News

During July 2019, Dover Grammar School for Girls indulged in another period of enrichment. This allowed for students and staff to have a chance to engage with experiences and activities.

The enrichment fortnight that DGGS run is designed to allow students to focus on a theme which is central to their development. This year the theme had a focus on personal development which informed the staff’s planning for activities and visitors invited in to the school. Therefore, this theme allows for the core character values of the school to be addressed during this busy time frame. One of the main areas which Mr Walton wanted students to develop was that of intellectual curiosity which enabled students to learn more and go beyond the curriculum.

The visitors invited into school ranged from a visitor from the U.S Embassy to Emmaus UK.  These visitors created engaging sessions for students out of their busy schedules as they saw the value of running enrichment sessions for the students at DGGS. The range of activities allowed students to develop their political, emotional and social knowledge as they dealt with complex issues. For example; Year 12 students were invited to attend a session run by Tatton Spiller from Simple Politics whereby a ‘question time’ style panel was assembled allowing for students to question local counsellors and MP’s. This allowed students the chance to learn something new which would benefit them after their time at DGGS.

During the two weeks of Enrichment Mr Blair ran the first “DGGSAspire” careers event.  Students took part in “Speed Dating” with professionals from more than 10 different organisations, several of whom were represented by past pupils.  Students were able to ask questions and find out more about the different careers on offer as well as visit exhibition stands.  Students also heard presentations from a local GP, Channel 4, The Canadian Industrial Research Council and the new School Of Engineering at Canterbury Christ Church University who demonstrated medical robotics.  It was an enjoyable and interactive experience which raised aspirations and enabled students to learn about the wide range of careers available.

Finally, the annual trips for each year group ran this year with more opportunities being presented to students. All year groups were able to voice their opinions about where they would like to go, which enabled for key stage teams to create trips which students would enjoy. Example of trips DGGS staff ran were; Harry Potter World, Chessington world of adventures, Thorpe Park and much more. Visits also extended to sites of interests for our Year 12 students which will support their UCAS and studies next year. The Social Sciences department ran a trip to London where students visited the Wellcome Collection, Royal Courts of Justice and a Jack the Ripper tour ran by East End Walking Tours. These trips allowed for students to celebrate their year of progress both intellectually and socially.

The two weeks are an extremely busy time for all at DGGS but it is a time to celebrate the students and their progress and a chance for staff to thank them for their hard work. If you would like to see more about DGGS, follow our twitter @DGGS_info which contains details about the wide range of activities run.