St Clement Danes is an oversubscribed, highly regarded school situated in Chorleywood on the border between Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. It has been led by Toby Sutherland since January 2018, when the previous Headteacher, Dr Josephine Valentine OBE, became CEO of the Danes Educational Trust. With over 1000 applicants for 240 places annually, it is a popular local choice. It is partially selective, allocating 10% of places based on musical aptitude and 10% on the basis of an academic test coordinated through a local consortium of schools. This allows some students to gain places who do not live in the immediate vicinity of the school; however, the majority of students live in close proximity. When last visited by Ofsted, it was awarded outstanding in every one of the then 31 measures. Since then, it has more recently been awarded ‘World Class School’ status, an accolade awarded to schools who have moved ‘beyond outstanding’ and currently only held by a small number of schools nationwide. In 2016, it was one of the very first schools to be awarded Platinum Science Mark in recognition of its excellence in science teaching. It has a proud history dating back to 1862 and celebrates an annual Commemoration Service in St Clement Danes Church in the Strand. 

The school regularly appears in lists of the top comprehensive schools in the country. During the tenure of the former Headteacher, outcomes at all levels improved significantly, with cohorts of students whose ability on entry at Key Stage 2 has remained broadly similar. In 2023, 50% of all GCSE grades were at grade 7 or above, with 84% of students achieving grade 5 or above in English and Maths. In particular, it prides itself on the progress of its students; in 2023, the Progress 8 measure was +0.74. At A level 71% of all grades were in the range of A* to B. The school is far from being complacent about its success; instead, it is a reflective, innovative, outward looking school which embraces a research-based approach to change. There is plenty of scope for the successful candidates to help move the school forward; ensuring that St Clement Danes is consistently ‘beyond outstanding’ and maintains its outcomes in an ever changing educational landscape is a challenge which excites all members of staff.