News & Events

Recently the Year 13 law students from Tavistock College visited Plymouth Crown Court. The class were there to see how more serious criminal cases are handled by the courts and were very interested to observe the on-going trial of the alleged people traffickers from Plymouth. The use of interpreters was an issue touched on in the Law and Justice topic, and the class were very grateful to Judge Darlow for taking the time to explain to the class exactly what was happening. It was a really useful experience for all the students.

Helen Harris

Tavistock College may be located in the fairly remote western side of Dartmoor but has felt an international hub over the last two weeks! The College is enjoying welcoming our annual group of students and staff from Japan and has also just hosted two teachers from Kathmandu, Nepal!

Building on the recently formed international link with the British Council, the school welcomed Head Teacher, Saroj Acharya, and Head of English, Umesh Sharma, to visit for a week. Staying in members of the school staffs’ houses, the pair were immersed in English life and education. They were thrilled to see the sea for the first time and enjoyed several trips to the beach, Dartmoor and our beautiful local area. They were extremely impressed and grateful for the warmth with which they were welcomed by all – staff, students and the local community. The visitors were fascinated by our curriculum and lessons and very interested in how engaging, fast paced and varied lessons were. Saroj commented:
‘I have learnt so much and seen so many good examples which I’m going to take back to our school!’

The school has also been very grateful to receive these warm, open-minded and positive visitors. They smiled and grinned and brought a burst of Himalayan sunshine wherever they went. Helen Salmon, Principal, commented:
‘We’re really thrilled to be developing this partnership with such generous, vibrant and warm people. We’ve so much to learn from each other and are looking forward to sending more teachers to Nepal and hopefully some students in the future too.’

The Intermediate team of Emily Handel, Issy Prout and Thanae Garland Tsirka are seen here celebrating their successes this year in the Rotary Youth Speaks Competition. They are the Intermediate District Champions and narrowly missed winning the Regional Final (one step away from National!) at Shaftesbury last weekend.

The girls have been thoroughly committed to the competition, have agonised over every word and its delivery and always spoken with eloquence, intelligence and enthusiasm. They are an excellent team and this is reflected in the progress they made….their first year of entering!

Their ability to think on their feet has been recognised at every stage of the competition..with stunning answers to the spontaneous questions.

This year Youth Speaks teams have been wonderfully supported by other students who have helped coach, time and encourage. The previous Champions of Freya Chambers, Joe Jordan and Marianne Quinn even travelled to Shaftesbury with us to calm nerves and be supportive. The team loved having them there!

Also, previous National Finalists Flo Rodgers (now on her Gap year prior to beginning her Medical degree at Imperial College) and Jed Coiley (Head Boy) have given lunch times to help and coach the team. They always appeared with an endless supply of biscuits, Easter eggs and sweets…..all very welcome.

To everyone who was a part of Youth Speaks this year, may I say it has been a privilege to work with you. Roll on next year!!!

Mrs Hubbard