Ditcham in the Community

Connecting with our community is one of Ditcham Park School’s primary aims, and forging closer relationships with those in our own wider school community, and with those in our immediate locality, is of key importance to us.

Over the years Ditcham Park School has established many and varied educational, cultural, charity and sporting links with the local community.  Our pupils are encouraged to participate in these activities whenever possible and, similarly, proactively suggest other opportunities to contribute to society for the benefit of others.

Here on our School Community webpage are just some of the links we have developed and activities we have undertaken for the benefit of those outside of our immediate school pupil and staff body:

• Art and drama workshops for local primary pupils during the summer term. Pupils use the specialist facilities in our Art Room and Pottery, and the drama activities take place in the Solent Suite. They are taught by Art and Drama specialists in conjunction with their own teachers. Where possible we use our school minibuses to bring visiting pupils to us for these special days.
• Summer Sports Camp – Open to local pupils using the facilities of our Sports Hall, the Martin Pryce building and the extensive playing fields and grounds.
• Duke of Edinburgh Award – Students from local sixth form colleges, state and specialist schools and other independent schools regularly use our large, rural site for practice expeditions as part of their Bronze and Silver Awards.
• Work Experience – Provided for students from local schools and sixth form colleges.
• Indoor and outdoor sports facilities – Used by a number of local cricket and hockey sports clubs.
• Use of School minibus – outside of term time by a local Scouting Group
• Cycling Events – Including the British Schools Cycling Association National Hill Climb Challenge which is held annually on the steep public access road to school, and our North Drive.
• Netball, football, hockey and rounders tournaments – Take place regularly involving local state and independent schools using the school’s facilities.
• Orchestra and Choirs – our musicians and choristers regularly perform in local retirement homes, churches and primary schools.
• Charity fundraising activities by our Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme (DoE) participants – A regular programme of fundraising events and activities held at the school, usually involving all our pupils.
• Community service by DoE pupils – providing voluntary help in charity shops.
• Harvest and Christmas Gifts – are collected and distributed to a food bank to support local families each year.
• Bursary assistance is available for suitable and eligible 11+/13+ pupil entrants from local state primary or prep schools (means-tested). Music Exhibition Award also available at 11+ for suitable candidate(s).
• Local organisations use the school facilities for meetings. Rotary Youth Speaks, Duke of Edinburgh district award ceremony, Librarians’ Association etc.
• Participation in local Arts events & concerts, such as The Save the Children Concert and Stansted Park Christmas Fayre.
• Several DPS staff provide their expertise and time as examiners, inspectors, school governors, cluster leaders or mentors in a range of schools, and for all pupil ages.
• The School often hosts or runs fundraising events for the benefit of local charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Cystic Fibrosis, and The Teenage Cancer Trust.  In addition, an annual “Charities Week” is run in Seniors with significant proceeds raised donated to charity associations researched and nominated by pupils themselves.
• Non-Uniform Days are held each half term for the benefit of a nominated charity and local speakers are invited in to speak directly to our pupils at assembly.