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Our Team

We are fortunate in employing a talented and committed staff team at the school. The names and roles of key staff members can be found on our contact page. Below, you will find brief biographies of our Senior Leadership Team.

0z7a9566 v2Toby Sutherland MA, MEd (Camb): Headteacher

Mr Sutherland joined St Clement Danes School in September 2017 as Deputy Headteacher before being appointed Headteacher in January 2018. He joined us from Queens’ School, Bushey, where he was Deputy Headteacher for four years. Mr Sutherland is a member, and currently the Chair, of the Education Advisory Group for Challenge Partners, an organisation of 500 schools nationally supporting school improvement. He also Chairs the Herts and Bucks Challenge Partner Hub of 6 schools. 

 

 


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Shaun Barrett, BEd (Hons), Deputy Headteacher

Mr Barrett joined St Clement Danes School in September 2024 as Deputy Headteacher and our Designated Safeguarding Lead and teacher of Physical Education.

As such, he has strategic oversight for school culture and ethos, student conduct, rewards and keeping students and staff safe through up to date training. Prior to joining St Clement Danes, Mr Barrett has held SLT positions in two previous schools in outer and then inner london- both large, mixed comprehensive. His previous SLT responsibilities have included leading the pastoral provision as deputy headteacher, having oversight for school data and exams, and holding the post of Head of Sixth Form for a number of years. Mr Barrett has been Level 3 Safeguarding trained since 2012 and completed his NPQH in December 2023.


Mike garvey picMichael Garvey MA (Oxon): Assistant Headteacher

Mr Garvey joined St Clement Danes as a teacher of history in September 1999, before becoming Subject Leader in 2002 and then subsequently Director of Sixth Form Studies in April 2008. From September 2016, he takes on the role of Lead Professional for Teaching and Learning. Currently, he is also Head of the Humanities Faculty, Trust Learning Lead for Humanities and the Business Manager for the Herts and Bucks Challenge Partners Hub. He line manages the Learning Resource Centre, Co-ordinators of Literacy and Numeracy.

 

 


Ais ryanAisling Ryan BA (Hons), PGCE: Deputy Headteacher

Miss Ryan joined St Clement Danes School as a teacher of English in July 2002, undertaking a range of different roles around Teaching and Learning before becoming Head of English in September 2013. In September 2016, she became Assistant Director of Sixth Form. From April 2017, Miss Ryan became an Assistant Headteacher, working across the newly established Croxley Danes School and St Clement Danes. In January 2017 Miss Ryan took on the role of Director of Sixth Form and as Deputy Headteacher from June 2022, Miss Ryan leads on Curriculum and Assessment at St Clement Danes School.

 

 


Annotation 2023 07 14 105418Catherine Beavis BA (Hons) PGCE: Assistant Headteacher

Mrs Beavis joined St Clement Danes School in January 2022 as Assistant Headteacher. She is Lead Professional for Student Progress, Personalised Learning and Intervention as well as having responsibility for staff workload reduction and well-being. She line manages PE, Performing Arts and Design. Previously she has held various roles at Queen Elizabeth's Girls' School, Barnet including Head of Humanities Faculty and Head of Geography.

 

 

 


ArnoldLee Arnold MA, BA (Hons), PGCE (Oxford): Director of Sixth Form and Assistant Headteacher

Mr Arnold joined St Clement Danes School in September 2022 as Director of the Sixth Form and as a teacher of History. He also leads on careers guidance throughout the school with a particular emphasis on post-18 options. Previously, he has held various senior leadership positions at a number of schools including at St Dominic’s Sixth Form College in Harrow (teaching and learning), Bushey Meads School (assessment and Key Stage 4) and Lynch Hill Enterprise Academy in Slough, a free school which he helped to establish. He line manages Careers, the Sixth Form Team and the Political and Social Sciences Faculty. 

 

 


F RamsbottomFaye Ramsbottom MSc (Oxon), PGCE and Assistant Headteacher

Miss Ramsbottom joined St Clement Danes School as a teacher of Religious, Ethical and Philosophical Studies in July 2012. She has undertaken several leadership roles within the Humanities faculty as well as pastoral roles such as Head of Personal Development, before becoming Head of Humanities in September 2019. Miss Ramsbottom became an Assistant Headteacher in September 2023 and is the Lead Professional for staff continuing professional development and learning, the personal development curriculum, character education, assemblies and the school's diversity, equality and inclusion work. She line manages the Maths and Design facilities. 

 
 

Latest News

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Posted on: 30th January

Teachers commended for transforming Design & Technology education

We were delighted to read that our Design and Technology teachers, Miss Yalley and Mr Hadley were featured in the Design and Technology publication.  The article discusses the transformation of the Design & Technology (D&T) department at St. Clement Danes School over the past five years. It discusses how Mr Hadley and Miss Yalley took ownership of the subject, implementing a new subject ethos based on trust, excellence, respect, and safety to foster student responsibility and independence. Key Initiatives & Changes Revamping Projects & Curriculum Introduced more challenging design projects at earlier years (Years 8 & 9). Shifted focus to design skills, problem-solving, and justifying choices over just practical outcomes. Prioritized quality over quantity in student projects. Notable projects: Year 7: Robot concepts Year 8: Articulated lamps Year 9: Branded dispensers & modular speakers Encouraging Inclusion & Diversity Created a girls-only club to boost female participation in GCSE Product Design. Sixth-form girls mentor younger students, building confidence and community. Design Ventura Competition Integrated mock coursework with the Design Ventura competition. Encouraged teamwork and prototyping to improve engagement. Use of AI & Technology Introduced cloud-based tools to make learning more accessible. Leveraged AI for idea development and communication. Professional Development & Industry Links Participating in the Teachers in Residence program to gain industry insights. Adopted industry models like the Double Diamond Design Process and Scrum-based project sprints to enhance student learning. Established workshops with industry professionals to inspire students, especially girls, to pursue design careers. Key Takeaways for Educators Adapt curriculum to student needs and school culture. Pilot new initiatives as clubs first to gauge student interest. Encourage student feedback to refine teaching methods. Be open to change and continuously evolve teaching strategies. The article ultimately encourages educators to embrace creativity, experimentation, and student collaboration in D&T education. We are very proud of our teachers for their continued hard work and dedication for each of their subject areas. Congratulations to Mr Hadley and Miss Yalley for their inspiring article and the incredible work they’ve done to transform Design & Technology at St. Clement Danes! Their dedication to fostering creativity, inclusion, and industry connections is truly commendable, and their impact on students will undoubtedly be long-lasting.