Welcome 2025!

What a start to the year, with weather and travel disruption welcoming us back and starting the school year in a very unexpected way, particularly for some who were unable to get into school because of local conditions. We must thank our site team for ensuring our safety on school site but also a big thank you to all staff who were able to make their way into school in some difficult conditions, making sure we could be here for our children.

Whenever there are weather warnings we do rely on our social media channels and the website to get messages out to you all, and this event has also shown us how quickly things can change- so do please keep checking should further situations arise.

Given the cold this week, it is very timely for me to share the great news that due to careful planning and spending on essentials ( roof, boilers, windows, LED lighting etc) ENERGY CERTIFICATE RATING has improved from an E to a C rating!!! Which to be honest, is quite incredible considering the age of the building, and resources such as our swimming pool etc.

It just proves that sometimes you must spend to save! Thank you to all those involved in the securing of funding, the planning, the organisation and to all staff and pupils for putting up with building work over the past 2 years.

You may already have seen the published residential (social care) Ofsted report…

https://www.dawnhouseschool.org.uk/2025/01/03/dawn-house-residential-school-ofsted-judged-all-areas-as-good/

…which we are delighted about. During the inspection we were asked to share all of the things we were proud of since the last inspection, which developed into such a huge, school wide, list! Most of the things we identified as being proud of, are listed above with the ongoing improvements of the school site, car parking and buildings. We also celebrated the additions to school that we have been able to make through our Pupil Premium – additional art therapy, drama therapy, both of which, being nontalking psychological therapies, really support our children. We are proud of our holiday club offer (watch this space for more), our new gym, our success in achieving the Wellbeing Award for schools and our Makaton friendly award.

There is just so much more! A real highlight last year was also our whole school and 50th Birthday celebration events and having staff recognised with national awards.

So now we look ahead to 2025. This term includes:
– House events- with Arts and STEM themes (28.1.25 and 21.3.25)
– New Parents meeting- 31.1.25
– INSET Day for pre 16s – Monday 24th February- this is a conference day for post 16 students from DHS and other schools, more information to follow
– World Book Day- 6.3.25
– Robin Hoods Bay residential for Y12- 17.3.25
– Outdoor learning groups going climbing- 27.3.25 and 28.3.25

We also have a Bags for School clothing collection on Tuesday 25th February. You can have a good clear out over the half term holidays and send all of your ‘charity bags’ of clothes, shoes, bags, underwear etc in to school on the day to help us raise some money. The last collection raised £36! Every little helps!
Talking of fundraising, I should share that our Christmas fayre, raffle and other events in December, raised around £2000! That certainly is a record, so thank you for everyone’s input and support.

Save the date:
Parents day/Christmas Fayre 25/26 will be on Saturday 29th November, and the school will be closed on Monday 1st December

Wishing you all a warm weekend,
Jenny