Science Faculty show off their Science Mark Platinum Award - Latest News - St Clement Danes School

Â鶹ÊÓƵ

Menu

Science Faculty show off their Science Mark Platinum Award

The Science Faculty were persuaded to pose with the Platinum Award that they received after being assessed for this prestigious award last term. St Clement Danes was one of the first schools in the country to be assessed for the award at the highest level possible, demonstrating the breadth and quality of provision on offer at the school.

The school received a visit from STEM Learning Ltd to verify its application. The assessor was impressed with both the staff and students when he visited and wrote: “The visit to the school only strengthened this application and I have to say, on a personal level, how impressed I was with the students. They were very honest and gave high praise of their school.” 

The Science Faculty, led by Mr Cumming, is pictured here with the award which examines a school’s provision in science in the following areas:


• Big ideas in science
• Personalisation of science to meet students’ needs
• Science enrichment activities
• The school’s vision for science education
• Staff development
• Curriculum, student progress and the school’s intervention programmes
• Partnership working

Mrs Quinton, who led the school's application for the award, is co-ordinating a number of activities for students this term in STEM related subjects, details of which can be seen here.

St Clement Danes is also the lead school for the Science Learning Partnership for South Bucks and West Herts, organising high quality CPD for Primary and Secondary science teachers to meet local identified science teaching and learning needs.

Categories

Category / All Articles

Archives

Also Featured

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.