HEADTEACHER'S KEY MESSAGES

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope this message finds you well. It's been another busy and exciting start to the half term, filled with celebrations, achievements, and moments of joy that truly highlight the spirit of our community.

This week, we’ve been celebrating World Book Day, and I couldn’t be more proud of how our students embraced the joy of reading. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and it was a pleasure to see so many of them engage with the visiting author in our lovely library. It’s wonderful to see their passion for books shining brightly across the school.

We’ve also been reflecting on International Women’s Day, a time to honour the incredible women who have shaped our world. I’m fortunate to have four vibrant and inspiring sisters, and I had the opportunity to share my own story with our students through DG News at tutor time. It was a special moment to celebrate women’s achievements together.

Our celebrations this week also included Ramadan, and it has been truly heartwarming to see our students come together in a spirit of respect and support for those who are observing this important time of fasting, reflection, and community. Through our shared learning and understanding, we have fostered a greater appreciation for one another’s cultures and beliefs.

One of the highlights of this week was the amazing dance performance by our Y7 and 8 students at Catford Broadway. Their performance was a beautiful display of talent, teamwork, and dedication, and we couldn’t be prouder of their hard work and creativity.

Our students also had the wonderful opportunity to take part in an art workshop at Cockpit Arts, where they worked alongside professional artists to explore new techniques and express their creativity. It was a truly inspiring experience that allowed them to connect with the arts in a meaningful way.

Mr. Ramsay has been busy with Debate Mate, where our students have been developing their speaking and critical thinking skills. We are also excited to continue celebrating the Jack Petchey awards, which recognise the outstanding achievements of our students in so many areas of school life.

Last week was Careers Week, and Ms Nembhard organized a range of fantastic activities. One standout moment was the Corporate Finance workshop targeted at girls, which received such positive feedback from the workshop providers. It’s always wonderful to hear how our students are making such a great impression. Here's just one piece of feedback we received:

“I have just returned from your school after supporting my team in delivering a workshop on a career in Corporate Finance. I wanted to write immediately to say what a pleasure it was meeting your students. They were courteous, engaging, and smart – it was a real privilege to see them in action. They have very bright futures ahead. From an outside perspective, this visit was exceptional, and it’s a testament to the calibre of your entire team and pupils.”

Finally, we came together to celebrate the incredible contributions of our previous Headteacher, Mr. Mark Phillips. We held an emotional memorial and renamed our school library in his honour. His dedication, passion, and lasting impact on our school community will never be forgotten.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We are so proud of the progress and spirit our students continue to show, and we look forward to sharing more exciting updates with you in the near future.

Warm regards,

Emma Thurston

WORLD BOOK DAY / READING WEEK

For Reading Week, students in Y7 & Y8 after returning books, renewing or changing them, then took part in a fun Kahoot challenge. There was a lot of shouting out answers and competition in action! Great to see our students excited about books and their characters! Keep it up everyone!

On World Book Day which was on Thursday 6th March, students named their favourite books and stuck it on our tree outside the library. Lots of fun was had seeing who could jump to get their sticky note highest! I was totally relieved there were no broken noses!

Also on WBD we were very lucky to have Graham Whitlock back with us. Graham has written an exciting and factually dense series of books called The Crystal Palace Chronicles. They are, as the name suggests, based on the history of Crystal Palace and involve time travel and are a real thrill of a ride! Truly exciting and interesting. Students were genuinely engaged and fascinated as Graham told them many different local facts from the past.

Graham was with us all day. He was in the library for lessons and was around chatting to students in both the breaks and the lunchtimes. He was a very easy-to-please visitor who loved a bit of school dinners, especially the cake and custard!

Graham said:

"Thanks for your very kind words (I thanked Graham for being with us all day!) and for hosting such a wonderful day. I sincerely love hanging out in your library and can very much appreciate why everyone else does too!"

After lunch Mr Ramsay got in on the act! A bit of celebrity photo-bombing! During period 4, my book clubbers interviewed Graham for a podcast which we will release soon.

All in all we had a wonderful day. Thank you Graham for being such a wonderful visitor and author and for giving our students such a fascinating glimpse into the past. They loved you! Thank you too, to all our fantastically well-behaved and engaged students... you did us proud!

If you want to order any of Graham's books, please see below:

Join teenager Joe on a page-turning rollercoaster mystery travelling back
in time to the heyday of Victorian Crystal Palace, the world’s first theme park.
“A fantastic time-travel adventure.”
Waterstones
?????
Graham Whitlock, author of The Crystal Palace Chronicles will be visiting the school on
Thursday 6 March, World Book Day, bring the past to life and chat about being an author.
You can get books for £8 (usually £8.99) or
the 4-book series for £30, plus a free bookmark & poster.
You can purchase them directly from Graham who will deliver your book to school for you to collect – just complete this order form and email to
graham@grahamwhitlock.com

Orders can be paid for via Paypal using graham@grahamwhitlock.com, or BACS to Graham Whitlock
a/c 74915805 or 608371. As a reference, please put the school, first name + class of your child.
Full Series 4 x books (£30)
Book I Star of Nimrod (£8) Book II Palace of Shadows (£8)
Book III Palace of Flames (£8) Book IV Palace Above the Clouds (£8)

Any questions, please contact Graham directly on graham@grahamwhitlock.com

CELEBRATION OF SUCCESS!

Huge congratulations to Joshua in Y10 for achieving an impressive 32/35 in the recent GCSE Finance Unit exam - securing a GCSE Grade 8!

Joshua demonstrated excellent subject knowledge, memorising all nine financial formulas and applying them confidently to a case study about a go-karting business. Joshua’s hard work and dedication have truly paid off!

Well done to Adrian for achieving an impressive 29/35 in the recent GCSE Finance Unit exam, securing a GCSE Grade 7!

Adrian showed strong subject knowledge, successfully memorising all nine financial formulas and applying them effectively to a go-karting business case study.

A brilliant effort - keep up the great work!

MEET THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE TEAM

“My name is Mr Djizo. I have been teaching for over 10 years in schools around Southeast London. I joined DG in January this year from a school in Bromley, to lead on Computer Science. I am slowly getting to know everyone at DG which I find to be a fantastic place to work at. Staff are welcoming and supportive and students are very inquisitive and sensible. My time here so far has been fruitful.

I hope to make a positive and lasting impact in the lives of my current students as I have done in the past.”

Y10 GCSE Business: What We’ve Covered So Far!

Our Y10 GCSE Business students have been working hard this year, developing their understanding of key business concepts:

Half Term 1: Exploring why and how new business ideas come about, as well as the risks and rewards of running a business.
Half Term 2: Understanding marketing and learning how to conduct market research for a new business idea.
Half Term 3: Understanding business finance, including key financial concepts and calculations.
Half Term 4: Exploring different types of business ownership and learning how to create a business plan.

It’s been a great journey so far, and I am excited to continue building their business knowledge!

Y11 GCSE Business: NEA Final Deadline Reminder

Our Y11 GCSE Business students are currently working hard on their Non-Examined Assessment (NEA), which is 60% of their final grade.

Final Deadline: Friday 4th April 2025
No opportunities for resubmission after this date.

We encourage parents to support their child in staying on track and ensuring their work is completed to the best of their ability.

*I would also like to inform parents that the NCFE qualification will no longer be offered at Deptford Green, and this year’s Y11 students are the final cohort to sit this qualification. From now on, we are delivering the Edexcel 9-1 GCSE Business to our current Y10's and future students.

ADVICE TO PARENTS ON WHAT THEY CAN DO TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN IN GCSE BUSINESS

As we progress through the GCSE Business course, here are a few ways you can support your child’s learning:

Homework for Y10: Set once per week and reviewed in class. Homework is completed in a booklet or on our online platform E-revision - please encourage your child to stay on top of this.
Y10 Work Experience (May): If your child is studying GCSE Business, you might be able to support them in arranging a placement in the corporate world or by reaching out to your colleagues for opportunities.
Y10 PPE Exam Preparation: After Easter, we will begin revision for the summer PPE exams. I will be sharing a revision plan and would appreciate your support in helping your child follow it in April.
Y11: Please ensure your child is on track with their NEA and completing their work to the best of their ability.

Y10 Students Take on the 10X Business Challenge!

Our Y10 students are taking part in the 10X Business Club, an exciting project run by Young Enterprise, where they receive £10 per group as start-up capital and work as a team to create, market, and sell a product for profit.

After conducting market research, our students decided to sell beautiful flower bouquets under their business name 'Delice Sucré', which means "Sweet Delight" in French and their slogan is "Delightful Treats in Every Petal”.

They are now busy developing their business plan, budgeting, and preparing for sales!

Thanks to Ms Tumkevice and Mr Djizo for these contributions.

Mr Melia says:

Our Star Students currently are Charlie in Y7 who won 4/4 of his Table Tennis matches in a recent tournament against Bonus Pastor school and demonstrated amazing technical skills.

Charlie - Table Tennis Star!

Beth, Anastasia, Ruthie & Emily for their contributions to the recent success of the Y7 football team and for their efforts as Sports Leaders, helping out with our fundraisers and whole-school sporting competitions. Well done to all of you!

A shout-out to the cricket and table tennis teams who put on amazing displays just before half-term. There will be more fixtures for table tennis, cricket, athletics and football coming up. Watch this space!

Advice to parents - please encourage your children to look at the PE Enrichment Timetable below. If there is anything your son / daughter would like us to add for the summer term, please get them to see a member of the PE department to discuss it with them. Thank you.

Introducing our newest member of the PE Staff Team - Ms WIlliams

'I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Deptford Green so far, and I’ve received such a warm welcome from both the staff and students. I moved to London in the summer of 2024, but prior to that, I spent five years teaching Dance at a school in Essex. Afterwards, I took some time to travel across Asia and Australia – an experience that was nothing short of amazing. I would highly recommend that our students consider exploring the world, should the opportunity arise!

At DG, every year group has the chance to engage with Dance. In Key Stage 3, Dance is part of the PE rotation, Y9 students also take part in our Discovery Days. For Key Stage 4, Dance is available as an option within the core PE curriculum. In addition, I run a weekly Dance Club, where our students have worked incredibly hard and have already showcased their talents in two fantastic performances. We have an exciting upcoming performance at Catford Broadway in March – please do wish them the best of luck, as they have shown tremendous dedication in their preparations!

I’m excited to be part of the growth of the Dance department here at DG. The talent I’ve seen across all year groups is truly inspiring, and I cannot wait to see what else we achieve!'

We now have a fully equipped Dance Studio at Deptford Green featuring a sprung floor, floor-length mirrors, stage lighting and curtains. Our students are over the moon with the facilities and are putting it to good use through their Dance lessons.

Students across all years now have Dance on their timetable and it's true, DG really does have talent! We can't wait to see what they create in the future!

On Friday 7th March Ms Williams took a group of dancers to the Excel building and they had a fantastic time!

The DG Dance Club performed amazingly well at the Trinity Laban Live Dance 25 Showcase. This is the first time DG have entered in the 25 years the showcase has been running! Well done to the girls and Ms Williams!

Thanks to Mr Melia and Ms WIlliams for all these contributions

Under the PE news umbrella, I am delighted to post that our wonderful ex-student Caroline Dubois, successfully defended the WBC Lightweight World Championship title at the Albert Hall on Friday night!

'Sweet Caroline'... we couldn't be more proud of you!

Our Springpod Challenge starts during National Careers Week 3rd to 8th March 2025.

The deadline for completions to be eligible for the prizes is 21st March

How do you take part?

1. Students (age 13+) create a Springpod account - click HERE

MAKE SURE YOU LINK YOUR ACCOUNT TO DEPTFORD GREEN SCHOOL!

2. Students choose from one or more of the following and click start

3. Complete the programme, gain your certificate and email it to Ms Nembhard.

? 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Prizes for the 3 Schools in England with the most students completing by 21st March

Winners will announced on Friday 28th March 2025

? In DG , prize will go to the tutor group with the most students completing.

? Careers Award points for all students completing.

? Additional Prize for student completing the T Levels, Apprenticeships and Higher Technical Qualifications courses and Springpod work experience.

? Your chance to work towards getting into the Green!

Good Luck!

NOTES ON CREWHQ Careers Day Panel Discussion with film crew. By Lina Y10 Careers Correspondent.

We first saw a video giving us an overview of all the different roles working on a film set and the training available at Warner Bros Studios in the UK.

We then saw the trailer of Mickey 17. Mickey 17 will be released in cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland on 7th March 2025 by Warner Bros. Pictures.

We were then introduced to the creatives taking part in the panel discussion attended by several schools, colleges and young people attending film training programmes such as BFI Academy, Mama Youth and Ghetto Film School.

The creatives were the production designer, the set decorator and the SFX supervisor.

Overall, it was a very interesting way to learn about film making and to hear from people who loved their job. I will watch films with different eyes now, knowing what has gone into creating them.

Can you make a note of how many jobs are mentioned in my article and what they are? Do you know of any other roles linked to Films? Could one suit you?

Here are my notes from the event:

The film Mickey 17 is based on a book called Mickey 7
Sci-fi based movie- Reminds me of the game series “FALLOUT”

Fiona Crombie – Production Designer

“a production designer is someone who works with the director to design the sets for the movie”

“A set can get messy and everyone making mistakes which is very human”

Alice Felton -Set Decorator

“Set decorator is building from the ground up, everything single thing on the set is a message”

“Set decorator have to sort the props to make the ACTUAL set, knowing what the NEXT move is.”

It takes months to work on the props

Richard Cheal- SFX (special effect) floor supervisor

SFX is not just “Blowing stuff up!” “SFX is making things look awesome both virtually and physically “

Richard is known for working on The batman

The highlights from planning and shooting the movie:

“Bong (the director) was very to using partial SFX in person”

“The director honours the props into the story board”

“The director would sweep by and give amazing feedback”

“He works with lovely people, having that community “

“The props had to look very REAL”

“Bong, the director, finds so much humour in things”

More interesting insights:

The director knows HOW he wants things to look like from the biggest to the smallest details and the crew brings his vision to life.

Home economist- people who do food for the film, WAY different than cooking a normal meal. You could be colouring food, so it looks right for the set and under the light. They are not the people who cook food to feed the crew on set.

The process of trying to get the colours right for the movie.

They started planning the film in 2021 and finished in 2025

Tips and advice:

Richard- working in SFX since 1994: “Follow your dreams, if you’re into engineering, prop making etc”. “When I first joined the industry, I stood in the roundabout, by a studio, giving out my CV, to people from the HQ until I got my job”

“In these jobs they barely use AI, AI takes the thought processes away”

If you type in your idea in CHAT GPT, it is not as great as if people work together and collaborate to make a better design.

Important skills: Time management and the management of people is important, working as a team, so is the budget!

Deptford green got mentioned during the Q&A!

More about Mickey 17:

From the Academy Award-winning writer/director of “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho, comes his next ground-breaking cinematic experience, “Mickey 17.”

The unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job… to die, for a living.

Written and directed by Bong Joon Ho, “Mickey 17” stars Robert Pattinson (“The Batman,” “Tenet”), Naomi Ackie (“Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker”), Academy Award nominee Steven Yeun (“Minari,” “Beef”), with Academy Award nominee Toni Collette (“Hereditary”), and Academy Award nominee Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”).

The film is produced by Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner (Oscar winners for “Moonlight” and “12 Years a Slave”), Bong Joon Ho and Dooho Choi (“Okja,” “Snowpiercer”).

It is based on the novel Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton.

The executive producers are Brad Pitt, Jesse Ehrman, Peter Dodd and Marianne Jenkins.

The director of photography is Darius Khondji (Oscar nomination for “Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths,” “Okja”).

It is edited by Yang Jinmo (Oscar nomination for “Parasite,” “Okja”).

The music is by Jung Jaeil (“Parasite,” “Squid Game”).

The costume designer is Catherine George (“Okja,” Snowpiercer”).

Thank you Lina and Ms Nembhard for this.

Here is Lina discovering an A1 photograph of her on the library wall with Ms Nembhard who is very proud of Lina, as we all are!

Y8 students learn about creative careers in Crafts at Cockpit Studios in Deptford.

By Y8 Careers correspondents Scarlett and Haylie.

Our class was welcomed to Cockpit studios by Chris, a youth and community producer, who introduced us to the organisation.

We learned that there are over 176 makers working in the studios in Deptford and in Bloomsbury and that they are a centre of excellence in 23 Craft disciplines, including:

Jewellery
Ceramics
Wood turning
Weaving
Leather working
Glassblowing
Basketry and much more

Click HERE for a link to see the makers’ work

We learned that at Cockpit Studios, makers have access to space, equipment and business coaching and support.

We met with Joost who makes handcrafted leather bags and interior products, and Ashley a weaver, upcycler and textiles designer and Leah who makes carved ceramics.

We then had a weaving workshop with Kemi, a knitwear designer who graduated from Central Saint Martins. Before studying textiles, Kemi was an athlete. She uses recycled materials to knit and design clothes that draw on her cultural heritage.

It was interesting to talk to people who are so enthusiastic about their creativity, and they encouraged us to have fun with our own creativity and to be organised and determined.

Other students commented:

“Something I did well today was listening and the weaving activity. I made a great pattern and I am proud of my final product. Something I learnt was how long it takes to create a product like a bag or a jacket, from the initial design to the final product and how it can be sold.”

“What I did well today was weaving fabric. It was so fun! What I could improve on is being more comfortable asking questions. What I learnt was that being dedicated to my passion can have an amazing outcome.”

“ I think I engaged very well in all the activities but I could improve my eye contact with the speakers and trying to ask more questions. I learned a lot though. For example that it is never too late to change careers and that you can learn to knit and gain a degree in weaving at university and that everyone can develop passions in so many different areas.”

Thank you to Cockpit Studios for welcoming us. We look forward to visiting again soon and to hearing about Y10 students work experience at Cockpit Studios in May.

Thanks to Scarlet and Haylie for this - and Ms Nembhard too!

From Mr Heelbeck:

REMEMBERING MR PHILLIPS:

OUR LIBRARY RENAMING CEREMONY

In memory of Mr Phillips, we have renamed our library.

Mr Phillips had the wall knocked down between two classrooms in order to make a larger library for our students. He truly valued reading and wanted to expand it further, but then sadly became unwell and had to retire and then sadly passed away, so his plans may have been stopped short but his legacy very much lives on in the building and in the lives of the many he came into contact with.

We are very grateful for the time we had him as our Headteacher and it was very lovely to have Mark's family and close friends, headteachers across Lewisham and ex-DG staff come and join us in a celebration of his time with us. Mark's mum revealed the plaque. Mark's partner also gave the school a beautiful portrait of Mark he painted and also a book that he has gifted the school in Mark's memory.

Mr Paish led the event beautifully and himself said a few words about Mr Phillips. Ms Thurston also paid tribute and dotted in-between, Taiwo in Y11 sang an amazing song and read out a poem he wrote on grief - see below. Finally, Ruby Ashdown, an ex-student who was here when Mr Phillips was HT, sang a beautiful song by Crowded House. All these contributions were very touching.

NAVIGATING THROUGH THE WAVE OF GRIEF

BY TAIWO Y11

'Have you ever gone through a family shift? Maybe parents getting ill and they are gone, and you wish they could be there with you? It’s a heart-wrenching experience that can leave us feeling lost and alone. When we face such changes, it can feel like the ground beneath us has shifted, and the world we once knew is no longer the same.

In those moments, the weight of grief can be overwhelming. You might find yourself reminiscing about the laughter shared, the lessons learned, and the love that filled your home. It’s natural to wish for just one more conversation, one more hug, or one more moment to express how much they meant to you. The absence can create a void that seems impossible to fill, and the journey through grief can feel isolating.

But amidst the sorrow, I want to remind you that you’re not alone. Many have walked this path, and while the pain may never fully fade, it can transform into something beautiful. As we navigate through loss, we often discover resilience we never knew we had. We learn to honor our loved ones by carrying their memories forward, by sharing their stories, and by embodying the values they instilled in us.

In the face of grief, we can also find hope. Hope in the connections we still have, hope in the new memories we can create, and hope in the strength that arises from our struggles. It’s okay to grieve, but it’s also okay to seek joy again. Life continues, and with it comes the opportunity to forge new paths, to embrace new relationships, and to find solace in the love that surrounds us.

So, if you’re feeling the weight of loss today, remember that it’s okay to miss those who are gone. Embrace the memories, honor their legacy, and allow yourself to heal. You are stronger than you think, and brighter days are ahead'.

Thank you.

This is brilliant Taiwo. Thank you!

At the end of the formal part of the evening, there were refreshments and a chance to get together and reminisce. It was a lovely chance to catch up with everyone and be grateful for the time we had with Mr Phillips. Everyone was given a card in memory of the evening.

A huge thanks to everyone who came and to those who helped to make the event one which Mark's family and friends said they were touched by. Thanks especially to Mr Paish, Taiwo and Ruby. Thanks also to the Kier team who helped make the library look very special with the new photographs and to Sol, Ben, Mary, Tim and Kesena. A special thanks to Andy Colquhoun @printangels.co.uk who rushed through the photographs for me. Couldn't have done it without you all!

Thank you.

Newsletters

DEPTFORD GREEN NEWSLETTER

ISSUE: 10th March 2025

HEADTEACHER'S KEY MESSAGES

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:

DG X FEED

Click HERE to see our AMAZING X account that truly gives you a broad perspective of things going on all across our school!

If you don't have an X account, you may need to sign up to see our latest tweets!

Our handle is @deptfordgreen.bsky.social - click HERE

WHAT'S COMING UP?

*Ticketing information for both events coming very soon*

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AT SCHOOL?