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Friday 28 November 2025

School calendar

 Term dates 


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w/c Monday 1 December 2025 – Week A

   
Wednesday 3 December Kids College – 3.45pm to 5.00pm
Thursday 4 December Key Stage 4 Pride of Denefield Awards Evening – 6.00pm to 7.00pm

Together for Denefield – Building a Legacy for Our Students

Dear Parents/Carers

As we prepare to celebrate 50 years of Denefield in September 2026, we are inviting our community to help us build a lasting legacy for our students.

Government funding covers the essentials, but it does not provide the extras that strengthen our students' experience of school. To mark this milestone, we have launched the Denefield 50 Appeal, with a goal of raising £50,000 to improve student spaces, sports facilities and enrichment opportunities. The School Council will help prioritise how the funds are used.

Examples of possible improvements include more outdoor seating and covered social areas, updates to sports facilities and further investment in extra-curricular clubs.

Every contribution matters. Monthly donations of £5, £20 or £100 help us plan ahead, and one-off gifts are equally valued. Together, these contributions will support current students and those who join us in the years to come.

To support our appeal, please click on the button below. 

Denefield 50

Thank you for your continued support and for helping us make Success for Life a reality for every student.

How can students participate in Denefield 50 Fundraising?

As part of Denefield School’s 50 Years Anniversary celebrations, we are thrilled to launch a whole range of exciting fundraising activities—and we would love for our students to get involved!

Once they have raised money, students will also have a say in how it is used by selecting from our Fundraising Shopping List. This list includes items like benches, outdoor gym equipment, and other improvements that will benefit all students. In this way, they will see exactly how their efforts contribute to making our school an even better place.

We have put together a list of fun fundraising ideas to inspire them. Once a student completes an activity, please use the form below to tell us what they did and how much they raised. We cannot wait to celebrate their contributions as part of this milestone year.  

Denefield 50 Fundraising Form

Students can submit their fundraising total easily through Scopay, the school's online payment system. In Scopay, go to Trips and Events and choose the 'D50 Fundraising Challenge' category to pay the amount raised. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the payment. They can pay as many times as they need to throughout the year. If you do not have a Scopay account, please contact the Front Office for assistance.

If you need anything or have any questions about your fundraising activities, please contact Mr Mundell (jml@denefield.org.uk) or Mrs Ali (sal@denefield.org.uk)

Please note that parents’ contributions will go entirely towards school improvement projects, while money raised by students will be split equally between our chosen charity, LaunchPad and the school.

Launchpad is a local charity that works to prevent homelessness and help people rebuild their lives. They support anyone at risk of losing their home, whether due to unexpected changes, difficult circumstances or a housing crisis.

Thank you for helping make Denefield’s 50 Years Anniversary an event to remember. 


Club of the Week

This week we are highlighting our Debate Club. This is a great space for students who enjoy discussing ideas, exploring different viewpoints and building confidence in public speaking. Each session gives students the chance to practise forming arguments, presenting their views and responding to others in a respectful and structured way. 

This club is run by Mrs McHugh every Monday during lunchtime in room A105. Students from Years 7 to 10 can join the club.

We have many more exciting extra-curricular clubs. Click the button below to see the timetable.

Extra-curricular Timetable


Denefield Events

Year 8 Careers Workshop

This week our Year 8 students took part in a careers workshop delivered by the Education Business Partnership team. The session focussed on developing a growth mindset and helping students understand how their attitude can influence their learning, confidence and future choices.

The team explained what a growth mindset is and shared simple strategies students can use every day, such as asking questions, practising new skills and learning from mistakes.

Students then worked individually to solve a challenging puzzle designed to build resilience and problem-solving skills. At the end of the workshop, the solution was revealed, giving students the chance to reflect on their thinking and recognise their effort.

It was a valuable and engaging session, and our students showed great enthusiasm throughout. Thank you to the Education Business Partnership team for supporting our Year 8s and helping them think about their goals and the steps they can take to achieve them.


Denefield Upcoming Events

 

Denefield Christmas Card Competition 

Every year, to celebrate the festive spirit in our local community, Denefield students are invited to take part in the Denefield Christmas Card Competition. It could be a 'Season's Greetings' card for those who prefer. 

Each card should:

  • be an original design 
  • include the school logo 
  • include a festive message - it does not have to be a Christmas message.

Each card could:

  • use the house colours
  • use the house logos
  • embrace the CHARACTER values

The winning cards will be printed and will be delivered to our neighbours in December. All entries must be with the tutors by Friday 5 December.

House points for all entries. 

Some of our previous entries were absolutely amazing. Have a look below.

                 

               

 

Denefield Library Update

Mrs Fogarty is going on maternity leave in December; therefore, the library Christmas party will be held a little earlier this year, on Wednesday 3 December. Students who are regular members of the Library Club and those who are student librarians will receive invitations. 

 

Denefield Christmas Concert

We are pleased to share that our Christmas Concert will take place on Tuesday 16 December, from 6.00pm to 7.30pm. The evening will include a range of festive performances, including music, carols and choir pieces from our students.

Tickets will be available to purchase next week. Further details will be shared once the booking opens.

We look forward to welcoming families for an enjoyable and festive evening.


Help needed for our School Show

Our Creative and Performing Arts faculty is busy preparing for this year's school show, and we are looking for support from our community.

If you are a scaffolder who could help us with part of our set design, or you are skilled in woodwork and would enjoy helping to build our stage piece, we would love to hear from you.

Although we have a limited budget, we will be happy to recognise your contribution and promote your business in our show programme.

If you are interested or know someone who might be able to help, please contact Mr Shaw at shw@denefield.org.uk.


The Wellbeing Hub

Watch the webinar here: Login - The Wellbeing Hub

 

Drug Awareness Campaign – Government Information for Parents and Carers

We would like to share the following national guidance from the government-funded FRANK campaign. This is part of a UK-wide initiative aimed at raising awareness about the risks young people may face online and in the community. We want to reassure families that this is for information only and does not relate to any concerns at Denefield.

The campaign focusses on increasing awareness of the dangers linked to ketamine, counterfeit medicines purchased online and fake ‘THC vapes’ that may contain harmful synthetic substances. It aims to help young people stay informed and know where to access support if they need it.

Key risks highlighted include:

  • Long-term and potentially irreversible bladder damage caused by ketamine

  • Counterfeit medicines containing dangerous synthetic opioids sold online

  • Fake ‘THC vapes’ that may contain harmful synthetic cannabinoids such as Spice

Key resources

Talk to FRANK web pages and videos

https://www.talktofrank.com/news/ketamine

https://www.talktofrank.com/news/dangerousdrugs

https://www.talktofrank.com/news/cannabisvapes

Talk to FRANK factsheets (for schools and colleges though useful for parents and carers)

Factsheet - THC vapes

Factsheet - Ketamine

Factsheet - Fake medicines

TikTok content

THC vapes

Counterfeit medicines

Ketamine


Community News

 


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