As we approach the end of the academic year, we bid a fond farewell to several cherished members of our school community. We extend our thanks and best wishes to Mrs. Wright, who is retiring after 8 years as an integral part of the English faculty, and Mrs Firth, who is also retiring after 23 years with us; first joining as a Textiles teacher and subsequently supporting the school as a Design & Technology supply teacher. Her long-standing presence will be greatly missed. Mrs. Fern is also entering retirement after 16 wonderful years of service as Head of MFL to the school. Additionally, we send our very best wishes to Dr. Wilson, Mrs. Judge, Mr. Hallas and Mr. Davies, who are all relocating to new areas, and we offer our warmest congratulations to Mr. Hutton and Mr. Assaye on their respective promotions. We also extend our gratitude to Miss Putta for her fantastic work covering Miss Fennessey’s role this year, and we wish Miss Matthews, our Sixth Form Administrator, the very best of luck as she moves on to pastures new. The dedication and contributions of all these staff members have been truly invaluable, and they will be greatly missed by pupils and colleagues alike. We are sincerely thankful for the lasting impact they have made on our school, and we wish each of them every success and happiness in their next chapters.

On Friday 3rd July, it was my absolute privilege to welcome distinguished guests, former headteachers, and alumni from our original 1975 and 1976 cohorts back to St Clement Danes as we celebrated 50 years of excellence in Chorleywood. Reflecting on our school motto, "Loyauté m’oblige" (loyalty binds us), the day was a beautiful testament to the enduring sense of community and commitment that has shaped our school as it has doubled in size over the last half-century. Attendees enjoyed afternoon tea, very generously organised by Mr Biswell, toured the school with our Year 12 Prefects to see how our original architecture now blends with  additions like the Barbirolli Hall, and were treated to brilliant musical performances from our talented pupils. I want to extend my thanks to the incredible staff, premises team, and Sixth Form Prefects who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this historic milestone such a memorable success.

We were also delighted to mark this half-century in another special way, with an aerial photograph where our wonderful pupils were placed to form a giant number 50. Your child will be given a postcard on Monday with details of how to order a copy of the 50th photo. Furthermore, to continue celebrating this historic occasion, we are currently looking into the possibility of planting 50 trees within the school grounds, and more information on this initiative will follow in the next academic year.

We recently enjoyed another fantastic annual Sports Day, brilliantly led by Mr. Birkett and the PE faculty. Although I was unable to attend this year, I have been filled with immense pride hearing about the incredible dedication and effort our pupils poured into their events. Reports of their exemplary attitude, both on and off the track, are a testament to our school spirit. I was particularly delighted to hear about our Year 12s thoroughly enjoying their final Sports Day, and our Year 10 pentathletes, who concluded the event with a truly spectacular 800m race. A huge thank you goes to the entire PE faculty for their hard work and effort in putting together such a wonderful day for our school community.

One of the many standout events this term was Culture Day held at the end of June. Many pupils chose to dress in their traditional attire, showcasing the rich diversity within our school community. This event, led by our Diversity Prefect, provided an invaluable opportunity for pupils to share and learn about different cultures, providing a spirit of inclusivity and understanding. It was heart-warming to witness the enthusiasm and pride with which pupils presented their heritage.

This week and next week, for Years 7 and 8, the final assemblies of the term have been a celebration of the years work of pupils and staff.  On Thursday we celebrated the achievements of our Year 9 and 10 pupils.  This celebrated the Year 9 pupils who graduated with Bronze, Silver or Gold Danes Anchor Awards.  We shared the brand new designs of the school badges, designed by pupils for pupils, and incorporating the first ever Headteacher’s Award badge.  It was a wonderful privilege to be able to distribute these to the first ever recipients and subsequently seeing them being worn around school.  These awards are the culmination of our commitment to rewarding success in all its forms; recognising the huge efforts of pupils in developing their character and the many instances where pupils have delivered on their responsibility to exemplify dignity in their actions, words and attitudes.

Miss Ramsbottom, Assistant Headteacher, and Mrs Kirby, Danes Anchor Award leader, were the driving forces for this initiative.  The Heads of Year, led by Mr Watkinson and Mr Hutton, have ensured the increase in tangible merit-based rewards this year.  We are fortunate to have such superb leaders driving this aspect of provision at St Clement Danes, ensuring we deliver on our promise to the pupils of an outstanding education, delivering academic excellence allied with the development of their character, helping to ensure their success now and in the future.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our school community for another successful and productive year and for your continued support. I hope you have a restful summer break with your friends and families, and that your children come back refreshed for the new term.