'Help Refugees' update

On 27^th January 2017, Old Dane Dan Chadder visited the school and led an assembly about the charity ‘Help Refugees’. Based in Northern France, the charity had been running a camp in Dunkirk at which Dan has been an aid worker. Dan informed the students about some of the challenges that his team experienced during distribution of clothing at the camp. Language barriers and cultural sensitivities are amongst some of the challenges that helpers faced, and items had to be prioritised for the most vulnerable individuals. Students heard that workers tried to provide everyone with essential items in a dignified way, and that they worked hard to establish the most efficient and effective methods of distribution, helped by the knowledge that each donation has been provided by a person who cares. Following the assembly, sixth form students organised a school collection of clothing for the refugees. The items were sorted, packed and delivered to the refugees two weeks after the collection, with the assistance of many people who played an equally valued role in the whole process.

Subsequent to the items being distributed, refugees had to be evacuated from the camp as the result of a fire on 11th April. The refugees have since been moved to a number of locations across France, due to the extensive damage at the camp.

Thank you to our sixth form students who organised the school collection, and to the school community for kindly donating these items. Many thanks to Dan for updating the school about the dispersal of all contributed items, and we wish Dan well in his continued work as an aid worker with ‘Help Refugees’.

For those who wish to volunteer or donate to 'Help Refugees', please see the link below to find further information. 'Chorleywood4Refugees' has a collection point at William Penn Leisure Centre every Saturday morning. Please contact Brian Donnelly for further information at briandonnelly04@gmail.com

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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.

30th January

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