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End of year message from the Governors

Welcome to the first of regular updates from the governors of St Clement Danes.

This past school year has seen a number of new governors join the School Board, providing a range of skills and experience as well as insight from two ‘Old Danes’. The key responsibilities of the School Board are to:

•    ensure clarity of the school’s vision, ethos and strategic direction

•    hold the Senior Leadership Team to account for the educational performance of the school and the achievements of its students

•    oversee the financial performance of the school and ensure that money is well spent.

The School Board’s Chair is Martin Day with Mohan Gharial as Vice Chair, supported by Governors Lynn O’Connor, Clare Steet, Nick Edwards, Palak Shah and Camilla Haggith-Khonje. Scott Kemp and Aideen Ward were elected Parent Governors this year and our Staff Governors are Debbie Harvey and Karen Ingleby, who recently took over this role from Emma Brown. As Headteacher, Toby Sutherland is also a Governor and we have been supported throughout the past year by Rachel Turvey as our Clerk. Richard Carey, of the Holborn Estate Charity, acts as an Honorary Governor.

Please follow the link to the Governance section on the website to find out more about us: https://www.stclementdanes.org.uk/389/governance
 

This school year has seen an impressive level of achievement and progress at St Clement Danes, as our students make the best of the opportunities presented to them. The governors are delighted to congratulate students and staff alike on the many and varied events, concerts and productions showcasing their skills and accomplishments. Although all of these demonstrated how St Clement Danes is delivering to the highest standards, the Remembrance Service commemorating 100 years since the end of the First World War deserves special mention, encapsulating the school’s ethos of ‘excellence, respect and trust’.

In June we invited the Holborn Estate Charity (HEC) Trustees to join a School Board meeting and were able to show them the significant improvements in the school’s buildings, including the new science laboratories, textiles room, food technology rooms and Learning Resources Centre, as well as the amazing new central corridor which has been welcomed by staff and students alike. These developments would not have been possible without the support of HEC and we are, needless to say, immensely grateful to them for their continued commitment to the school.

Alongside this, the school has benefited considerably from the support of the Anchor Fund and the Parents’ Association during 2018-19 and the governors would like to thank all those who support the school in this way. We also encourage every parent to play a part in ensuring that the outstanding provision at St Clement Danes can be sustained, either by giving their time to support the school or by contributing to the Anchor Fund, which provides the financial support necessary to deliver the educational standards and opportunities our students enjoy. Please visit: https://www.stclementdanes.org.uk/208/anchor-fund

Finally, a word of thanks to Mr Sutherland, the Senior Leadership Team and all the teaching and support staff who have worked tirelessly throughout the year. Their commitment and achievements are exceptional. This year there have been a number of staff receiving long service awards for 20 years at the school which is testament to the type of school that St Clement Danes is; long may this continue.

We look forward to our next school year and all the opportunities that this will bring, including welcoming our next cohort of Year 7 students. In the meantime, we wish all staff, students and parents a well-earned summer break.

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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.