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A taste of life at work for Sixth Form students!

In liaison with our CEIAG (Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance ) Coordinators, a number of our sixth form students had a taste of work life when they took part in work shadowing programmes at various companies and organisations, both at home and abroad! Some of our students reported on their experiences during their placements - you can read their accounts below.

I completed my work shadowing at Emma Victoria Payne Bridalwear, a company based in Chelsea which designs and creates bespoke wedding gowns.  I have learnt so much about innovative design of wedding dresses to suit the customer need and the stages involved in making a wedding dress from consultation and design to final fittings.  I have also learnt about owning and running a business, seeing communication with customers and invoicing.  I have observed multiple client fittings, most of which were the final fitting before the big day.  It was amazing to see these completed gowns, which were drawings six months earlier.  It was incredibly inspiring to be around such beautiful and luxurious gowns and fabrics and I am very grateful to Emma for having me for work shadowing.

Verity

I was lucky enough to complete my Year 12 Work Shadowing at KPMG, Tyson’s Corner, Washington DC.  I had a fascinating insight into the world of Consulting, shadowing a Partner for the Federal Advisory Branch of KPMG.  From the tour of the offices to listening in to conferences calls and observing meetings I got a real feel for what the role of a business consultant entails. 

Sophie

I really enjoyed my experience of work shadowing at the Palace of Westminster.  I had a tour of the historic buildings; a question and answer session with the Secretary of State for Justice and South West Hertfordshire MP: David Gauke and watched a debate in the House of Commons.  It was really interesting to see the politicians we know from TV and the newspapers in action, especially during such a turbulent time in British Politics.

Florence

For my work shadowing placement I went to Lego in Slough, where I shadowed the marketing director and advertising guru.  I witnessed the creation of displays that will soon be used in a major store shop window and sat in on important and exciting strategy meetings.

Luke

 

The timing of my work shadowing at the Telegraph could not have been better.  The two days I was there I witnessed the fallout from England’s defeat to Croatia, the attempted explanation of Theresa May’s White Paper Brexit bill and then the unending coverage of Trump’s tour of Britain and feud with Sadiq Khan.  On my first day I was placed with the sports section and was shown how everything is organised and how reporters are allocated teams.  During my second day in the news section I was tasked with calling the BBC press office and getting a statement from them.  This was daunting as I had to speak as though I knew the procedure and take notes simultaneously. Needless to say it was a learning curve.  Nevertheless, my time at the Telegraph was nothing short of invaluable providing me an insight into how a paper is run including how a writer passes to the section planner. Then the five best pieces are selected and passed to the editor who decides where each feature will be situated in the paper.  Then miraculously all that was discussed appears in the paper the next day.

Max

I did my work shadowing at ISG, a construction services company, in Aldgate.  There I shadowed three people: the Visualisation Manager who creates virtual models of designs for customers; the Marketing Communications Manager who showed me how the company advertises its services; and the Head of Proposals who explained how the company bids for business.  I was also able to visit a building site at the new Imperial College research facility in White City.

James

I went to a company called Lee Valley Tools in Ottawa, Canada where I was shadowing various people across the design and manufacture departments. Everyone was so welcoming and nice, just like the Canadian stereotype, and I was even able to participate in some other manufacture by helping to load and unload parts in their giant manufacturing workshop and was then given a tool that I had helped make as a gift at the end of my work shadowing

Izzy

Thanks are extended to all the companies and organisations who offered placements to our students, and also to all parents, family members and friends of the school who contributed towards the students obtaining work shadowing placements

 

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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.