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Danes Educational Trust hosts Mental Health Matters Conference

This week the Danes Educational Trust hosted a Mental Health Matters Conference for sharing best practice approaches to Mental Health and Wellbeing amongst schools. Approximately eighty teachers and support staff attended the conference when they had an opportunity to attend workshops and listen to speeches from mental health professionals and guests involved in mental health issues.

Old Dane Jack Rooke who is a comedian, campaigner, artist and writer gave a fascinating speech ‘Good Grief – a personal reflection’.  Jack's debut BBC Three series Happy Man was broadcast in April 2017, a documentary exploring alternative solutions to the male mental health crisis, which was nominated for Best Factual in the iTalkTelly Awards 2017 and earned Rooke a place on the BBC New Talent Hotlist 2017.​

BAFTA and Emmy Award winning Media Executive, Sallyann Keizer gave a speech ‘Finding Happy in a Digital World’. Managing Director of Sixth Sense Media Ltd., Sallyann set up the London-based independent production company in 2000 to give young people a voice - and to empower, inspire, entertain and inform children globally. Sallyann is passionate about children’s wellbeing and empowering them to live emotionally resilient lives. 

Sam Garner, a renowned trainer and speaker on Mental Health and SEN, gave a speech: ‘Supporting mental health in your school day to day’. A former SENCO and qualified Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, Sam works with schools nationally and internationally.

The delegates had an opportunity to attend a selection of workshops titled 'Measuring Impact', 'Scratching the Surface', 'Rebalancing', 'Art Therapy in School', 'The Psychology of Learning', 'Resilience' and 'Circle of Friends'.

The conference was a great success with the delegates commenting on how informative and helpful they had found the programme, stating that they had gained much from the variety of workshops and talks available during the day.

 

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20th March

Duke of Edinburgh update: A busy month for our pupils

It has been a landmark month for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at the school, with pupils across all year groups pushing their boundaries from the local landscape of Chorleywood Common to the rugged terrain of Scandinavia. The Gold Award cohort has seen an impressive 54 pupils sign up this year, many of whom recently gathered for a specialised food tasting session. This practical workshop allowed the Year 12s to trial various expedition rations, ensuring their packs are filled with both nutritious and palatable fuel ahead of their demanding practice trek through the Lake District this March. Preparation for the Gold Award reached a new peak on 1st March during a comprehensive training day led by Hepworth Adventures. The sheer scale of this year’s ambitions was evident as pupils mapped out diverse routes; 25 participants are currently preparing for the wilds of Otta in Norway, 13 are bound for Poland, and another 13 are focusing on UK-based expeditions, while one pupil prepares for a bespoke kayaking challenge. Under the guidance of Hepworth staff, these pupils fine-tuned their menu planning and equipment lists, ensuring they are fully equipped for the specific demands of the Gold environment and their upcoming qualifying aims in early summer. The spirit of the award is equally vibrant in the younger year groups, with 91 Year 10 pupils recently completing their Silver training day. Guided by a dedicated team of St Clement Danes staff and parent volunteers, the pupils took to Chorleywood Common to sharpen their navigational skills through a series of practical exercises. The day also involved intensive route planning for their qualifying expeditions in May and June, alongside sessions on the logistical challenges of group catering in the wilderness. Meanwhile, the Year 9 Bronze Award continues to see record engagement, with 182 pupils set to undergo their own training day on March 7th. Led by the School of Outdoor, this upcoming session will provide the foundation for their first expeditions, with photos and details of their progress expected to follow soon. Beyond the physical challenges of the trail, the school community recently gathered to celebrate the formal achievements of our participants. The Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire presided over a prestigious award presentation, during which he commended the pupils for their resilience and commitment. For those who missed the event, the full presentation slides and the keynote speech have been made available online, documenting a proud chapter in the school’s long-standing history with the DofE program.
20th March

Impressive low scores as pupils compete at Beaconsfield Golf club

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