Principal's update - 25 September 2026

Dear families

This week, we opened our doors to prospective students and families at our Open Evening. Meeting the local families considering Dixons Unity for Year 7 was a wonderful reminder of the many great things happening in our school and the significant progress we have made in recent years. We are working hard to build even stronger relationships with our local primary schools so that we can support all children successfully through their transition to secondary school. It was particularly pleasing to hear the positive feedback from our primary colleagues, parents and children who attended the event. Their comments about how well regarded Dixons Unity is within the local community reflect the dedication of our staff, students and families, and we look forward to welcoming many of these families next September

This week we've also had some BTEC assessments, and I appreciate the hard work our Key Stage 4 students have put in. These assessments are a vital part of the journey to high grades at the end of Year 11, and will support success at university or a real alternative beyond that. Additionally, I know the Macmillan coffee morning in the Unity Community was greatly enjoyed by our staff as well as families, resulting in high morale alongside raising money for charity. Thank you to everyone who contributed.

Next week we're proud to be hosting literacy training, in which more of our staff here and across the Trust will gain the necessary knowledge to teach phonics, one of our most vital interventions for students with the highest need. It's our goal to be an industry leader when it comes to literacy and inclusion. Please encourage your child to read regularly at home and support us as much as possible to create a genuine love for reading throughout our school.

We are currently placing a strong focus on homework across the academy. Research consistently shows that reviewing learning little and often has a significant impact on helping knowledge move into long-term memory, improving both understanding and retention. We ask all families to continue encouraging their child to engage fully with their homework, even when they find it challenging. Developing resilience and perseverance when learning is difficult is an important life skill, and by working together we can help every student build the habits that lead to long-term success.

We are relentless in continuing to develop our three key drivers: Mastery (the drive to get better at something that matters), Autonomy (the drive to direct our own lives) and Purpose (the drive to contribute to something larger than ourselves). Through this work, we want every young person to develop strong intrinsic motivation, fulfil their unique sentence and successfully climb their mountain. We are excited that our first Student Driver Board meeting will take place on Monday and on Friday our student representatives will meet with Luke Sparkes, our Trust CEO, and representatives from across the Trust to explore how we can maximise the impact of this important work for all children.

Excellent attendance is one of the biggest factors in helping children achieve success at school. Every day in school matters, with each lesson building on previous learning and helping students develop important knowledge, skills and relationships. Regular attendance supports academic achievement, confidence, wellbeing and future opportunities. We ask all families to work closely with us to ensure their child attends school every day, arrives on time and makes the most of every opportunity to learn, grow and thrive at Dixons Unity. Our current whole-school attendance is 92.5%, compared to 91.2% at the same point last year. Please take a moment to talk to your child about their attendance and encourage them to be in school every day next week. We are delighted that a significant number of our students currently have 100% attendance, which is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates the commitment of our students and families. Together, let's continue to make every day count.

Next week we'll also have our Year 11 revision and information evening. This is a chance to meet with school leaders and find out the necessary steps to secure those grades your child needs. I look forward to seeing as many families as possible in attendance as we continue on what is one of the most vital years of a student's academic career. Thank you for all of the support given at home to make this year the best it can be.

Mr J Inman