Dartmouth Academy Primary Phase Success at Rotary Youth Speaks Competition

The recent Rotary Youth Speaks competition, held at Stoke Fleming Village Hall, showcased impressive talent, confidence and commitment of pupils from local schools, as teams took to the stage to deliver researched and thought-provoking speeches on a range of topical issues. Pupils from Stoke Fleming Primary School and Blackawton Primary School also competed in the event.​​​​

We are delighted to share that our school enjoyed outstanding success on the evening. Our Junior 1 team, made up of Year 6 pupils: Mia-Rose M, Thea C and William H, were crowned winners with their compelling and well-argued speech on “A Social Media Ban for Children Under 16”. The team demonstrated excellent research, clear structure and confident delivery, impressing both judges and audience alike.

The success didn’t stop there. Members of our Junior 2 team were also recognised individually, with Oakley F awarded Best Overall Chairperson and Sienna S awarded Best Overall Speaker for their exceptional performances.  We were thoroughly impressed with the whole Junior 2 team whose speech was titled, "How useful is AI?" and would like to mention Evan C who delivered an excellent Vote of Thanks.

The Rotary Youth Speaks competition is designed to develop public speaking, teamwork and critical thinking skills and all pupils involved represented the school with maturity, enthusiasm and professionalism. We are incredibly proud of everyone who took part and congratulate them on their fantastic achievements.

We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Dartmouth Rotary Club Chairperson Robert Benns for organising and hosting this annual event, which continues to provide such a valuable opportunity for young people to develop their public speaking skills. We were honoured to have Dartmouth’s Mayor, Cllr Andrea Cates, on the judging panel and we are very grateful to the Rotary Club for their continued support and for generously donating book token prizes to all the winners.

Dartmouth Academy Primary Phase Success at Rotary Youth Speaks Competition The recent Rotary Youth Speaks competition, held at Stoke Fleming Village Hall, showcased impressive talent, confidence and commitment of pupils from local schools, as teams took to the stage to deliver researched and thought-provoking speeches on a range of topical issues. Pupils from Stoke Fleming Primary School and Blackawton Primary School also competed in the event.​​​​ We are delighted to share that our school enjoyed outstanding success on the evening. Our Junior 1 team, made up of Year 6 pupils: Mia-Rose M, Thea C and William H, were crowned winners with their compelling and well-argued speech on “A Social Media Ban for Children Under 16”. The team demonstrated excellent research, clear structure and confident delivery, impressing both judges and audience alike. The success didn’t stop there. Members of our Junior 2 team were also recognised individually, with Oakley F awarded Best Overall Chairperson and Sienna S awarded Best Overall Speaker for their exceptional performances.  We were thoroughly impressed with the whole Junior 2 team whose speech was titled, "How useful is AI?" and would like to mention Evan C who delivered an excellent Vote of Thanks. The Rotary Youth Speaks competition is designed to develop public speaking, teamwork and critical thinking skills and all pupils involved represented the school with maturity, enthusiasm and professionalism. We are incredibly proud of everyone who took part and congratulate them on their fantastic achievements. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Dartmouth Rotary Club Chairperson Robert Benns for organising and hosting this annual event, which continues to provide such a valuable opportunity for young people to develop their public speaking skills. We were honoured to have Dartmouth’s Mayor, Cllr Andrea Cates, on the judging panel and we are very grateful to the Rotary Club for their continued support and for generously donating book token prizes to all the winners.

We are thrilled to invite you ALL to our half termly School Support and Snacks event in the Cube on Thursday 29th January at 9am. This is a brilliant event for all of our families to attend, to allow you to access a wealth of information from a range of valuable professionals.

On the 29th Fiona Dawson will be doing a short input on the EHCP process. Following the inputs there will be the opportunity to speak to numerous organisation and enjoy a coffee and croissant!

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday 29th.

 

We are thrilled to invite you ALL to our half termly School Support and Snacks event in the Cube on Thursday 29th January at 9am. This is a brilliant event for all of our families to attend, to allow you to access a wealth of information from a range of valuable professionals. On the 29th Fiona Dawson will be doing a short input on the EHCP process. Following the inputs there will be the opportunity to speak to numerous organisation and enjoy a coffee and croissant! We look forward to seeing you on Thursday 29th.  

Young Eco-Champions Lead the Way in School Recycling Initiative

 

This month a group of pupils from Dartmouth Academy participated in an exciting ‘Waste Action Day’, aimed at improving recycling across the school. Working alongside Alex and Izzy from Resources Futures, the pupils reviewed the results of a recent recycling audit and discussed what actions were needed to make a real difference. 

The children then got creative, designing eye-catching bin labels and posters using scrap and best paper to clearly show where recycling should go and which materials belong in each bin. Pupils also collaborated to write an assembly script, learned a fun recycling song, and played an interactive game to deepen their understanding of why reducing, reusing, and recycling matters.

In the afternoon, the pupils confidently presented their assembly to the whole primary school, sharing what they had learned and demonstrating how everyone can recycle better. They highlighted the locations of recycling bins and explained how to use them correctly, ensuring that the message reached the entire school community.

Jennifer Tierney, Primary Principal at Dartmouth Academy, said:

“The enthusiasm and creativity our pupils showed during Waste Action Day was incredible. Not only have they helped improve our recycling systems, but they have also become true eco-champions, inspiring the whole school to take better care of the environment.”

Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West said:

"It’s fantastic to see our pupils taking the lead in protecting the environment. Waste Action Day not only teaches important lessons about recycling and sustainability, but it also empowers children to make a real difference in their school and community. Initiatives like this show the positive impact young people can have when given the tools and support to take action."

Young Eco-Champions Lead the Way in School Recycling Initiative   This month a group of pupils from Dartmouth Academy participated in an exciting ‘Waste Action Day’, aimed at improving recycling across the school. Working alongside Alex and Izzy from Resources Futures, the pupils reviewed the results of a recent recycling audit and discussed what actions were needed to make a real difference.  The children then got creative, designing eye-catching bin labels and posters using scrap and best paper to clearly show where recycling should go and which materials belong in each bin. Pupils also collaborated to write an assembly script, learned a fun recycling song, and played an interactive game to deepen their understanding of why reducing, reusing, and recycling matters. In the afternoon, the pupils confidently presented their assembly to the whole primary school, sharing what they had learned and demonstrating how everyone can recycle better. They highlighted the locations of recycling bins and explained how to use them correctly, ensuring that the message reached the entire school community. Jennifer Tierney, Primary Principal at Dartmouth Academy, said: “The enthusiasm and creativity our pupils showed during Waste Action Day was incredible. Not only have they helped improve our recycling systems, but they have also become true eco-champions, inspiring the whole school to take better care of the environment.” Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West said: "It’s fantastic to see our pupils taking the lead in protecting the environment. Waste Action Day not only teaches important lessons about recycling and sustainability, but it also empowers children to make a real difference in their school and community. Initiatives like this show the positive impact young people can have when given the tools and support to take action."

Dartmouth Academy Pupils Delight at Devon Cookery Competition

Pupils from Dartmouth Academy have been praised for their professionalism and teamwork after taking part in the Devon Local Final of the Springboard Cookery Competition this term.

The event, organised by The Springboard Charity, brought together young culinary talent from across the region. Dartmouth Academy competitors impressed organisers with their calm approach, efficiency in the kitchen and high standard of cookery throughout the challenge.

Rebecca Slade, Programme Delivery Manager at Springboard, shared her appreciation following the event. She said the students were a real credit to the school and noted how professionally they conducted themselves during the competition.

Mikey Passmore, who accompanied the students, expressed his pride in their performance and confirmed that the school will be presenting a personalised certificate to participants. 

The Springboard Charity works across the UK to support young people into careers in hospitality, leisure and tourism, offering events and opportunities designed to build confidence and employability skills.

Mikey Passmore, Head of Science at Dartmouth Academy, said:

“We are incredibly proud of the pupils for the way they represented Dartmouth Academy. Their hard work, confidence and maturity stood out on the day. We are grateful to Springboard for hosting such an inspiring event and we look forward to entering again next year.”

Matthew Shanks, CEO at Education South West said:

“Seeing our pupils thrive in such a high pressure environment is inspiring. Opportunities like this help them grow in confidence and discover new passions. We are proud of their achievements and delighted to see Dartmouth Academy represented so strongly in this regional competition.”

 

 

 

 

Dartmouth Academy Pupils Delight at Devon Cookery Competition Pupils from Dartmouth Academy have been praised for their professionalism and teamwork after taking part in the Devon Local Final of the Springboard Cookery Competition this term. The event, organised by The Springboard Charity, brought together young culinary talent from across the region. Dartmouth Academy competitors impressed organisers with their calm approach, efficiency in the kitchen and high standard of cookery throughout the challenge. Rebecca Slade, Programme Delivery Manager at Springboard, shared her appreciation following the event. She said the students were a real credit to the school and noted how professionally they conducted themselves during the competition. Mikey Passmore, who accompanied the students, expressed his pride in their performance and confirmed that the school will be presenting a personalised certificate to participants.  The Springboard Charity works across the UK to support young people into careers in hospitality, leisure and tourism, offering events and opportunities designed to build confidence and employability skills. Mikey Passmore, Head of Science at Dartmouth Academy, said: “We are incredibly proud of the pupils for the way they represented Dartmouth Academy. Their hard work, confidence and maturity stood out on the day. We are grateful to Springboard for hosting such an inspiring event and we look forward to entering again next year.” Matthew Shanks, CEO at Education South West said: “Seeing our pupils thrive in such a high pressure environment is inspiring. Opportunities like this help them grow in confidence and discover new passions. We are proud of their achievements and delighted to see Dartmouth Academy represented so strongly in this regional competition.”        

RAF Inspires Pupils During Special Assembly at Dartmouth Academy

 

Pupils from Dartmouth Academy enjoyed an inspiring visit from the Royal Air Force (RAF) this term during a special whole school assembly focused on leadership, teamwork and future career pathways.

Representatives from the RAF delivered an engaging presentation that explored the wide range of roles available within the organisation, from engineering and aviation to logistics, medicine and technical operations. They also shared real life stories from their own careers and spoke about the importance of resilience, problem solving and collaboration.

Staff said the visit offered pupils a valuable opportunity to learn about life in the armed forces and to ask questions directly to serving personnel. Many pupils commented on how much they enjoyed hearing first hand experiences and gaining insight into both the challenges and rewards of RAF careers.

The school plans to continue working with the RAF and other services to provide pupils with a rich range of career and enrichment experiences throughout the year.

Nicola Perrott, Assistant Principal at Dartmouth Academy, said:

“We are extremely grateful to the RAF for taking the time to come in and speak to our pupils. Their presentation was informative, motivating and packed with positive messages about aspiration and personal development. Experiences like this broaden our pupils’ horizons and help them think about the many exciting opportunities open to them after they leave school.”

Matthew Shanks, CEO at Education South West said:

“Visits like this play a vital role in opening young people’s eyes to the world beyond the classroom. The RAF team provided an engaging and informative session that encouraged pupils to think ambitiously about their futures. We are proud of how our pupils responded and grateful to the RAF for offering such a valuable and memorable experience.”

 

 

 

RAF Inspires Pupils During Special Assembly at Dartmouth Academy   Pupils from Dartmouth Academy enjoyed an inspiring visit from the Royal Air Force (RAF) this term during a special whole school assembly focused on leadership, teamwork and future career pathways. Representatives from the RAF delivered an engaging presentation that explored the wide range of roles available within the organisation, from engineering and aviation to logistics, medicine and technical operations. They also shared real life stories from their own careers and spoke about the importance of resilience, problem solving and collaboration. Staff said the visit offered pupils a valuable opportunity to learn about life in the armed forces and to ask questions directly to serving personnel. Many pupils commented on how much they enjoyed hearing first hand experiences and gaining insight into both the challenges and rewards of RAF careers. The school plans to continue working with the RAF and other services to provide pupils with a rich range of career and enrichment experiences throughout the year. Nicola Perrott, Assistant Principal at Dartmouth Academy, said: “We are extremely grateful to the RAF for taking the time to come in and speak to our pupils. Their presentation was informative, motivating and packed with positive messages about aspiration and personal development. Experiences like this broaden our pupils’ horizons and help them think about the many exciting opportunities open to them after they leave school.” Matthew Shanks, CEO at Education South West said: “Visits like this play a vital role in opening young people’s eyes to the world beyond the classroom. The RAF team provided an engaging and informative session that encouraged pupils to think ambitiously about their futures. We are proud of how our pupils responded and grateful to the RAF for offering such a valuable and memorable experience.”