Didcot Girls' School

📢 DGS Uniform Sale

The Friends of DGS will be holding a pre-loved uniform sale on Wednesday 26th August, from 10.30am to 12.30pm in S12.

If your child needs any uniform items ahead of the September start, please come along and browse our selection of quality used items that are still in great condition.

📍 Please enter via the Oxford Crescent gate.

👕 If you have any logoed uniform items in good condition that you'd like to donate, we would be very grateful if you could bring them along on the morning.

All donations raised will go directly towards supporting students at DGS.

💙 Thank you for supporting our school community while helping make school uniform more affordable and sustainable.

✨ DGS Wrapped 2025/26 ✨

What a year it's been...
🎭 Standing ovations in Drama
🏆 Sporting successes on courts, pitches and tracks
📚 Academic excellence in classrooms and exam halls
💙 Countless moments of friendship, leadership and community spirit

From performances and competitions to trips, achievements and everyday acts of kindness, our students have made this year one to remember.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of our DGS story this year. Here's to the memories we've made and the exciting chapters still to come.

🇫🇷 Year 7 Château Adventure! 🇫🇷

Our Year 7 students have returned from an unforgettable trip to France, where they enjoyed an incredible stay at a beautiful château and created memories that will last a lifetime.

Despite the very warm weather, the girls embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm, positivity and a real sense of adventure. One of the highlights was a visit to a local snail farm, where several brave students stepped out of their comfort zones and sampled the snails! 🐌👏

Throughout the trip, the girls were a credit to the school. Their behaviour, manners and willingness to get involved were outstanding, and they represented the school exceptionally well at every stage of the visit.

A huge thank you to the staff who gave their time, energy and support to make the trip such a success. Special recognition must go to Mrs Hearn, who has been nothing short of legendary this year, organising a mammoth number of trips and opportunities for our students. The experiences she helps create have an enormous impact on our young people, and we are incredibly grateful for all that she does.

Bravo, Year 7! 🇫🇷✨

🌍 Celebrating Values Day & Big Questions Day

A huge thank you to the inspiring guest speakers and visitors who gave their time to support our recent Values Day and Big Questions Day. These events provide pupils with a valuable opportunity to explore different beliefs, experiences and perspectives, helping them develop empathy, curiosity and open-mindedness.

We are always proud of how our pupils engage with these discussions, and it is wonderful that our visitors consistently comment on their thoughtful contributions and respectful conduct.

Some of the feedback from our pupils highlights the impact these events have had:

Values Day
💬 "They were all lovely."
💬 "I learnt a lot from it."
💬 "More sessions so we can hear from everyone."

Big Questions Day
💬 "A better understanding of different religions and how they think."
💬 "Different viewpoints and aspects of life."
💬 "Perspective on different morals."
💬 "To keep my mind open to a variety of perceptions on the world."

These reflections demonstrate the value of creating opportunities for young people to hear from a diverse range of voices, challenge their thinking, and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Thank you again to all our speakers and visitors for sharing their experiences, insights and perspectives. Their contributions helped make these days such meaningful and enriching experiences for our students.

⛺Silver DofE Update ⛺

Here are some photos of our Year 10 students currently out on their expedition for their Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

Due to the heat, instructors have transported some of the students' kit for day two to lessen the weight they need to carry, and some routes have been shortened too. We are very proud of how well they are all doing, showing great determination and resilience!

🧳Tianjin Trip Update 🧳

Our Year 9 students have had a busy and exciting few days in Tianjin as they settle into life at their host school. So far, they have taken part in campus tours, safety drills and the opening ceremony, where Miss Saunders impressed everyone by delivering a speech in Mandarin! 👏

We are delighted to hear that the students are representing the school brilliantly. Staff have praised their positive attitude, resilience and willingness to embrace every new experience, and we are incredibly proud of how they are adapting to life in a different country and culture.

Lessons have now begun, and today the students are exploring the city of Tianjin. We have loved receiving these photos and hope families are enjoying the updates being shared by their children too!

Well done, Year 9 – keep making the most of this amazing opportunity! 🌏✨

📢 Important Free School Meals (FSM) Update for September 2026

Everyone who believes they may be eligible for Free School Meals must complete a new application form – even if your child is currently receiving FSM.

From September 2026, eligibility criteria are changing and schools can only verify entitlement if a completed application form has been submitted.

✅ Apply here: https://shorturl.at/pUcHG

You may be eligible if:
• You receive Universal Credit (regardless of income), or
• Your household has earned income below £7,400 per year and receives certain qualifying benefits.

📧 Please refer to the email sent by the school for full details of the eligibility criteria.

⚠️ If you are eligible but do not submit an application, we will be unable to confirm your child's entitlement to Free School Meals from September 2026.

Completing the form helps ensure your child receives the support they are entitled to and enables the school to secure important funding.

Thank you for your support.

📢 Notice for Local Residents – Year 11 Prom Traffic Information

We would like to let our neighbours know that our Year 11 Prom is taking place on Thursday 9 July.

To give our students a special arrival experience, Oxford Crescent (Cockcroft entrance) will be used as the drop-off point for students attending the event. We are expecting approximately 220 students and, as a result, there may be an increase in traffic in the Oxford Crescent area between 5:20pm and 6:00pm.

Families will then park on the school field before exiting via the Sherwood Road (Austen) gates, helping to minimise disruption where possible.

We apologise in advance for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding as we celebrate this important milestone for our Year 11 students. Thank you for helping us make the evening a memorable one for them.

💙 Thank you for your support and cooperation.

⭐Year 9 Present at Annual Kids' Conference⭐

On Wednesday 1st July, the year 9 Ulysses group attended the 6th Annual Kids' Conference, Oxford at the Department of Education, University of Oxford. We listened to presentations from young people on how they have conducted research and come up with ideas to solve problems in their communities and globally. The presentations came from across the UK and the world - Oxfordshire, Kent, the USA. Australia and Afghanistan.

Congratulations to Anamika A, Catherine C, Liv S, Myra M and Teagan W, who gave a presentation on the question 'How do recommendation algorithms affect the spread of ideological narratives?' which was researched by all of the year 9 Ulysses group.

We had a great time and learned a lot from researching, sharing our ideas and hearing about others' projects, and we hope to do more of this in the future!