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"Sasha Burrell Sports Hall -in recognition of an inspirational student"

Year 9 student Sasha Burrell suffered from sepsis in 2016, which resulted in her having both her legs amputated below the knee.

Sasha had previously attended Vaughan Primary School, West Harrow, between 2008 to 2015.  She was awarded the school trophy for her effort in sports, and was a member of the girls' football team and took part in cross country competitions. She also joined an inline skating club with Harrow Leisure. 

On Monday 9th July, a very special occasion took place at a conference at Vaughan Primary School, when Sasha spoke about her inspirational journey to a group of headteachers, governors and PE leaders. The Local Authority Physical Education conference was to promote "Healthy mind - healthy body", and both PE teacher Miss Welford and Sasha spoke about the importance of PE and Sport in their lives and the positive impact on children.

Just like St Clement Danes, Vaughan Primary School is also extremely proud of Sasha, and the school have named their new school sports hall  'The Sasha Burrell Sports Hall', in her honour. The plaque reads: "Sasha Burrell Sports Hall - in recognition of an inspirational student".

Sasha also attended another special occasion recently when she was a guest on the ITV programme 'Lorraine', and was interviewed by host Lorraine Kelly. This follows the TV drama 'Coronation Street' running a story line about a young boy who contracted sepsis following a fall whilst playing football. Sasha has attended the Coronation Street set as an advisor regarding this storyline. If you wish to see Lorraine's interview with Sasha please scroll to the end of this page to follow the link:

Sasha spoke about her journey since sepsis at the PE conference and said, ' I was really pleased to move from the wheelchair to prosthetics and walk again.  At the end of year 7 we went to Bude for our PGL and I tried everything including kayaking, abseiling, cycling, rock climbing, and I loved it. Sports got a lot easier when I got my blades.  After school I like to cycle, go for a walk or swim. St Clement Danes School has managed to link in to the 'specialised' Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions, so I will be doing the Bronze Award on my bike along the flat Lee Valley, staying in a hostel, and the Silver Award in a kayak with a friend.

I can't imagine my life without being active.  Having no feet has not stopped me from doing sports and trying new things. Being active make me feel good.'

Thanks go to Mr Griffin,Headteacher of Vaughan Primary School, and Mrs Claire Burrell, who kindly provided information regarding this very special event.

https://www.itv.com/lorraine/hot-topics/the-14-year-old-sepsis-survivor-who-helped-corrie-with-their-latest-storyline

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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.