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As a school we believe that pastoral support underpins the whole school community. Ensuring that every child matters and is valued is a focus for our newly established year based system. It is vital to ensure that every child can access a quality education.
Through our pastoral care we support students by working tirelessly to remove any barriers to learning. The positive relationship between children, parents, friends, the community and school is fundamental in developing a well-rounded member of society. We maintain high standards through our ‘Prepared for Success’ system and our core values; actively seeking to include our students in the promotion of a calm, successful, rewarding environment.
We have a committed Pastoral Team working across the school to offer targeted support to students in each year group. Each Year Team comprises of a Head and Deputy Head of Year, 8 Form Tutors (11 tutors in Year 11) and a Behaviour and Welfare Officer. Form Tutors are key to pastoral support and are a student and parents/carers first “port of call” for any concerns.
Our Heads of Year closely monitor and track the attendance, behaviour, achievement and well-being of all students within their care.
Please click on the drop-down box below to read a message from your Head of Year.
Welcome to Year 7
Moto: “Team work makes the dream work”
Message from Mr S Cooksey
Year 7 is an important time in any child’s secondary school education. The transition from primary to secondary school can be both an exciting and daunting experience. At Dormston we often have more than 25 schools in our new year intake, where parents and carers have selected Dormston as their preferred school of choice. This in itself is a massive positive for the school and it is an honour to welcome you all.
At Dormston we don’t take the transition from primary to secondary lightly and we want pupils to enjoy their time with us in a nurturing and supportive environment, where they can maximise their potential. Attendance and behaviour expectations are always at the forefront of everything we do in Year 7. We start immediately in honing skills that pupils will need throughout their time with us. These are notably instilled through our School Core Values of Effort, Knowledge, Respect, Responsibility and Resilience.
Year 7 students will always be encouraged to dream big and to display resilience to make the right choices and become the best version of themselves. The core skills instilled, will set them up for life, by being respectful, caring, responsible citizens in the community we live in.
As students settle into school life, we will hold targeted evenings for those pupils who may need some extra support or are finding the ‘Dormston way’ a little tricky. These meetings allow us to find solutions to any concerns we might have, as well as allowing us to celebrate successes. The Year 10 Executive Student Leadership Team will also support Year 7 pupils by carrying out peer mentoring to support pupils as they settle in to secondary school life.
All parents/carers will get the opportunity to speak to their child’s subject teachers later in the year at a parents’ evenings and will receive an annual school report.
The Year 7 team consists of 8 dynamic Form Tutors, who should be your first port of call if you or your child have any concerns or queries. This team is led by myself, Mrs Garrett, our Deputy Head of Year, and Miss Cooke our Behaviour and Welfare Officer.
Mr Cooksey
Head of Year 7
Welcome to Year 8
Message from Mr Wilkes
Motto: “Leaving Lasting Legacies”
Hello Year 8 students, parents/carers, and staff,
I am thrilled to introduce myself as the Head of Year 8 at Dormston School. As we embark on this exciting journey together, I want to share my vision and expectations for the year ahead.
Year 8 is a vitally important year. It is a time when students build on the foundations set in Year 7, establishing their standards, showcasing their abilities, and setting themselves up for future success. Our motto for this year is “Leaving Lasting Legacies” and I believe that each student has the potential to make a significant impact.
My expectations for Year 8 students are straightforward but essential: get the basics right. This means demonstrating good manners, working hard, showing resilience in the face of challenges, and embracing teamwork. These core values will not only help them succeed academically but also prepare them for the diverse opportunities and challenges life will present.
High aspirations are at the heart of our year. I encourage every student to strive for excellence in all they do. It is healthy to compete and to want to win, and I hope you will channel this spirit into both your academic endeavours and the various extra-curricular activities and house competitions we offer. Participation in these activities is not just about winning; it’s about building character, developing new skills, and learning the importance of perseverance and collaboration.
Together, we will make Year 8 a memorable and transformative year. Let’s work hard, support each other, and create a legacy that will inspire future students.
Students are supported by a brilliant Tutor Team, Deputy Year Leader, Mrs Lyman and myself as Year Leader.
Mr Wilkes
Head of Year 8
Welcome to Year 9
Message from Mrs Downie
Motto: “We are more than a ‘Year’ we are a ‘Family”
In Year 9 we are always striving to make the next day better than the last. We expect our students to be in school every day and put maximum effort into every lesson. Any time behaviour falls short of perfect, students can expect to be chased up and procedures put in place to rectify the situation. Resilience demonstrated by excellent attendance will be rewarded as attendance is the biggest factor in academic attainment and maintaining peer relationships. We aim to encourage maximum attendance to ensure the best outcomes for our students. When attendance falls short of expectations, then support will be put in place to allow families to work with school to gain the best for their child.
We are determined to be a successful year – aided by the fact that we care. Our motto is, ‘We are more than a ‘Year’ we are a ‘Family’, and this clearly shows how much we care about the safety, progress and happiness of our students. Students should feel proud to be part of year 9 and fostering a respectful, responsible relationship between peers and staff is our core aim to allow a successful cohort of pupils to flourish and achieve their maximum potential.
We aim to achieve excellent attendance and behaviour. This will be down to the dedication of our students and a commitment to be the best. Their successes will always be celebrated and any issues are always dealt with. Executive Student Leadership Team will provide extra support for Tutors and offer mentoring for younger students to encourage them to succeed at Dormston. Students are supported by a wonderful Tutor Team, Deputy Year Leader, Mr Richardson and Year Leader, Mrs Downie.
Mrs Downie
Head of Year 9
Welcome to Year 10
Message from Mr Amos
Motto: “Empowering minds to shape futures.”
As we embark on the Year 10 journey, we anticipate a challenging and rewarding year for our students. This academic year marks a significant milestone where the demands on our students will increase, encouraging them to achieve their full potential. Year 10 is pivotal, with students following a blend of core subjects and their chosen options, setting the stage for their future career paths.
Throughout Year 10, students will begin making important life choices that will shape their futures. These decisions will be supported and reinforced by our ethos of “empowering minds to shape futures,” along with our school’s five core values. We encourage Year 10 students to embrace each day with a proactive attitude – whether it’s overcoming a challenge, learning a new skill, or working towards their dream career.
This year, we will motivate our pupils to seize opportunities to become the very best version of themselves through dedication and hard work. This commitment is deeply valued by myself and my staff, as we strive to lead by example.
Our Year 10 Executive Student Leadership Team plays a vital role in ensuring a smooth transition from primary to secondary school and providing support for students facing various challenges, be it with homework, organisational skills, or social integration. We urge Year 10 students to show compassion and care for others as well as themselves and to always believe in their abilities.
By the end of the year, our goal is for students to progress into Year 11 not only with academic assurance but also with valuable life experiences, a positive outlook, and a sense of compassion for others.
Students are supported by a highly experienced Tutor Team, Deputy Year Leader, Mrs Williams, Behaviour and Welfare Officer Mrs Mansell, and myself.
Mr Amos
Head of Year 10
Working alongside the Year Teams is our SENDCO and three Designated Safeguarding Leads. Safeguarding and child protection are central to our Pastoral System as we believe only happy and safe students will truly reach their full potential.
Please see the safeguarding tab for a range of useful support and guidance for families and young people.