Principal's update - 19 June 2026

Dear families

This week we said goodbye to our Year 11 students, who sat their very last GCSE papers. The joy and sense of accomplishment that was present in our leavers assembly was truly inspiring, and the incredibly creative leavers shirts were a sight to behold. A massive congratulations to this cohort, who have seen a huge amount of change in their time at Dixons Unity, and who have shown incredible resilience and integrity while working through this exam season. I look forward to seeing everyone again on results day.

As we said goodbye to Year 11, we turned our focus to the other end of the school: Year 7. Our Year 7 parents evening was held on Thursday, and it was brilliant to meet so many families that clearly care deeply about the success of the children in their care. Discussing the strengths of this cohort - their attendance, their behaviour, and their attainment are all strong - with their families, alongside those areas for improvement, allows us to foster even stronger relationships with students and to get a clearer picture of their needs - and it allows you all to do the same.

We were delighted to welcome MP Mark Seward to our school today, where he spent time learning more about our vibrant community. He was incredibly impressed to see us living and breathing our vision ensuring  students are successful at university or a real alternative and live happy and purposeful lives.

During his visit, he met with Jo Gittens, Chair of our Local Academy Board, and engaged with our young people who are actively involved in the Safer Corridor project; an initiative making the streets in our local area safer for everyone. Mr Seward was then warmly welcomed into our Unity Community Hub, which, as always, was full of energy and activity. He also observed a high-level debate on the thought-provoking topic of whether social media should be banned for under 16s. Our articulate and insightful students certainly impressed him with their reasoning - there may well be a future Prime Minister among them.

He was given a tour of the school, where he commented on the calm and purposeful learning environment. He noted the high level of challenge in lessons, alongside the resilience and self-determination our pupils consistently demonstrate in their pursuit of success. Mr Seward was extremely complimentary about all aspects of his visit and will undoubtedly be sharing how impressive our school is. A huge thank you to all staff, pupils, Trust Colleagues and everyone involved in organising the visit and showcasing what it is truly like to learn here every day. He was so impressed he asked to return again soon!

Tomorrow is our Summer Fayre, and as I've been around the building today it's been great to hear the buzz and excitement coming from students around this event. Expect a bouncy castle, games, food & drinks, and a raffle. Plenty of stalls will be held by our community members and students, so do come along and support.

James Inman

Principal