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Success, Character, and Dignity for All: Celebrating 245 Recipients of Bronze, Silver, and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards

On Thursday 2nd November, we had the honour of welcoming our award recipients from Year 10 to Year 13 to celebrate their remarkable achievements; this year, we proudly recognised 159 Bronze, 84 Silver and 9 Gold award recipients.

It has been a joy to celebrate these accomplishments with our students. We extend our gratitude to Ben Willis, our DofE prefect, and Lottie Park, for their inspiring presentation on their Gold awards. We'd also like to acknowledge Thomas Kirby, DofE Ambassador, for his assistance in setting up the event and his ongoing support for the Year 9 students beginning their award journey. Special thanks go to Teddy Noonan for his outstanding piano performance tonight.

The volunteering section is truly invaluable, as it fosters personal growth, lasting friendships, and gives back to society. Last year, our SCD students contributed 4,095 hours of volunteer service, with a societal value of £19,695. At St Clement Danes, our commitment to the Duke of Edinburgh Award is rooted in a community driven model, where our dedicated staff and parents willingly contribute their time to support student achievements. We want to emphasise that it's not just the staff; it's also the assessors who write reports. With each student typically having four sections and potentially four different assessors, the 245 awards involve the participation of 980 individuals from our local community. To all those involved, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your time and dedication to our young people.

We are indebted to the staff members who provided expedition support at St Clement Danes. Mrs Parker, Mr Taylor, Mr Biswell, Mr Sorrel, Mrs Spencer, Mrs Ingleby, Mrs Wheatley and Dr Lowe have all played integral roles in this year's expeditions. Additionally, Miss Fennessy and Mrs Sivagaran have not only assisted with expeditions but have also played key roles in helping students initiate their awards and supporting them throughout their journeys.

Our gratitude extends to the many staff members who served as assessors for various sections, including Music, Drama, Lamda, PE, form tutors, language teachers, geography teachers, all the teachers who run clubs during lunchtime and after school and many more. The students greatly appreciate your time and effort.

The parents who volunteered for expedition support have been absolutely outstanding. Gareth Hanson, John Bard, Mark Leveridge, Nick Boyes, Norman Lienster, Rob Purbrick, Roel Jansen, Sarah Dobson, Trevor Brett, Clive Malcher, Isabelle Hems, Dylas Chan, Adam Bailey, Andrew Mortimer, Claire Skipsey, Eleanor Hooper, Graham Evans, Hilda Wright, Jude Hanson, Rachel Gauke, Rajshree Patel, Simon Archer, Andrew Wallace and Peter Edwards have collectively contributed over 200 days of volunteer support, with a value to SCD students worth £32,700. We are profoundly grateful for their dedicated time and effort. We would also like to acknowledge some of our longest serving parents, including Mark Leveridge with 85 days over 9 years, Trevor Brett with 70 expedition days over 6 years, Norman Leinster with 56 days over 6 years, Sarah Dobson with 25 days over 6 years, John Bard with 25 days over 5 years, Roel Jansen with 25 days over 5 years and Nic Boys with 20 days over 4 years.

Behind the scenes, each award undergoes rigorous checks by staff before being sent for verification. Chris Marks, the primary award verifier for our school, has meticulously reviewed every section of every award at every level over the last 5 years, totalling 867 awards (including 45 Gold awards) and 3,513 individual checks. We are grateful for his dedication to ensuring the quality of our awards. We also extend our appreciation to Mohan Gharial, who is stepping down as a verifier, and welcome Jaime-Lee Keene, a parent and parent governor, to assist Chris in this crucial role.

To all the award recipients, we hope that you continue to embrace the challenges and opportunities that come your way. Your experiences will undoubtedly shape your character and open doors for years to come.

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26th February

Celebrating our inclusion in National Top 200 Sporting schools list

We are proud to announce our inclusion in the prestigious list of the top 200 sporting schools in the country, achieving an impressive 62nd place ranking nationally. This recognition, recently highlighted by the Watford Observer, places the school among the elite educational institutions for sporting achievement in the United Kingdom. The "Top 200" list is compiled annually by School Sport Magazine, which utilises a rigorous methodology to determine the most successful schools across the nation. Unlike subjective polls, these rankings are based purely on performance in national competitions. The magazine analyses results across more than 20 different sports and over 120 different national competitions, awarding points based on how far a school progresses. Particular weight is given to reaching the final stages of prestigious national cups and championships, meaning the list serves as a direct reflection of a school’s competitive reach and its ability to succeed at the highest levels of school sport. Our climb to the 62nd spot this year is a direct result of several standout performances on the national stage across a variety of disciplines. Our Senior Girls reached the ESFA Football National Semi-Finals, showcasing incredible teamwork and skill against the best in the country. Our golfers also excelled on the national stage, finishing as National Finalists ranked number 9 in the country in the English Schools’ Team Championship. Additionally, the Inter Boys squad demonstrated exceptional talent and athleticism by qualifying for the National Track & Field Final, while the U16 Boys’ determination saw them progress deep into their season to reach the National Vase Regional Final. These milestones represent countless hours of training, immense dedication from both pupils and staff and a tenacious competitive spirit that defines the St Clement Danes community. While the school is incredibly proud of these elite achievements and our high standing in the national rankings, we recognise that these statistics only tell part of the story. Our core values are built on the belief sport extends far beyond the trophy cabinet or a leaderboard. Our focus remains firmly on participation as well as performance, ensuring our programme is inclusive, meaningful and accessible for all, not just those competing at the highest level.  Sport is for all, and whether a pupil is representing the school in a national final or discovering a lifelong passion for physical activity in a lunchtime club, our goal is to create a culture where every pupil feels empowered to stay active. We remain committed to providing a diverse range of opportunities that cater to all abilities, ensuring every pupil can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of sport.  Congratulations to all our pupil-athletes, coaches and supportive parents who have helped make this national recognition possible.