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Iceland Trip 2023

50 KS5 students embarked on a trip of a lifetime to Iceland over the February half-term. On the first full day, they completed the famous ‘Golden Circle’. Immediately they were exposed to the power of geothermal activity, located in the small village of Fludir, they started their journey with a swim in the Secret Lagoon which was a staggering 38-40 Celsius. This underlying heat also powered the extremely popular Fridheimar Tomato Greenhouse serving its renowned soup. The second day was themed ‘a day of fire’, we visited the eighth-largest geothermal power station in the world and walked right up to active lava which was still warm and emitting columns of gas from the 2021 eruption. They then grabbed their helmets and snow shoes and walked deep down through a lava tunnel into the side of a volcano, witnessing spectacular ice stalactites and the walls were made of basaltic lava boasting a deep red hue. That night we were in awe of the northern lights hovering over us, allowing plenty of time for a once in a lifetime photo opportunity. The last full day was themed ‘the day of ice’, the day began with one of the standout activities of climbing onto a Glacier using our crampons and ice axes. We were very fortunate to have clear blue skies and the sun allowed us to peer deep into the crevasses below. We then went on to visit a small fishing village and finished the day with a remarkable black-sanded beach formed by the underlying volcanic rock. Our last day consisted of visiting a lava centre that had a panorama of the three surrounding volcanoes of Hekla, Katla, and Eyjafjallajokull famous for the 2010 eruption that grounded flights. We finished our incredible trip with a visit to a planetarium in Reykjavik, which gave us a dramatic summary and explanation of the landscapes we saw as well as the northern lights we were so lucky to encounter.  

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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.