Principal's update - 9 January 2026

Dear families

Welcome back to a new term at Dixons Unity Academy! The energy and positive spirit around the school have been truly uplifting. It’s heartening to watch our students living out our core values and learning habits in every corner of the academy. Whether it’s a friendly smile in the corridor or a helping hand in the classroom, these moments reinforce how our shared values shape a welcoming and purposeful environment for all. Your support at home remains instrumental; together we’re making sure every pupil has the foundation to reach the heights they aspire to, be that university or another meaningful path.

This week at Dixons Unity Academy

• Culture and pastoral focus
  Our culture focus this week has been Respect, alongside the learning habit Positive response, listening first, responding kindly, and doing the right thing even when it’s hard. These habits underpin strong relationships and successful learning.
• West Yorkshire Police: “90 Minutes”
  Several of our students took part in the 90 Minutes initiative, where local police officers delivered a combined sport and learning session. These workshops help pupils understand community safety and positive choices, and they complement the work we do in PDS.
• GCSE Photography enrichment
  Our GCSE cohort enjoyed a practical enrichment visit to build strong portfolios for assessment. It’s always inspiring to see students applying their creativity and technical skills in real-world contexts.
• Unity Community
  A big thank you to everyone supporting Unity Community. For those of you unaware, the Unity Community is our Friday-morning hub offering a food bank, uniform exchange and a friendly space to connect. We’re always welcoming new faces and we would love to see you! If you’d like to volunteer or donate, please get in touch.

Coming up next week

• Culture and pastoral focus
  We move into a culture focus on Mastery, securing learning in depth, and a pastoral reminder about Equipment so everyone arrives ready to learn. As a reminder, students require:
  • 2 x black pens
  • 2 x green pens
  • pencil
  • ruler
  • 2 x black whiteboard pens
  • highlighter
  • student planner
  • pencil Case
  • academy bag (graffiti free)
  • academy lanyard and ID badge
  • scientific calculator (optional)
• BTEC assessment week
  Important assessments take place for our vocational learners next week. Families can support by encouraging quiet revision space, routines and early nights. These small habits make a big difference.
• King’s Trust (Year 9)
  Year 9 pupils will take part in King’s Trust activities designed to build confidence, teamwork and leadership — fantastic opportunities to develop character and resilience.
• Theatre trip — Year 10

Year 10 students will have the exciting opportunity to attend a theatre performance of A Christmas Carol. This trip is designed to support their GCSE studies, offering valuable insights into the text and enhancing their understanding through a live production.

Temporary coat policy

In response to the extreme cold weather and feedback from students and families, we are making a temporary adaptation to our policy around coats:

• Students may wear coats on the MUGA area at break time and lunch time to enable them to get fresh air during this cold spell.
• Coats must be removed before re-entering the main building.
• Coats remain not allowed on the Piazza.
• If a coat is worn outside these rules, the normal confiscation rule remains in effect.
• This policy will remain in place until further notice.

Thank you for working with us to keep routines strong and learning focused. If you have any questions or need support, please contact the academy office or speak to your child’s Year Team. The video update will return next week!

Mr Jacobs