Students must be happy and safe for learning and development to take place. We are incredibly proud of our approach to pastoral care and safeguarding. Regardless of the starting point of our young people, and any systemic disadvantage they face, we believe they will achieve and be successful. Our responsibility is to work with parents and external agencies to remove barriers to their success and promote their mental health and well-being to ensure their needs are met both academically and pastorally.

DSTC is a small school which gives us the unique advantage of being able to build strong and personalised relationships with our young people and their families. We are proud of the connections we make with all stakeholders. Our families are instrumental in our work and I am truly excited to continue to build relationships with all families, working collaboratively to support you and your child in their future endeavours. I look forward to meeting you all over the course of the academic year.

Ambition is  cultivated in every classroom as teachers engage students in their learning providing equal and appropriate levels of support and challenge through our ‘Thinking Hard’ strategy. Every young person must feel safe, seen, included and valued to ensure they are able to actively engage in their learning, see the importance of education and find their lifelong passions and interests. Our sense of social justice is strong and teaches our young people to challenge stereotypical and prejudicial views to strive for an equitable society for all. As a community we aim to remove the barriers students may face based on their gender and other protected characteristics that may intersect with gender. We aim to create an inclusive school where these qualities are actively promoted and allow students to make a difference in their community.

As a non-selective girls’ school with a co-educational sixth form we are proud of the ways we promote girls’ ambitions, aspirations and achievements. Our partnership with the Co-operative Trust is central to our work in promoting women and girls in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) past, present and future. The ethos of the Cooperative Trust aligns with our own vision and values. Concepts of solidarity, equality, equity, democracy, self help and self responsibility further promote our core purpose of educating and empowering citizens of the future. 

We believe exposure to a range of opportunities allows students to make informed decisions about their futures. Our careers programme is central to the student experience. The classroom curriculum is complemented by a well-designed tutor time programme, assemblies, visits, events and guest speakers who motivate and inspire the students to be ambitious and aspirational. Our extracurricular programme allows each student to explore and develop their personal talents and interests. We offer a wide range of opportunities for leadership so students are able to develop the skills, knowledge and qualities to be leaders of the future.  

I am confident that we will educate and empower our young people to be citizens of the future and ensure that every young person aspires to join DSTC in Year 7 as their first choice and stays for an ambitious, successful and life changing seven year journey that prepares them for an ever-changing 21st century. 

Joanne Sangster

Principal of DSTC