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Deputy Lieutenant presents awards to Duke of Edinburgh award winners!

On Wednesday 2nd October an awards evening was held in the Barbirolli Hall when 129 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award winners and 38 Silver D of E  award winners were presented with their awards by the Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, David Cansdale QPM.

A number of short pieces were performed by award winning 6th form students Louisa, Maddie, Daisy, Henry and Gaetan, to celebrate and showcase some of the skills acquired by the students during the course of their awards.Students and staff would like to convey their thanks to other staff members and parent volunteers who have all undergone training in supervisors or assessors’ roles, six of whom have now completed their Lowland Leaders training.

Old Dane Mia O’ Connell also received her Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award on the same day as the presentation evening, when she attended St James Palace to receive her award from a member of the Royal Family.

Thanks also to Mr Biswell and Chris Ayyildiz who produced the delicious canapés and to Chip Nicholas for helping with sound and lighting.

Many congratulations to all our students who have achieved their Duke of Edinburgh award- a fantastic achievement!

Further information

Students who undertake the Award develop so many new skills including; resilience, confidence, commitment, drive, self-awareness, empathy, team working and problem solving. These skills will support them in navigating adult life as well as providing a sense of adventure and having fun. Whilst students benefit both physically and mentally during the process of achieving their awards, top universities and businesses recognise and value these skill sets.  Another huge benefit of the scheme, and what often goes unnoticed, is the direct value to society through the students’ voluntary work, which last year alone amounted to 2717 hours volunteering in the local community.

For the Gold Award winners, the added bonus of attending one of the Royal palaces to collect their award from a member of the Royal family, and a national celebrity, is a lovely reward at the conclusion of their hard work whilst achieving the award.

Last year alone this meant that:

  • 3445 hours were spent on physical activity,
  • 2925 hours learning a new skill
  • 2717 hours spent volunteering in the local community.

The impact of these volunteering hours on society has a social value of £11 818.95 (based on £4.35 minimum wage). If we project this over the next 5 years students at St Clement Danes will add an amazing social value of £65000 to society! 

Further information about the award scheme can be found following the link below:

https://www.dofe.org/do/

 

 

 

 

 

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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.