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Florence A level Art & Photography Field Trip

Twenty two Sixth Form students flew to Florence on 8th February for 4 days. Year 12 were using work created in Italy to add to their coursework portfolio and Year 13 were using inspiration from Florence for their exam projects. The trip was designed to make maximum use of time to visit as many places of interest as possible. We had a tour guide with us to explain the cultural history of this amazing city as well as free time to explore, make art and take photographs.

The Hotel Pendini was our base; a beautiful hotel right in the heart of the city. From there we visited galleries, churches, a convent, a monastery with amazing frescos and the original David by Michelangelo. We climbed 398 steps to the top of the bell tower of Brunelleschi’s Duomo which gave us stunning views over the city and mountains in the distance.

Of course, in Italy, there was lots of food to enjoy and as you would expect, we were full on delicious pastas, pizzas and Italian Gelato. Mrs Giles and I were particularly fond of the thick and creamy hot chocolate.

Such a wonderful trip, immersed in art, history, culture and food. We all could have stayed much longer!
 

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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.