong, with some new faces involved, which we hope will continue into next term A special mention is deserved for the Year 10 team, who have had a flying start to their season with some of their results being 20-13, 13-10 and 19-6 wins! Next term the district league will continue and there will be tournaments for the remaining teams We are also especially looking forward to the annual Year 11 Vs Staff netball fixture before Easter New joiners are always welcome –please check the PE extra-curricular timetable or ask your PE teacher for more information
Football
We are extremely fortunate at Stringer that the girls’ football club is so well supported by students It has been great to see new faces attend club and integrate these into our already established teams We have also established an exciting new partnership with the Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation who will be running the girls’ extra-curricular club from the New Year
The U12 Girls team have made a strong start to their time at Stringer. They sit 2nd in the Brighton League, having beaten PACA 4-3, and have made it to the semi-finals of the County Cup to play The Forest School after Christmas. We wish them all the best in their semi-final - an impressive first season!
The U13 Girls had a difficult start to the year, being knocked out of the ESFA National Cup after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Warden Park and suffering another defeat to Varndean 2-1 in the League. However, they bounced back and remain in the County Cup after wins against Peacehaven CC and The Forest School. We are due to host Steyning in Round 3 after the Christmas break.
PE and sporting news
Mr Gill, Head of PE
The U14 Girls have already played 7 fixtures They currently sit mid table in the Brighton league, having won 2 and lost 2 of their games. They are however, in the semi-final of the District Cup and play Varndean in the New Year. The girls made it to Round 3 of the County Cup but were unfortunately beaten by a strong St Pauls team.
With many of the U16 Girls playing their last competitive football for Dorothy Stringer, it was decided that they would be entered into the ESFA National Cup. A dominant performance in Round 2 (winning 12-0) saw them play Shoreham Academy in the next round. A competitive game saw Stringer lead at half time but they were unable to hold on and the game ended in a 6-3 defeat. They are still in the Brighton District Cup and await Cardinal Newman in the quarter finals.
Year 7 Boys football has been well attended this term with over 100 different students coming to play. We have had five Year 7A team games, winning 3, drawing 1 and losing in the County Cup to a strong Patcham side. We are in the semifinal of the District Cup and have been developing well as a team The Year 7B team have had three games so far this year and shown great promise in them all They won their District Cup tie 3-2 against PACA and although they have lost their 2 league games to date, they have both been competitive with many students performing well and looking to break into the A team
Year 8 Boys have seen lots of new faces at training and club has been well attended The team transition to 11-a-side this year The Year 8A team have had an exciting start to the year, and sit 4th in the Brighton League, with more games to come in the New Year They were unfortunately knocked out in the 2nd Round of the County Cup but remain in the District Cup which concludes in the Spring The Year 8B team have had a disappointing start to the year with many of their games postponed by other teams However, this does mean they have plenty of games to come next term
Year 9 Boys football has been regularly attended by over 40 students, despite the switch to early morning training With fewer teams in the league this year we have played 4 games so far, winning 1, drawing 1 and losing 2 (one on penalties) We already have League, Cup and friendly games booked in for after the Christmas break and are looking forward to getting going again
Having won the County Cup, District Cup and League treble last season, the Year 10 Boys are keen to defend their titles as well as continue to progress individually and as a squad On the back of last year’s success, they have been entered into the ESFA National Cup Competition Numbers at training remain high, competition for places is fierce and over 30 different students have represented the team this year The boys recently played The Regis School in Round 4 of the National Cup, a terrific team display and 4 goals from Junior M meant that Stringer won 6-1 and progress to the last 64 of the competition, with an away trip to Southampton just before Christmas In the County Cup, a tightly fought contest against Newman at home unfortunately resulted in elimination on penalties The team remain unbeaten in the Brighton League with impressive performances against Cardinal Newman and PACA The boys are on track for another successful season
PE and sporting news
Mr Gill, Head of PE
The Year 11 Boys have completed 2024 in great form and have won the Brighton Schools FA League title, completing the season undefeated They will travel to Weydon School, Farnham in the last 64 of the ESFA National Cup after a 1-0 victory over Steyning Grammar School With over 350 teams entering the competition, this is a great effort They remain in the Sussex Schools County Cup and will play Durrington School for a place in the quarter final The boys have become a tight knit group during their time at Dorothy Stringer and regularly turn out at 7 30am on a Wednesday. We are truly fortunate to have such a successful Year11 football team who have also fostered such a wonderful team spirit. They are a credit to themselves, their families and the school.
Basketball
It has been great to offer Basketball as an extra-curricular club to students again this year Clubs at all ages have been well attended by boys and girls, and the creation of the Brighton Schools Tournaments for students to compete in has been welcomed The U12 team recently played in a 3v3 Tournament at PACA, some excellent team play and some skilful individual play from Fox R meant that Stringer finished 2nd There has also been a Tournament and a friendly fixture at home vs Varndean for the U14s, having been knocked out in the quarter finals The U16s have put in two very competitive displays in friendly fixtures against Cardinal Newman and Varndean, beating Newman 91-75 and Varndean 57-52 Special mention to Huxley M and Joseph A who have made standout performances in these fixtures Massive thanks to Brighton Cougars and coach Nick for running all of our Basketball provision
Rugby Union
It has been great to see so many enthusiastic Year 7 and 8 students taking part in rugby clubs training, and fantastic to see new faces represent the Year 9, 10 and 11 teams this year The Year 7 team played their first competitive rugby in friendlies against Patcham and Varndean this term With many students new to the sport, they nonetheless worked well as a team and implemented many of the skills practised in training Both games resulted in a Stringer win, with standout performances from Oscar B, Enzo Y and Murdo B
The Year 8 team looked to build on last year’s successes and remain unbeaten There have been over 10 new faces to training, so competition for places is now fierce with over 25 boys representing the team this year Their County Cup title defence saw them drawn again against Cardinal Newman and Brighton College In impressive defensive displays they beat Newman 10-0 and Brighton College 30-0 and progress to the next rounds after Christmas We have also had friendly fixtures against Patcham, Warden Park and Blatchington Mill, great opportunities for new players to learn the sport. The boys’ entry into the Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s competition is now confirmed and we look forward to taking part in March.
The Year 9 team have made a competitive start to their season. They opened with friendly games against Patcham and Varndean, resulting in a draw and a win and then travelled to Shoreham Academy to play their first County Cup. The game ended in defeat, but they still have Patcham and Lewes Priory to play in the group stages.
PE and sporting news
Mr Gill, Head of PE
The Year 10 team have had a frustrating start to the year with many of their fixtures being postponed due to weather and waterlogged pitches They have however started their County Cup title defence with a competitive 29-20 victory against Uckfield CC They will complete their pool matches after Christmas Well done to George H, Eddie B, Stanley T-W, Haydn P and Freddie K who have made the step up to support the Year 11 team this year
The Year 11 team have made an impressive start to the year remaining unbeaten at Christmas. They topped their pool in the County Cup with wins against Shoreham Academy and Hazelwick and we wait to find out who we will play in the next round after Christmas.
We are looking to grow and develop Girls Rugby in the New Year. We have a number of friendly contact and non-contact fixtures lined up for next half term, and there are also regular Brighton Schools Tournaments for us to enter. Girls Rugby club is on a Tuesday after school and is welcoming newcomers.
Rugby League
Last year, the Year 8 boys’ team were introduced to Rugby League, which led to them winning the Southern Schools Rugby League 9s competition, a fantastic achievement. As a result, this year they have been entered into the Champions School Rugby League Cup, a national competition The Sussex round saw them beat Lewes Priory and Cardinal Newman and progress to the London and Southeast Regional competition in London A tough day of competition against schools like John Fisher, Langley Boys and Verulam, but some excellent team defence and some individual brilliance in attack see the team qualify for the Southeast final in February The winners of this will represent the Southeast in the National Cup Come on STRINGER!!
Dance
Preparations for the annual Stringer Dance Show at Brighton Dome are well underway Dance clubs have been well attended before school, at lunchtimes and after school Students have had the chance to participate in a range of genres and styles and are excited about being able to perform their pieces on stage at the Dome in March A big thank you to our amazing Dance Captains who continue to support the clubs and help to develop the skills of the younger students throughout the school
Table Tennis
Table tennis club has been well attended since the start of the year, especially by students in KS3 We are extremely fortunate at Stringer to have very talented Girls and Boys Table Tennis teams Our U13 Girls team, Olive S, Makia G and Leila S and our U16 Boys team, Angus P-T, Ryan G, Finley A, Hamza G and Daniel S have both won the Brighton Schools Finals and East Sussex Finals and so progress to the Regional Finals in Southampton in January Can they go all the way this year and make it to the National Finals in Wolverhampton? Good luck to both teams!
PE and sporting news
Mr Gill, Head of PE
Swimming
Many new students have joined the swimming clubs this term, either to improve their water confidence and their technique, or to train to represent one of our swim teams There are levels of competition for everybody, organised galas with local schools, National Swimming Competitions and The Swimming Super League After the success of last year’s SSL, the league has grown to 20 schools The team have competed well in the first 2 rounds of competition, with 2 further rounds in the New Year and a finals day at the K2 to follow in the Spring Special mentions to Leo M, Murray D and Georgie C who have all won races this year
Athletics
The athletics season starts with Cross Country and our boys’ and girls' cross-country teams have again put in some strong individual and team performances at the English Schools Cross Country Cup. Round 1 is held at Waterhall each year and all our teams gave a strong account of themselves, with special mention to Stella G, who won the Junior Girls race, and our Junior Girls Team who qualified 1st for the regional rounds in Tonbridge. The team of Stella G, Lyra J, Amelie B, Amelia D, Florence R and Millie-Joyce W ran superbly well on the day, and although they didn't qualify for the next round, they placed 6th out of 22 schools. A fantastic achievement!
The Year 7 and 8 Athletic teams have also taken part in the Brighton and Hove Indoor Athletics competition at BACA this term. The students take part in different running, jumping, and throwing disciplines. This year the Year 7 Girls finished 2nd and the Year 7 Boys 3rd, while the Year 8 Girls finished 3rd and the Year 8 Boys finished 1st by a huge 22 points The boys progress to the Sussex Finals next year where they will represent Brighton and Hove Good luck and well done to all involved!
November saw the annual Stringer Run take place, a 2km cross country course set up around the school grounds This year the run was renamed, The Robbie Fitzgibbon Stringer Run, in honour of ex Dorothy Stringer student and GB athlete Robbie Fitzgibbon who sadly passed away earlier this year Over 300 Year 7 and 8 students took part this year in the SNOW, perfect conditions for Cross Country! The 2024 winners from Year 7 were Matthew R and Amelia D and Year 8 winners were Jack B and Stella G All who took part will accumulate points towards the Inter House competition and a chance to win the Addis Shield
All in all, it has been a fantastic term of PE and extra-curricular sport and dance continue to support our extra-curricular programme, the PE department hope to l b i h S i
Donatello Shield - primary school tournament
We were delighted to welcome four local primary schools into school this term to participate in the first ever Dorothy Stringer Donatello Shield! We held football and netball tournaments simultaneously, with the highest scoring school across both sports being awarded the shield. We were so impressed by the skills and sportsmanship on display from all students from Balfour, Downs, St Luke’s, and Stanford primary schools and we hope that they all had a great time. It was an incredibly close competition, with Stanford taking home the shield on goal difference!
Well done to everyone who took part. A huge thank you as well to our PE department and our KS4 Sports Leaders for running the event, and to Donatello for their generous sponsorship.
Green Flag Award - 25 Years!
We are so pleased to share that we have once again been awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award! This means that we have now held this award for an incredible 25 years.
Eco-Schools were very impressed by our staff and students’ commitment to environmental issues and said the following:
It is evident that young people in your school are aware of environmental issues and passionate about protecting our planet - your large Eco-Committee, 24 members in total, clearly demonstrates this. Your Eco-Committee has thoughtfully considered how their EcoSchools activities can involve and benefit their entire community and we truly appreciate this ambition to create a whole-school movement.
Your curriculum links come from various year groups and subject areas, they are good examples of innovative and engaging environmental education. We loved reading through the PowerPoint, ‘Wicked Writers’ and particularly liked the phrase, ‘Be the Change’. The PowerPoint, ‘Environmental work‘ showcases your work on classification, sustainability, and cork wall insulation – some amazing topics.
We like how your Eco-Committee used their school newsletter to involve the broader school community in their environmental initiatives, sharing their expertise and encouraging schoolmates and their families to live more sustainably. Delivering an assembly about their work will have taken a lot of courage, so especially well done for doing so.
The most significant success of your Eco-Schools’ was working with other secondary schools across the city to create a campaign to get all the Headteachers to sign up for a set of commitments that all secondary schools aim for. Your presentation to the Town Hall councillors is impressive and far-reaching. Your Eco-Code is a motivational direct call to action for protecting our planet. We loved the lines, ‘Do the research, there is no excuse for not knowing’. Our team has thoroughly enjoyed reviewing your application and learning about your Eco-Schools journey this year. We recognize your efforts with an Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction Award, 2024. Keep up the fantastic work and continue to create positive impacts.
Well done to Mr Sandercock and the eco-committee for their continued commitment to driving positive change at Dorothy Stringer!
Environmental Sustainability – Dorothy Stringer School
ECO-CODE poster winner
Congratulations to Kofi, Year 11, for winning our Eco Code poster competition Kofi designed this poster which is proudly displayed around school and encourages staff and students to consider their environmental impact and eco-behaviour. Well done, Kofi!
Woodland working day
Thank you to everyone that came along to help manage the woodland on Saturday 12 October. We successfully coppiced one large Hazel stool. This is the third time this one has been coppiced; it was done in 2001, 2012 and now in 2024. The wood has been used to make fence posts The smaller branches have been woven in and the larger bits were taken home for firewood This process opens up a small part of the woodland for a few years which encourages all sorts of other wildlife. Birds like to have the safety of the surrounding trees so they can hop out into the new clearing which is warmer and attracts insects
Secondary Schools for a Sustainable Future
We are delighted to be part of the Secondary Schools for a Sustainable Future programme along with 5 other secondary schools in Brighton. Last year we successfully campaigned to get our Head teachers to agree to the following pledges This autumn we had a student conference where we learnt about the challenges we face in terms of energy use and the opportunities for us to reduce our energy consumption, which not only helps the planet but saves the school money as well. This term we have been carrying out a number of activities monitoring classroom temperatures, energy consumption of specific appliances and trying to get students and staff to remember to turn things off on events like Power Down Friday
School library update
We have had a wonderful, busy term in the library, with lots of upper school students using the revision guides available to help them prepare for mock exams Our reading ‘book nook’ has never been busier, and many students have enjoyed the Hallowe’en and Christmas collections we have on offer. Our Christmas bookmark competition was a big success, and the winner and runners up will have their designs turned into bookmarks, available to all students in the library.
Our ePlatform audiobook collection was launched this term,and a growing number of staff and students have been accessing this at home. The link is available to students on the webpage and the ePlatform app can be downloaded to any smart device. Students need only their school email to log in and access the thousands of audiobooks on offer.
Perhaps the biggest change that is taking place this year will be how our library books are organised. The library prefects have been busy assigning genre labels to each book in order to rearrange our collection by genre After much research, we think this way of organising the fiction books will allow more students easier access to our collection and will make it even easier for everyone to find a book they would like to read for pleasure.
Library bookmark competition
Here are the wonderful winners of this year ’ s Christmas bookmark competition! We were thrilled to see so many incredible entries showcasing amazing creativity. The selection process was no easy task, as the library prefects and Ms. Bowen had to make some tough decisions among such fantastic submissions.
A huge congratulations to the overall winner, Angelica from Year 7, who wowed everyone with her outstanding design. As a reward, Angelica has earned the Young Adult book of her choice —enjoy your early Christmas gift from the Stringer library! Well done, Angelica!
In addition to our winner, we’d like to give a special shout-out to our talented runners-up, Hema I and Leena E, for their beautiful entries. Amazing work, everyone!
WINNER:
Angelica I RUNNERS-UP:
Hema I
Leena E
Congratulations to all the participants for your brilliant creativity.
Culture Day and Show Racism the Red Card
We enjoyed celebrating our school’s rich diversity and ethos of inclusion at our second annual Culture Day/Wear Red Day, dedicated to honouring our rich cultural diversity. The idea for this day originated from Year 10 and 11 students, whose voices sparked a movement for better representation and understanding within the school. Inspired by successful events in other schools, we designed our Culture Day to foster understanding, respect, and connection through fashion, music, and food. It has since become a cherished tradition in schools across Brighton & Hove, each adding its own unique touch
To make this day even more impactful, our Culture Day has been aligned with Wear Red Day, a national campaign supporting the anti-racist charity Show Racism the Red Card. Founded in 1996, SRtRC’s mission is to combat racism by equipping young people and adults with the knowledge and tools to challenge discrimination and foster equality The charity uses the power of football and other sports as a platform to spread its message, working with professional athletes, educators, and activists to deliver workshops, training, and resources. This campaign sends a clear and united message: racism has no place in our schools, communities, or society.
On the day, the school transformed into a vibrant hub of celebration, buzzing with a wide array of activities. The Music Department organised a samba band, which brought an amazing atmosphere during break. Adding to the fun, our Dorothy Stringer Bake-Off was a hit, with students and staff showcasing their baking skills, and the RS Department created posters that highlighted diverse cultural celebrations from around the world, which were displayed around the school.
The Art Department printed “Choose Love” on red T-shirts, symbolising unity and inclusion. KS4 students attended workshops led by community professionals to provide an inspirational learning experience for our students. The aim was to broaden their understanding and celebrate the achievements of Black and racially minoritised communities in our city.
The highlight was our Culture Day/Wear Red Day fashion show This delightful parade of students and staff strutting their stuff on the catwalk, ran alongside a series of organised activities and our food stall where students and staff had brought in a dish to share. It was so wonderful to see the many ways the colour red was incorporated into outfits and to see the array of traditional attire.
It was a day to remember, a fantastic way to celebrate our school community’s rich diversity Well done to all involved!
Culture Day and Show Racism the Red Card
Year 7 Clubs Fair and extra curricular timetable
InSeptember,weheldourannualClubsFair.
TheClubsFairgivesourYear7studentsthechancetoexploreall theextracurricularactivitiesweoffer,talktostudentswhoare alreadyinvolved,andsignupforanyclubsthatcatchtheir interest.
Extracurricularclubsareagreatwayforstudentstotrynew hobbies,learnnewskills,andmakenewfriends–andtheyareall free!
Parentsandcarersarewelcometoattendsportsfixturesheldat school,butpleasecanweaskthatyousigninatreception(if arrivingonsitebefore4.30pm)forsafeguardingreasons.
YoucanviewallourextracurricularclubsontheSLG.
Transition awards
Starting at secondary school can be quite daunting, which is why during the first six weeks of the year, our Year 7 students took part in a Transition Award. The purpose of this award is to help students throw themselves into life at secondary school and it looks at our school values, lessons and extra-curricular activities (to name a few).
Over the first half term, students completed activities as a form group as well as collecting sign offs from various teachers to evidence them participating in activities around the school and embracing our three school values: Creativity, Resilience and Respect
Feedback from our Year 7s about the Transition Award has been really positive, for the majority of students it seems to have helped them settle in and feel part of the school community really quickly. Some of their comments are below.
At the end of the half term, all students were awarded with a certificate, achievement points and a congratulatory email home The year group celebrated their success in form time and should be really proud of their efforts so far this year. Well done, Year 7!
Thank you to the Year 7 form tutors and pastoral team for all their support over this transition period.
Year 7 transition quotes
‘‘I got lots of achievement points, which made me feel good.”
“The peer mentors were really helpful when I started at Dorothy Stringer.”
“I have made lots of new friends.”
‘‘There is always a teacher around to help me, especially when I need to find new lessons.”
“My teachers were very helpful and kind.”
“I have really enjoyed learning new things!”
Duke of Edinburgh celebration
Congratulations to some of our Year 10 students who were awarded their Bronze DofE Award this week during a special tutor time celebration. These students have worked incredibly hard and managed to complete the whole award within one academic year, which is a great achievement. The award involves 4 key areas: Volunteering, learning or developing a new Skill, challenging yourself with a Physical activity, and of course, completing an Expedition.
The Duke of Edinburgh award is a life-changing adventure for young people, and it helps them develop skills for their future life and work. We are really proud of the commitment and determination our students have shown whilst undertaking each part of the award. They have really demonstrated the creativity, resilience and respect we strive for here at Stringer!
Well done to all those students who received their award We know there are many others who are close to finishing too and we will hold another celebration ceremony in the Spring Term.
Lower school postcard design competition
Ourteamofjudgeshadaverydifficultjobshortlistingandselectingthewinnersfromthemanyfabulously creativeentries.ThewinningdesignsallclearlydisplayedourschoolvaluesofCreativity,Resilienceand Respect.
Welldonetoallwhoenteredandcongratulationstoourfinalists(DannyB-F,NdanaL,SilasW,LoisB,Albert L,CleoM,EvaD,andErikaA),whosedesignswillallbemadeintorewardpostcards–hopefullyyouwillbe receivingoneofthemnextyear!MissFrenchandMrHillierwereveryimpressedwiththeirdesigns,which areondisplayinschool.
Youcanseealltheshortlistedentriesbelowandontheoppositepage.
Post-16 progression evening
Each year, we invite representatives from multiple Post-16 establishments into our school for an informal evening at which students, parents and carers can circulate between information stalls to ask questions, face-to-face, about the different options available to students after leaving Stringer.
This is an important event for Year 11 students as they make decisions about their futures. The evening was very well attended by both students and their parents/carers and there was a real buzz in the air.
Providers such as BHASVIC, Varndean College and MET were all present, but we also had some contributors who joined us for the first time, e.g. SUPAJAM and Lagoon Sports.
Students left with lots to think about, and the Colleges were already impressed with our students. A successful evening – thanks to Mrs Lloyd and Mrs Shevlin for coordinating the event, and to all involved!
UniFrog - work experience
We use UniFrog to manage our work experience programme. On Wednesday 2 October, we sent an email, with a link, asking you to enter information about your Year 10 work experience placement. This must be completed by 3 January 2025. This video explains the process: https://www.unifrog.org/placement/guides/how-to-use-the-placements-tool
Any questions please email: Mrs Taylor-Beale and Ms Shevlin at workexperience@dorothystringer.co.uk
Whats is Unifrog?
Unifrog for students - Unifrog is designed to help students make informed decisions about their future and has a range of tools that are suitable for all year groups. Via the platform, students can explore all the career and next step options available to them and find information on everything from managing their workload to writing a winning CV
Unifrog for parents and carers - Parents and carers can also have their own Unifrog account. Use the sign-up code DRSSparents to sign up here: www.unifrog.org/code. You’ll be able to research careers, attend webinars delivered by employers and universities to learn more about their opportunities, and compare pathways so you can support your child in making an informed decision about their next steps. Should you wish, you can also use the platform to explore career opportunities for yourself as well as updating your CV. You can also sign-up for regular updates from Unifrog if you want.
Roedean Academy 2025 programme
We have been offered an opportunity for 16 students in Year 10 to attend some after school enrichment sessions at Roedean School. These sessions will cover topics from a range of different academic fields which fall outside the school curriculum. Students had the opportunity to sign up to this course earlier in the term.
The Roedean Academy runs on Tuesday afternoons from 4-6pm and is free of charge.
We look forward to hearing all about what the students get up to at Roedean and hope they will enjoy this fantastic opportunity!
Odd-socks day
Anti-bulling Week and Odd Socks Day
On Tuesday, 12 November, Dorothy Stringer participated in the Anti-Bullying Alliance ‘Odd Socks Day’ as part of national Anti-Bullying Week Students and staff were encouraged to wear odd socks to show their support and stand up against bullying behaviour. Anti-Bullying Week 2024 took place from 11- 15 November, with the theme ‘Choose Respect.’ It was coordinated by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, which is part of the leading children’s charity, the National Children’s Bureau.
Useful links:
Anti-bullying information for parents: https://gateway.dorothy-stringer.co.uk/DSHS/Shared_Pages/Pages/Bullying.aspx https://dorothy-stringer.co.uk/anti-bulling/
How to report bullying at Dorothy Stringer: https://gateway.dorothy-stringer.co.uk/DSHS/Student/Pages/Report Incident.aspx
Student wellbeing information: https://gateway.dorothy-stringer.co.uk/DSHS/Shared_Pages/Pages/Student_Wellbeing.aspx
Dorothy Stringer School Anti-Bullying Policy
dorothy-stringer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Anti-Bullying-Policy-2022-2025.pdf
YMCA - Mental health champions
Some of our Year 10 students are currently taking part in a fantastic initiative to help improve our mental health support at school. Working with the YMCA, they have actively participated in workshops and designed surveys to gauge where we are as a school and looking at what tangible, practical changes we can make to help our students. The students have grasped this opportunity, giving lots of hard work and feedback to each session.
I’m really hopeful we can enact some positive changes that will help the lives of students, both for now and for the future.
Student success
Well done to Rudy who took part in the CIMAC Superleague National Kickboxing earlier this term. Rudy travelled to Wycombe to take part in the competition, stepping up to a higher age category of 16-18 year-olds and winning the tournament!
Rudy is now the current national champion of this age category and took home a lovely gold medal. Well done, Rudy!
Well done to Lara who ran in the 800m at the SEAA South of England Championships back in August! Lara qualified from her heat to run in the final and took home a silver medal, running a great race and coming second by just 0.5s.
Well done, Lara!
Congratulations to Jaiten B who has qualified for England indoor athletics national championships, we look forward to hearing about how you get on.
Alumni news
We were delighted to see former student Yusra and current student Lema appear in the Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation Magazine this summer.
Congratulations to former student Archie who has been part of Rugby Canada’s U18 Development camp. Archie made his match debut for Canada back in August, beating the USA!
Key dates
Upcoming key dates
Monday 6 January - Start of Spring Term
Thursday 9 January - Year 11 Parents’ Evening - early closure 3pm
Monday 13 January - Year 11 Parent Help your child prepare for GCSEs webinar
Thursday 16 January - Year 9 Options Evening
Thursday 23 January - Year 9 Parents’ Evening - early closure 3pm
Wednesday 29 January - Coffee morning for parents and careers of students with ASC
Wednesday 29 January - Saturday 1 February - Tickets released in January
Please click below to see our full parent calendar with further information about events.
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 was stopped by a parent yesterday evening during “parents evening” who wanted to tell me about an incident that had occurred just off Loder Road earlier that evening Three of our students had witnessed the collapse of an elderly gentleman in the street All three Stringer male students had rushed to assist the fallen adult doing everything they could to help him and make sure that he was OK The lady who had witnessed the incident had been completely overwhelmed by the empathy and caring attitude exhibited by the three boys.
The students we talked to were engaging and confident and our overall impression of Dorothy Stringer was excellent.
My daughter is fortunate to be surrounded by such fantastic teachers at Stringer, it has, and will make, a significant impact on who she is, her learning outcomes and what she goes on to do in her life.
I wanted to send this email, as I really would like you to pass on my heartfelt gratitude to one of your wonderful students-unfortunately I don’t know his name!
My daughter accidentally dropped my phone out of the car and didn’t notice, but one of your fantastic students found it, and did everything he could to get it back to me He recorded a video, he took the time to write a note to leave with the phone etc
What he didn’t know at the time was the horrendous week I’d had, this felt like the icing on the cake but he has restored my faith in humanity
I hope this message reaches him and his family-they should be very proud of the integrity and tenacity of their very capable son who is an absolute credit to them!
So thank you very much to this lad, his family and to Dorothy Stringer-a combined effort makes for a fantastic member of society!
If you would like to leave us any feedback please email office@dorothy-stringer.co.uk
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 Socials
Follow us on socials to keep up to date with current news, school events and student achievements.
