Year 5 Get a Glimpse of the Future at Dartmouth Academy’s Activity Day

Dartmouth Academy Hosts Activity Day with Local Primary Schools 

Dartmouth Academy, part of Education South West, has held a Year 5 Activity Day with 76 pupils from Stoke Fleming Primary School, Blackawton Primary School, and the primary element of the all through school coming together for a day full of hands-on fun and learning.

The event was designed to give Year 5 students a preview of what to expect when they transition into Year 7 at Dartmouth Academy, offering them the opportunity to explore the school’s vibrant learning environment and its range of exciting academic and physical activities.

Throughout the day, the pupils took part in a series of engaging activities, including mind bending maths challenges, amazing art exploration, super science experiments, and fun physical challenges. These interactive sessions gave pupils a taste of the diverse learning experiences Dartmouth Academy has to offer while encouraging teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity.

Paul Girardot, Principal at Dartmouth Academy, said:

“We were thrilled to welcome local Year 5 students to Dartmouth Academy for an exciting and enriching day. This event is a wonderful opportunity for pupils to explore the subjects and activities that await them in Year 7, and we hope it sparks their enthusiasm for learning and joining our school community. We look forward to showing them all that Dartmouth Academy has to offer and how we can support their growth and development as they transition into secondary education.”

Matthew Shanks, CEO at Education South West, said:

“The Year 5 Activity Day is a fantastic initiative that allows children to experience a taste of the hands-on, engaging learning environment at Dartmouth Academy. It’s a great opportunity to prepare young people for success in Year 7 and beyond, ensuring they feel supported and excited as they take the next step in their educational journey.”

More information:

• Education South West is a trust of eight primary schools, four secondary schools, one all through school and a University Technical College all based in Devon.
• Education South West is focused on creating a culture which supports and challenges all whilst also working with those in and outside their community of schools to improve all. 
• All Education South West schools have UNICEF Rights Respecting accreditation, which recognises their commitment to creating safe and inspiring places to learn, where children are respected, their talents are nurtured and they are able to thrive.
• Dartmouth Academy is rated Good by Ofsted for Quality of education, Behaviour and attitudes, Personal development, Leadership and management and Early years provision.

Devon Family Hubs update

We are still offering Single sessions via the Parent request for contact , and our Advice and Guidance line will still be active for parents to make contact 

Devon Family HUBS - Parent Carer Request for Contact

Advice and guidance Line 0800 538 5458 (Mon-Fri 10am- 4pm)

TRANSITION TO NEW FAMILY HUBS SERVICE FOR DEVON

From 1 April 2025, the Family Hubs service for Devon will be transitioning to a new service which will provide increased, targeted help to support families in the community.

Last year, Devon County Council announced that like many authorities across the country, it would follow Government guidance in developing the previous Children's Centres into Family Hubs which provided open access to all families without the need for referrals.

Since then, the council has conducted consultations with families, to gauge opinion and develop a plan which will now see support for families provided in village halls, community centres, and other existing places that parents and carers will already be familiar with in their local communities.

The purpose behind Family Hubs is to provide support to families with children from 0 to 19, or to 25 for young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The help families receive is to prevent them from needing more targeted help later on.

"Why should a parent with a young child or children, who might rely on public transport to get around, have to travel miles to their nearest Children's Centre building in order to get the help his or her family needs? Providing support to families, in their communities, at the right time can prevent them from needing more targeted support in future. I wish to thank Action for Children for their dedication and contribution to Children’s Services over the last 20 years” says Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, the Council's Cabinet Member with responsibility for children's services.

From April, families will begin to see a new community-focused service developing that will continue to improve access to support, bringing together education, public health, NHS, early years, community and voluntary sector groups. Parents will be directed to them in settings closer to home in their own communities.

Some group sessions that are currently delivered in Family Hub locations will change, with families who have complex needs being referred to other community-based services through the new system from April.

Devon County Council would sincerely like to thank Action for Children for all their hard work and contribution to the running of Devon’s Children’s Centres and the Family Hubs for the last 20 years.