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Public Speaking team go through to District Finals!

On Wednesday 13th November 2019 SCD KS4 students Ruairi Ryan-Watson (Chair), Elena Morgan (Speaker) and Daniel Mullins (Questioner) took part in the prestigious English-Speaking Union (ESU - Churchill)) Public Speaking Competition. The competition is sponsored by the International Churchill Society, and is the largest such contest in England and Wales, with around 400 teams competing in the competition. The students successfully competed against 2 teams from Kings Langley Secondary School, and as a result went through to the next round of the competition – the District Final - which will be held on 21st January 2020.

Teacher-in-charge of Public Speaking, Mrs McLetchie-George, said “I was very impressed with the confidence and poise of the team.  And with Elena stepping into the role of Speaker only on the day of the competition, it was a truly satisfying victory.” 

Congratulations to all three team members on their superb performance, and we wish them continuing success in the District Finals!

To find out more about the ESU competition please follow the link below;

ttps://www.esu.org/competitions/psc/

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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.