A Letter from the Past

A Word of Thanks to the Staff - From The Dane of July 1928 

Having spent all the years I want to in Houghton Street I am now leaving (together with a number of others) the joys and woes of school life behind me. I therefore feel that a few words of gratitude are due to our noble staff.

Despite the fact that we all delight in criticising, annoying and parodying our Masters we are all very fond of them and realise their arduous tasks. I doubt if any of us really envy them with their responsibilities and worries and I am quite sure they are not sufficiently rewarded for their pains. It is easy – too easy - for us to criticise them when they make mistakes but really when we consider all things they are all doing their best and trying to make their boys happy. This will be realised better when we leave school.

Our staff is composed of real British sportsmen who take great interest in their work and really make school life a more or less pleasant form of existence by their splendid co-operation with the boys. Our Head is firm but not unbearably so. Many little things does he overlook which he thinks only natural for boys to do but he knows where to put his foot down. His colleagues are equally fair and give little cause for complaint.

I am not speaking as one who has never criticised the staff, because I have. But on the whole when I look back at my life in this school I am impressed by the friendly way in which every boy is treated by the masters. Sirs, we take our hats off to you! Thank you one and all for all you have done for us while we have been under your care.

Long live the staff!

Harold J Lawson

Upper v

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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.