Summer 19 Residential
9 Students, 3 staff, 2 countries, lots of fun, very little sleep…
Beamish, Berwick, Edinburgh, Holy Island… Dooddle-do, that was fun!
Jerry Green Dog Rescue Centre Visits 2018/2019
For the best part of a year, Martina Martin from Jerry Green Dog Rescue in Nottinghamshire, has been kindly visiting our Friday Dog Care option group to share her knowledge and experience of dogs and the working life of a centre manager. Her visits are always interesting and enlightening – today we learned how dog owners’ behaviours can influence their dogs’ behaviours, how to refine a dog’s recall performance and what you can learn from a dog by looking at its poops!
Gryff, our resident school therapy dog – and an ex-Jerry Green rescue dog – is always a topic of conversation, and it was lovely to hear Martina talk about how she has seen Gryff develop over the months since we have had him. Martina also commented on just how knowledgeable the Dog Care students (6 of them in total) have become since studying for their Professional Dog Walker qualification this year. The group are genuinely passionate about dogs and work really hard to develop their understanding dogs and their behaviours.
So, thank you Martina, well done Dog Care students and of course, ‘good boy’ Gryff… you deserve a tasty treat or two for your progress this year.
Derrymount Industry Day, 2018
What a success!
It may have been the first time we’d organised and hosted a careers / industry event as such, but boy was it successful!
The aim of the event was to provide a friendly and non-threatening SEN-specific experience during which the students attending could:
- Find out about local colleges and the courses they offer
- Learn what apprenticeships are and what opportunities might be available for them locally
- Learn more about different ‘career pathways’ there might be in the public sector
- Meet with local companies, such as Sainsbury’s, to find out about work experience and volunteering opportunities
- Learn from parents/others connected with DMS about their jobs and professions e.g. midwifery, nursing
- Mix and interact with other young people from other Nottinghamshire SEN schools
Not only did the Derrymount students enjoy the event, we were delighted to have groups visit from three other SEN schools.
The feedback we got from everyone (exhibitors and attendees) was very positive – it was just the right kind of event (and environment) for students to receive expert career guidance and advice as part of their broader ‘Preparing for Adulthood’ work that takes place in school.
Thank you to everyone who contributed towards the success of the event – especially the students that came round with scrummy school-baked buns 🙂
Now, enjoy some photos taken on the day!
Just another day in Adventure School
The power of the outdoors
One cannot under estimate the power of the outdoors.
Picture this: a sunny Autumnal day, a bunch of students who prefer being outdoors doing practical things to being indoors sat still, a school therapy dog who also prefers being outdoors, staff who again also prefer being outside, and an outdoor space that is an exciting and stimulating natural learning space. Add to the mix an opportunity for students to get ‘hands on’ to further develop this learning space to make it even better (as part of their DofE work), plus the opportunity to show responsibility, trust and the chance to demonstrate their abilities to work with others to prepare for, light and manage a small fire; and you have the perfect educational scenario:
- students intrinsically motivated to work collaboratively
- a stimulating learning space
- enthusiastic learning facilitators
- and … well, a therapy dog that quite simply just needs a trim.
You could call it the ‘perfect storm’ for a successful timetabled option where students who need outdoor time get their fix and soak in the therapeutic benefits as much as the vitamin D they get from being outdoors.
Maybe not bums on seats (in the traditional sense), but certainly smiles on faces 🙂
DMS Industry Day
Derrymount’s Industry Day is being held on Wednesday 28th November between 1.30 – 4.30.
We will have a host of visiting colleges, professionals and experts on hand to give up-to-date information and advice. It’s the ideal time for parents, carers and students to find out about the options available at Post 16 and beyond.
Please come along for some or all of this event.
For more information please ring the school on 0115 9675020.
DofE at Gets Up-and-running at Derrymount
DMS Duke of Edinburgh programme
Andrew and I are really pleased that that a number of students have persevered in a determined way towards achieving the DofE Bronze Award – which is no mean feat! Actually, at the time of writing, our first practice expedition is only a few days away and the first batch of DMS participants students will hopefully graduate in time before they leave.
Our second group will take their practice in July and final expedition in September, with a view of graduating before the end of this year’s DofE season.
We’re really proud of all of the students that have taken part this year and really hope to take more students through their Bronze and a group of 2nd year AS/DofE students through the Silver Award during our next academic year.
With the above in mind, we must say a massive THANK YOU to Jackie Bull at DofE Central for helping us secure some important funds to help us get our DofE (and Adventure School) programme up and running. Not only have we been able to purchase the kit we need to run the DofE programme, we have also been able to develop our Adventure School into a key part of DMS; DofE and AS provide valuable opportunities for our young people to get outside, get active and see and reach the potential that is within them (which is sometimes buried and needs uncovering).
Below are a few images of the students organising our kit, and wrestling with one of our expedition shelters when 8 of them were trying to get inside 🙂
Thanks again to everyone involved with this term’s Adventure School, particularly Go Outdoors and DofE Central for helping with kit.
The DofE future at DMS is up, but shhhhh… not too much rejoicing – it might upset the neighbour.
Adventure School update
Thanks to our new tent stove (bought with funds from DofE Central), we have a warm and less smokey environment – with an extended covered area – that will help us keep working outdoors during the colder months.
Already enjoying the benefits
A lunchtime visit from students from our junior site resulted in smiles all round: archery, some moving of bark chippings, relaxing in the hammocks and bellies full of hot dogs all helped create a very enjoyable lunchtime for all. Speaking of dogs, Gryff played his part too.
Bronze DofE (final expedition)
With the rescheduled second group of Duke of Edinburgh final less that a week away we would like to wish all the students good luck in completing this monumental task and that we hope the weather stays great for you, and as a reminder that this will take place on 18th & 19th September.
For the parents and carers of the young people please find below copies of all the letters that have been sent home with the young people. If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Mr Tuckwood or Mr Meek.
DofE Bronze Final Itinerary
All timings are subject to change throughout the day dependant on how well group are doing and other external factors.
Tuesday 18th September 2018
09:00 Arrive at school
09:15 Leave School in Minibus
10:15 Arrive at Carpark at Mining Low (Derbyshire)
10:30 Begin Expedition
AT & SB to walk with Group, TM to meet at checkpoint throughout the day
17:00 Arrive at campsite (Rivendale Campsite)
- Set up tents
- Cook food
- Debrief on Day
- Relax & Sleep (Pupils may contact parents if they wish too)
Wednesday 19th September 2018
07:30 Wakeup call
- Cook Breakfast
- Pack rucksacks
- Drop and pack away tents
- Brief for the day
09:00 Leave Campsite
AT & SB to walk with Group, (If the group have performed well on the Tuesday then AT & SB will drop back and supervision will become close rather than Direct.) TM to meet at checkpoint throughout the day (If the group performs well whilst in close supervision they will complete the last section of the Tissington trail with remote supervision.
16:00 Arrive at finish point (Tissington Trail Carpark)
16:15 Set off for school – Pupils to contact parents once on way home to let them know ETA
17:15 Arrive back at school (Time subject to change)
EXPEDITION KIT LIST
Clothing
- 1 pair of walking boots (broken in)
- 2 pairs of walking socks
- 1 to wear 1 as a spare
- 2 t-shirts
- 1 to wear 1 as spare
- Thermal t-shirt (optional)
- 1 fleece tops or jumper
- 2 walking trousers (warm, NOT jeans)
- 1 to wear 1 as spare
- Underwear
- 1 change of
- Nightwear
- Flipflops/trainers/sandals etc (optional for camp site use)
- Warm hat &/or sunhat (as appropriate)
- 1 pair gloves (if appropriate)
- 1 pair shorts (if appropriate)
- Waterproof over-trousers
- Jacket/coat (waterproof & windproof)
Personal kit
- Rucksack liner (or 2 strong plastic bags)
- Sleeping bag (School can provide)
- Torch (handheld or head torch and spare batteries)
- Personal first aid kit
- Expedition food
- Lunch time meals for both days and and any snacks wanted for the day time and evening
- Water bottle
- At least 2 litres of water (several small bottles okay)
- Knife, fork, spoon
- Plate/bowl
- Mug
- Wash kit/personal hygiene items (some items could be shared as a group)
- Sunblock (if appropriate)
- Towel
Adventure School – ready for a new academic year
DIY Adventure School improvements
In preparation for the autumn and winter (hard to imagine during the amazing run of weather we’ve had this summer), we decided to make a few adjustments to the Adventure School layout; nothing major but hopefully the tweaks will make a difference.
1. ‘Dry area’ extension
We’ve moved the spare frame we had in the old AS area up to our new base, and used it to extend the covered over area by the fire pit. We used a tarpaulin and some canvas scraps to try and give us increased cover and protection: we needed to improvise with a bucket (see if you can spot why and how in the photograph).
2. Removed the fire pit!
Yes, that’s right the fire pit has gone – well, not gone… just moved.
3. Added a wood burning camping stove and chimney
Yay, we’re so excited by this. We used the old tiles from the fire pit to create a base for a new stove and chimney, which will mean:
- No more smoke in the eyes (or on the clothes) – well, not as much as before anyway!
- The stove will give off a lot of heat ensuring we’ll be snug and warm all through the winter (that’s the plan at least)
- Hot water will be a lot more readily available
- We’ll be able to cook outdoors more easily
We have more DIY planned going forwards, as well as developing the wider space that we have to work with – but that will be the job of the DofE group as this is their volunteering project.
End of update!
DMS DofE group complete their Bronze award
Well done, lads!
It’s really exciting to be able to share the news that Derrymount’s first ever DofE group has completed the DofE Bronze Award. We are all so proud of the group of four lads who were part of this amazing achievement.
Just waiting for official sign off from Nottinghamshire.
More details coming soon!