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Alex in BBC Young Musician Percussion Category Final

Year 10 student, Alexander Pullen has been selected for the BBC Young Musician 2018 Percussion Category Final. Alex, who studies at the Junior Royal Academy of Music, will play a percussion programme at this prestigious competition which airs on the BBC in March.

In 2017, Alex won Bucks’ Young Musician of the Year and was runner up in the International Percussion Youth Competition held in Belgium. He regularly performs with the school orchestra; many will remember his performance of the last movement of Ney Rosauro's Marimba Concerto at last year's Easter concert. He is the youngest competitor to reach the Percussion Category Final this year.

Miss Stevens, Director of Music, said “Alex’s talent was clear from the moment he joined St Clement Danes School. His love of music shines through in all his performances. We are extremely proud of Alex’s achievements and very excited to see him perform in this competition.” Alex, who is modest about his success, says that it is a real honour to be placed in the percussion final. “I am grateful to the BBC for holding this competition as it is a really great platform to showcase musical talent around the UK. It is amazing to be surrounded by such inspiring musicians and I am excited at the prospect of performing on TV next month.”

Ahead of his appearance at BBC Young Musician, Alex will be performing his percussion final programme at the Royal Academy of Music on Saturday 3rd March at 3.45pm. The concert will take place in the Dukes Hall. All are welcome, no booking is required and entry is free.

The BBC Young Musician 2018 Percussion Category Final will take place at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on Saturday 17th March. It will be recorded for future broadcast on BBC Four, date to be announced. Further details can be found here:

BBC Young Musician 

Tickets for the Final on 17th March can be bought here:

Ticket Website

 

 

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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.