Principal's update - 2 October 2026

Dear families

As we move into the colder months, I am sure many students and families will be pleased to hear that students will be permitted to wear coats outdoors on school grounds. This includes the piazza and MUGA areas. We will implement this change after we return from the October half-term break. To ensure a smooth start to every lesson, students must remove their coats before entering the building, including during lineup, so that they are ready to begin learning as quickly as possible when they arrive in class.

We were delighted by the exceptional turnout at our Year 11 Revision Evening on Thursday. Thank you to all the families who attended. We greatly appreciate the support you are providing as your children enter this crucial final stage of their journey at Dixons Unity. By working together, we can help ensure every student secures the qualifications they need to access the next step in their education and future career. A link to the presentations, along with a QR code for feedback at the end of the presentation, can be found here.

We continue to maintain a strong focus on excellent attendance. We cannot stress enough how important it is for students to attend school every day. Every lesson matters and missing just a small amount of school can have a significant impact on learning and achievement. Please continue to encourage your child to attend every day unless they are genuinely unwell. Remember, 90% attendance equates to approximately 19 days of missed learning across the school year, while even 97% attendance means around 6 days have been missed. Last year, the average Year 11 student with 100% attendance achieved around two grades higher in each subject than a student with 80% attendance. Attendance truly matters and gives students the very best chance of success. Whole school attendance continues to improve. At the same point last year it was 91.1% this year it is 92.4%. Thank you for supporting us with this.

I would also like to highlight the fantastic range of enrichment opportunities available at Dixons Unity. Although the formal school day ends at 3.00pm, students are encouraged to stay and participate in a variety of clubs and activities. These opportunities help develop cultural capital, build valuable skills, nurture talents and, just as importantly, allow students to enjoy spending time with their friends. Students have been provided with a timetable showing the full range of activities on offer, and I hope to see as many students as possible taking advantage of these opportunities. 

Building self-determination amongst all stakeholders is central to our vision for excellence at Dixons Unity. We want our students, staff, families and wider community to develop the confidence, motivation and ownership needed to make positive choices and continually improve. By fostering self-determination, we encourage students to take responsibility for their learning, behaviour and future aspirations, while strengthening the partnerships between home and school that are so important to success. Through shared responsibility, high expectations and a culture of mutual respect, we aim to create an environment where everyone is empowered to contribute, thrive and drive excellence across our academy community.

Please continue to encourage your child to embrace our core drivers:

Mastery – The drive to get better at something that matters.

Autonomy – The drive to direct our own lives.

Purpose – The drive to contribute to something larger than ourselves.

If anybody has any brilliant ideas of how we can embed our drivers more securely, please contact Miss Paddy.

Mr J Inman