Looking Ahead to an Exciting Year | A Message from Head of Secondary Rachel Edwards

Welcome to the 2026-2027 Academic Year.

We were thrilled by the IBDP examination results released at the beginning of the school break, which represent many success stories of personal challenge and drive among our now graduates. Our Sixth Form this week enters a new phase as the largest ‘class’ yet, and we are looking forward to supporting and challenging our IB and BTEC learners in equal measure as they either begin or complete their programmes this year. In their final years of study, we set them two goals; firstly, to achieve their personal best and realise their future plans, and, importantly, to leave their legacy and be the role models our younger students aspire to be, with large doses of fun along the way.

It has been wonderful to welcome new staff, students and families to our community this week and to see the broad smiles accompanying moments of both warm introductions and re-connections (often with shrieks and hugs). I must thank the many students who volunteered to support our new student orientation day last week, in uniform and technically still during their school holiday. They demonstrate what Dover Court stands for.

Our colleagues have been in serious preparation for the start of the term, and whilst there has been real energy in this preparation to be more than ready, and ‘better’ in all that we do, last week the school was certainly missing the magic, our students.

All year groups attended assemblies this week to set the scene for the year ahead, and establishing relationships and setting routines will continue to be the focus as we venture into this term. My advice to all students, as new timetables and rooms are part of the playbook, was that getting lost was a rite of passage, but help is at hand. I have enjoyed steering students to buildings and rooms this week and have been very impressed by their enthusiasm and triumph when they have recognised both faces and places in this pursuit.

We have several parent engagement opportunities in the weeks ahead, and we look forward to partnering with students and families to make this year great. There will be many opportunities for our students to get involved, and participating, expanding horizons by learning new skills and meeting new people, is a great approach for all to take to thrive at DCIS.

Thank you to our whole community for such a positive start to the new academic year.

Rachel Edwards

Head of Secondary