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Student View: Lanzarote Sports Trip 2024

Below is a student view from Olivia J in Year 10 who went to Lanzarote during the May half term holidays.

Sun, Sport and Smiles!

We began the week off by running the pole vault through the airport, losing a boarding pass and a well deserved buffet dinner, preparing ourselves for the week of training ahead.

For our intense training sessions, we were split into training groups led by Mr Birkett, Mr Conway, Miss Tucker and Miss Clarke. During training we would work on our sprinting ability - for example pulling against the resistance of a theraband whilst sprinting, different track and field events, a brutal endurance session consisting of a distance pyramid, and even our core strength with the TRX exercises. After the heat during the training sessions, jumping in the pool (sometimes fully clothed) was our instant relief.

Highlights of the week included, a (competitive) beach volleyball tournament, the plonker points - mostly Zach, Oscar showing off his skills on the diving board, Liv face-planting off a slackline, mini golf tournament, most people getting sunburnt, watching the football in the Sports Bar, finding a new love for padel and even the teachers getting involved in the football tournament.

To top off a fantastic week, the pentathlon began in full swing! The teachers organised us into teams named; Tuckers Tornadoes, Birketts Burners, Conway's Conquerors and the winning team of Clarkes Crusaders. The pentathlon was made up of each team member completing high jump, long jump, shot put, 100m and an 800m. Everyone took part and became invested in the competition, there was a great atmosphere at the track, with everyone supporting and encouraging each other to do their best. The final standings were 4th place- Tuckers Tornadoes, 3rd place- Birketts Blazers, 2nd place - Conway's Conquerors and Clarkes Crusaders in 1st place!! Awards for top athletes of the week were awarded to Oscar and Martha.

All in all, a fabulous week, with some much fitter and sun burnt athletes returning home!

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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.