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DofE March Expeditions

178 Year 9 students undertook a two day expedition over the weekend of 10th - 13th March. The group was split in half and each group experience was different due to the challenging weather conditions.

All the students walked from school to Phasels Wood Scout Campsite near Apsley. On the first day they were accompanied by staff, parent volunteers and sixth formers who trained the group to read a map and use a compass to work out which direction they were travelling in. Students arrived at the camp site and were taught how to set up their tent and use a Trangia stove to cook their own hot evening meal and wash up afterwards. Due to extreme low temperatures the first group on Friday went home to sleep but returned to camp the following morning to resume their expedition back to school. This time they were unaccompanied but tracked and checked on by the staff and volunteers along the way. Navigational errors were made but the groups worked hard to locate themselves and get back on track. Whilst the second group did manage to camp on Sunday night they faced high winds and rain. They also managed the second day unaccompanied back to school. Tired, exhausted and very muddy the groups did all make it back to school, even if we had to pick them up in the minibus!

The students will go onto their qualifying expeditions in June, where hopefully they will have more favourable weather conditions.

A big thank you to all the parents and staff who volunteered their time to help out on a successful trip!

 

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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.