We aim to inspire all our students at Dinnington High School: to grow their confidence, their love of learning, and to help them achieve excellence. In short: to be the best they can be.

Dinnington High School is a vibrant and inclusive school serving the town of Dinnington and many surrounding local villages. Students also cross the border from North Nottinghamshire to join us.

We pride ourselves on our school being a community based on strong relationships.

We keep this sense of community at our core in a number of ways:

We keep form groups as small as we can so that form tutors can really get to know their tutees and build strong and respectful relationships built on trust.

We have Year Leaders who are full-time support members of staff dedicated to the students in their care.

We have a House system so that students identify with a team of students across different year groups and earn House Points that recognise their positive contributions around school.

This term we are transforming our whole approach to behaviour management to a system that maintains high standards and expectations but is based on positive restorative practice.

We do all of this because we fully recognise that children succeed when they feel cared for and have productive and respectful relationships with the adults working with them and with other students. Lots of schools base their behaviour systems on sanctions and punishments, we have committed to changing that approach not just in our school but across our Trust (LEAP Multi-Academy Trust). Conversations between students and staff are based on the principles of developing relationships through respect and understanding. So that means that everyone is aware of what is expected and what is acceptable, as well as what can be done to resolve any difficulties. More information will be posted on our positive approach based on respectful relationships shortly.

In everything we do, we try to be our best. For some this is a strong academic pathway to good universities, for others a vocational or applied route to take them into great professions. Our PE and arts faculties play crucial roles developing the gifts and talents of students as well as offering enjoyment, creativity, and other pathways into employment.

Wrapped around the subjects and lessons, are a variety of other experiences and opportunities for our students. This year we are launching the Dinnington Youth Award. Students in Y7 and Y8 will have the opportunity to build up a bank of experiences that will lead to a special award and with the chance to develop it further to the Dinnington Gold Youth Award. Some students will be committed to taking this further as they progress through the school and can opt into the Duke of Edinburgh Award from bronze to gold.

Opportunities at Dinnington stretch far and wide. Students can be part of house or school councils in Y7-11 and go on to be Sixth Form Ambassadors in Y12 and 13. They can participate in school productions or a range of clubs from Harry Potter Club to a university linked writing club. Some students immerse themselves in all things active be that gym & dance, rounders, netball, football, rugby and Sports Leadership, linked to our primary schools. An array of trips and visits are offered from local visits to theatres, universities, employers, or along the Holderness coast through to trips further afield: the geography Bay of Naples visit, languages trips to France and Spain, Austria for the ski trip or our biennial sports tour: Canada & Seattle in 2018, South Africa in 2016.

By the end of their time as Dinnington High School students, every child has had opportunities to gather many happy memories, to have challenged themselves to be the best they can be, and to have achieved excellence in whatever they want to strive for.

It is a pleasure to welcome you to our website and to give you a virtual glimpse into our school. You are always welcome to visit, contact us directly if you want to arrange a visit.

Yours sincerely

Rebecca Staples