Students meet HRH The Earl of Wessex at University of Hertfordshire

On Tuesday 26^th June, students participating in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme attended the University of Hertfordshire to take part in a visit by the HRH The Earl of Wessex. The student party consisted of a student dance troupe, a student band and a 6^th Form Prefect. The Earl is travelling around the country meeting participants of the scheme at regional centres. He had an opportunity to meet the participants and watch performances by the students. The royal party included Mr Robert Voss, Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, and Lord Salisbury, Chairman of the University of Hertfordshire Board of Governors and Vice Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire.

Year 9, 11 and 12 students performed a self-choreographed dance for the Earl. Year 9 students Hannah, Olivia, Leela and Lucy, Year 11 student Amelie and Year 12 student Ellen have previously danced for the school. However, this was the first time they had worked together as a team. Student band ‘Not White Noise’, who recently won the Bucks Battle of the Bands, performed an acoustic number for the royal party (the first song they ever wrote). The band consists of two sets of Year 10 siblings - Gaetan, Max, Daisy and Henry. The St Clement Danes party also included Sixth Form prefect Eden, who is working towards her Gold Award.

The Earl of Wessex watched the performances before he spoke to the students about their involvement with the award programme. He was very impressed with the number of instruments that the band members can play, and wished them luck in their forthcoming performance at the Buckinghamshire Music Trust Celebration Concert which will be held at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 1^st July. The Earl also chatted with the girls in the dance group and school prefect, Eden. He was interested to find out where the Gold and Silver students are going on their respective expeditions this summer. A highlight for students Eden and Ellen was their invitation to enjoy a buffet lunch with His Royal Highness and the other distinguished guests.

The school encourages students to take part in the fantastic programme offered by the Duke Of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Yesterday was a great opportunity to celebrate all the hard work that is put into the scheme by the organisers of the award scheme, the staff who support the students throughout the programme and, most significantly, the students who participate in the scheme!

Photograph credit:Thanks to photographer Pete Stevens for allowing the use of his photographs taken at this event.