I extend a warm welcome to all families reading Headlines for the first time, especially those joining our Year 7 and Sixth Form cohorts. It has been wonderful to observe how quickly our new pupils have integrated into the school community, demonstrating genuine enthusiasm in their studies and participating actively across our extra-curricular provision. We are immensely proud of their approach and the exemplary start they have made at St Clement Danes.

As a reminder for our returning families and an introduction for those new to our community, below is our Character Education Wheel. These core values articulate what we mean by Success, Character and Dignity, providing a shared language and clear framework for pupils, staff and families alike. They guide how we teach, recognise and celebrate character, ensuring a consistent approach across our community to the attributes and behaviours we seek to nurture. Ultimately, this framework equips every pupil to flourish, both during their time at St Clement Danes and in the wider world beyond.

Following the success of our inaugural event last year, we are delighted to invite all Year 8 parents to our Welcome Morning on Friday 9th October. This will be a wonderful opportunity to connect with their new Form Tutor and Head of Year, hear about what lies ahead for the academic year and meet fellow parents over refreshments. We look forward to welcoming you. 

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all parents for your support during the rollout of our new Yondr pouches. Thanks to your partnership, the transition has been effective with 96% of our pupils now using their pouches daily. The pupils have responded brilliantly to this new routine, and the positive impact is already clear: lessons remain calm and focused, and pupils are enjoying far more face-to-face interaction during break and lunchtimes.

Thank you also to the 178 families so far who have voluntarily contributed to the request for support of our extra-curricular sports provision this term.

This voluntary contribution is the only way we can continue to provide the extensive number of teams, practices, fixtures, events we currently run by employing the three additional Sports Coaches to support the extensive extra-curricular programme.  I attach here the letter sent previously which includes the details of how to sign up and why the contributions are so important.

Our recent Open Day was a resounding success, and I would like to extend my utmost appreciation to all the pupils and staff who gave so generously of their time. Our staff worked tirelessly to showcase the breadth of our curriculum, while our pupils did an exemplary job of representing our school with confidence, warmth and pride. Together, their collective enthusiasm provided prospective families with a clear window into what makes our school such a vibrant and welcoming community.

As always, the start of the academic year has been both busy and exciting for our school. We launched the term with our annual Speech Day on 11th September, where we had the pleasure of welcoming runner, mental health advocate and former journalist Megan Boxall as our guest speaker. Her inspiring address offered a deeply personal account of her journey, including becoming the fastest woman to run the entire coastline of Britain by completing the equivalent of 200 marathons in 204 days, raising £70,000 for the Samaritans.

Speech Day also provided us with a moment to reflect on the incredible academic success our pupils achieved over the summer. We are proud to share that once again, our pupils performed exceptionally well in their GCSEs. We are delighted to celebrate the outstanding GCSE results achieved by our pupils this year. An impressive 48% of all grades awarded were at 7-9. Congratulations to Prisha Y, Keshava R and Atharva S for the exceptional accomplishment of achieving a full set of straight 9s.

Our A Level pupils also excelled; 40% of all grades awarded were A* or A, with 14% securing A* and 74% of pupils receiving A*-B. We are delighted that the vast majority of our pupils gained admission to their chosen universities or prestigious apprenticeships. Notably, four pupils secured places at Oxford or Cambridge, one will attend medical school, and one at dentistry school. Special commendations are extended to Sebastian J for achieving an exceptional four A* grades, alongside Thomas B, Emily McK, Thomas O, Abi E, Samuel K, Elizabeth N and Vishnu V, who each secured a remarkable three A* grades, alongside other impressive grades. Notable recognition goes to Julia W for achieving an impressive suite of five A-levels at A*-A, with further congratulations to Isaac B, Jude P, William W and Aydin M for their outstanding achievements in attaining a combination of top A* and A grades across four subjects. 

Beyond these academic achievements, our pupils excelled across a range of co-curricular activities this summer. Special thanks go to our PE staff for organising a fantastic football tour for our US guests, and to the host families who warmly welcomed the visiting team from Maine.

The PE staff also did a superb job of running the popular Sports Camp for our incoming Year 7 pupils.  My thanks also go to Mrs Ingleby and Miss Smart for their leadership in the Performing Arts Summer Camp and Mr Biswell and Mr Sorrell for their Food Camp. 

We also extend our gratitude to Mrs Kirby for arranging the Duke of Edinburgh Gold expedition to Norway and Poland. Congratulations to the 36 pupils who demonstrated resilience and teamwork during these challenging adventures and our thanks also to all the volunteer helpers on the trips.

In my Speech Day address, I celebrated the remarkable talent and resilience within our community, drawing inspiration from Year 9 pupil Sam B, a nationwide winner in The Day’s Student Voices Young Journalist Awards 2026. Reflecting on his winning article, “Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but it’s not doom and gloom either,” I highlighted his powerful critique of modern media sensationalism and his reminder of humanity’s inherent capacity to adapt and thrive. In a world so often marked by economic turmoil, political instability, and rising disinformation, the true heart of a St Clement Danes education lies in character development, equipping our young people to weather the "doom and gloom" just as thoughtfully as they enjoy the "sunshine and rainbows."

Behind every individual milestone lies a collective effort sustained by dedicated staff, proud families, and encouraging peers. Whether demonstrating compassion, creativity, curiosity, communication, or courage, our pupils continually embody the core values we explicitly teach and cherish.

I concluded my address by returning to Sam’s insightful words: “It’s important to keep positive because whatever happens, humans always adapt and never lose hope.” It is my sincere hope and belief that throughout the coming year and beyond, the entire St Clement Danes community, pupils, staff, parents, and alumni, will carry that spirit of hope, positivity, and courage as we work together selflessly to ensure the enduring success of our school.

Finally, we are delighted to invite our whole school community to follow our official Instagram page, where we celebrate pupil achievements and highlight the wonderful work happening across all year groups. From showcasing creative projects to sharing sporting events, it is a brilliant place to see daily life at our school. Please take a moment to follow us on Instagram and stay connected with us.