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Success celebrated at Speech and Prize Giving

Last night, we celebrated our students' successes at our Speech and Prize Giving Evening, rearranged from September because of a lightning strike and flooding. There were no such dramas yesterday, and we were delighted to welcome students, staff, governors, trustees, Old Danes, parents and guests to the school. Hundreds of students were awarded prizes for attainment, achievement, community service and a whole myriad of sporting and other competitive successes.

In her speech, Dr Valentine spoke passionately about the superb outcomes achieved by the students at our comprehensive school and the support which exists: of staff for students, between students and from home. Prizes were presented by Cllr Christopher Hayward, Deputy Leader of Hertfordshire County Council, who then addressed the student body. Paying tribute to the school and Dr Valentine, he said that students experienced "the very best of education", led by "the finest Head in our county of Hertfordshire". He exhorted the students to focus on "passion" and "aspiration" as they progress through their school careers and beyond, a theme complemented by the words of Head Boy, Josh Walton, who relayed his father's advice that "education is a privilege, leadership a service". The coverted Poppleton Prize was awarded to Estelle Quaye for services to the school community. Dr Valentine was fulsome in her praise of last year's Deputy Head Girl who, she said, had been a member of the School Council throughout her time at the school and had made huge contributions to St Clement Danes from the moment she joined. It was a memorable night of celebration, accompanied by the superb Gospel Choir who sang "Joyful, Joyful" by Emerson, and a fitting end to the term.

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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.