St. Clement Danes School

Headteacher: Josephine Valentine BSc, PhD

Achievement For All ...

In this all-ability, co-educational school, we are committed to maximise the potential of each student. We ensure that
every student follows a broad and balanced curriculum, which fully meets his or her needs and that conforms to
the National Curriculum.

The ultimate challenge for any school is to ensure that the delivery of the curriculum stretches and supports each individual
student in their learning. A key measure for achieving this at St Clement Danes is the regular monitoring and assessment
of student progress. Students and parents are informed of the progress made and the subsequent targets set to ensure
ongoing achievement. Guided by information on prior attainment we place students in appropriate sets for the
majority of subjects from Key Stage Three onward. We have an active enrichment and extension policy for the more able.We
provide learning support for those students with identified needs.

The ongoing assessment of each student starts with information from Key Stage 2. The school builds on this with continuous assessment of achievement and progress at each stage of their studies at St Clement Danes. The information is obtained from a thorough system of internal and external benchmarking. The information is passed onto students and parents through target setting, interim monitoring reports, full academic reports and parent consultation evenings. St Clement Danes provides a structured pastoral system that enables all students to receive the appropriate support and guidance during their academic career at the school. The work of Pastoral Leaders and Form Tutors is integral to the academic progress made by each student. Personal mentoring for students is a feature of St Clement Danes and illustrates the focus on individual learning needs for a range
of abilities and talents. The development of a structured mentoring programme across each Key Stage is part of the ongoing development to facilitate student achievement.

Our objective is to ensure each individual has a learning programme suitable to his or her ability. Providing an appropriate classroom environment that enables each student to maximise their ability is a key concern. Successful financial management [OFSTED Report] results in the effective use of school resources. Each department has access to excellent facilities. The school
enjoys an exceptional site with an ongoing programme of development. At present there are extensive building works on the school site to accommodate extra numbers and generate improved resources for all curriculum areas. Parents have a significant opportunity to assist in this development by participating in the school Anchor Fund, which makes a substantial contribution to facilities and resources.

The taught curriculum offers differentiation to accommodate a range of abilities. Examples of this would be the option to fast track GCSE study in Modern Foreign Languages and the facility to take triple science for gifted and talented students in Years 10 and 11. In the Sixth Form the variation ranges from those studying five AS subjects to those who combine two AS areas of study alongside a work experience placement. Such good practice is facilitated by a full complement of specialist staff that includes Advanced Skills Teachers and others who have Excellent Teacher status within the school.

We encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning and were delighted by a recent HMI report that concluded the school has a ‘positive ethos where pupils value learning.’ As such the students were responding to a school environment that the Chief Inspectors Report deemed as providing ‘education of the highest quality.’ The OFSTED Inspection described student behaviour as ‘exemplary’ and this represents the basic expectation for every student in all areas of school life irrespective of their own individual talents.

Ethos & Values