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Commemoration Service 2023

Commemoration Day on 24th November marked the celebration of the school's founding with a splendid service at the St Clement Danes Church in Holborn. It marked the 1,137th anniversary of the land allocation to the Danes by King Alfred the Great in 886, where the first church, later known as St. Clement Danes, was built. The school celebrated its forty-seventh year on its current site in Chorleywood.

The service was attended by students in Years 7, 11 and 13, VIPs, Old Danes, Trustees, Staff and Governors.

The service commenced with the Processional Cross carried in by Headboy, Sam James and the Acolyte Torches by Louie Green and Isabella Patterson. Reverend Mark Perry, Resident Chaplin to St Clement Danes Church, warmly welcomed the congregation.

The Year 7 Choir, Adult Choir, Chamber Choir and Orchestra, alongside the captivating solo performance of 'Pie Jesu Gabriel Faure' by Year 13 student Aine Cronnelly, filled the event with musical brilliance with their beautiful performances.

It was wonderful to hear the First Orchestra performing Year 12 student, Phillip Deeley’s, debut performance of his composition, Dies Irae.

Headgirl, Lucy Douglas, and Headteacher, Mr Sutherland, contributed to the service with insightful lessons and Reverend Andrew Prout delivered the final address. The symbolic 'The Anchor is Our Emblem' resonated with soloists, Maya Smart and Jayan Meggs, performing and the service ended with the enchanting Hallelujah Chorus by Handel.

It was a beautiful and memorable morning, with livestreaming for the remaining students who were based at school.

Thank you to all the staff involved, in particular Mr Butterfield, Miss Smart, Mrs Pullen, Mrs Maryubushi and Miss Ryan, for making the day truly special. 

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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.