News
Posted on: 9/02/2026The benefits of being a local governor in Danes Educational Trust
Serving as a local governor on one of our School Boards is a rewarding way to contribute to children’s life chances while developing valuable professional skills. Our local governors help ensure our Danes Educational Trust’s vision, ethos and strategy are lived out in each school’s context. Through regular monitoring of safeguarding, SEND, underserved pupils and stakeholder engagement, you become the Trust board’s “eyes and ears” at school level, strengthening accountability and continuous improvement. You will build expertise in strategic thinking and data-informed challenge by reviewing pupil progress, attendance and curriculum information against targets, and by visiting the school to understand how policies work in practice. Working with school leaders on priorities and risks develops your ability to ask insightful questions, weigh evidence and make proportionate, transparent decisions. Panel work (for exclusions, complaints or staffing matters) offers concentrated experience in fair process, impartiality and decision-writing, skills that translate into any professional setting. You’ll collaborate closely with fellow governors and the governance professional, enhancing teamwork, communication and confidence in chairing. Our local governors play a pivotal role in stakeholder engagement: listening to our parents, pupils and staff and feeding insights to trustees helps align strategy with community needs and improves trust. The role is also flexible and supported, induction, ongoing development and clear schemes of delegation mean you focus on what matters, not day-to-day operations. Reasonable out of pocket expenses can be reclaimed, ensuring volunteering is accessible. You will be supported by - the chair and governors on the School Board - an experienced team of governance professionals - our Director of Operations who is also a consultant for the National Governance Association. - our board of trustees who value the local governance across the Trust Most importantly, your contribution helps keep pupils safe, ambitious and well supported. If you can commit to preparing for meetings, attending visits and asking constructive questions, you’ll make a tangible difference and gain skills that endure.
Posted on: 5/02/2026Learner Voice Council Primary Induction Day
On 20 January 2026, we held our fourth Learner Voice Council (LVC) Primary Induction Day, hosted at The Cranbourne Primary School. We were delighted to welcome back our primary schools, for a day dedicated to training pupils as they continue their LVC journey. The event brought together pupils and staff from across Danes Educational Trust, fostering a strong spirit of collaboration and leadership.
Pupils rotated through a dynamic workshop carousel designed to equip them with the practical tools needed for their upcoming missions. Nicola Spencer, Trust Learning Lead for English, guided the pupils through an impactful session on oracy, where pupils learned how to build confidence during a presentation. They immediately put these skills into action by presenting themselves to the group, showcasing the techniques they had just learned.
Alongside this, Shannon Anthony (Onslow St Audrey’s LVC Facilitator) led a vital workshop on survey design. Because of Shannon’s acute knowledge and experience as an LVC facilitator, she was able to provide highly relevant support that directly addressed the feedback from our primary facilitators regarding the need for better data-gathering tools.
The day also benefited significantly from the leadership of our secondary pupils. A key passion of Miles Conway’s (Trust Learning Lead for Learner Leadership) is transition, and this event served as a perfect example of secondary pupils developing their own leadership skills by teaching and mentoring their primary school peers.
This was seen in action as Matt Clarke and his pupils from Chancellor’s School shared "LVC Top Tips," providing invaluable peer-to-peer insights from pupils who have been part of the council for several years. Finally, Justin Reece and his pupils led an engaging team-building session. By challenging participants to untangle a "human knot," they visually demonstrated the importance of communication and why an LVC must work as a cohesive team to achieve its goals.
The Learner Voice Council is now celebrating its fifth year. It continues to serve as a vital platform for pupils to directly influence teaching and learning across their schools. The LVC empowers pupils to drive meaningful and lasting change by following a rigorous research cycle: planning, auditing, implementing, and evaluating.
Miles Conway, Trust Learning Lead for Learner Leadership, shared:
"It was an absolute pleasure to lead our fourth Primary Induction Day, and I am delighted by how smoothly the event ran. This success is a testament to the dedication of our primary colleagues (Helen Ansell, Jody Waters, Juliet Ford, Liz Black, Rachana Shah and Sarah Edwards), and the collaboration across the Trust. I am particularly thankful to Isla Grayson, Sarah Edwards, and the entire team at The Cranbourne Primary School for their incredible support in hosting us and ensuring the day was a success.
I am immensely proud to be in my second year in this role and to witness the significant progress we’ve achieved. The Learner Voice Council has seen substantial growth, and it is particularly gratifying to see our newer LVCs at schools like The Cranbourne, Roselands, The John Warner, and The Beaconsfield School established so successfully.
Finally, my sincere thanks go to our workshop leaders; Nicola Spencer, Shannon Anthony, Matt Clarke, and Justin Reece, along with their brilliant pupils. Their sessions on oracy, survey design, and team building are essential in training our young leaders to continue their LVC journey. To our primary facilitators: thank you for your continuous support in making the LVC a central part of our pupils' development."
The LVC would not run successfully without the support of our dedicated team of in-school facilitators: Emma Smart, Helen Ansell, Helen Cox, Jody Waters, Juliet Ford, Justin Reece, Liz Black, Matt Clarke, Paul Maddock, Rachana Shah, Rosamund Barnes, Sarah Edwards, and Shannon Anthony.
Posted on: 3/12/2025Learner Voice Council induction day
Danes Educational Trust was very proud to hold its fifth Learner Voice Council (LVC) Secondary Induction Day, hosted at Onslow St Audrey’s School on 18 November 2025. We were delighted to welcome secondary schools, including The John Warner School and The Beaconsfield School, which has recently established its own LVC. The day brought together students and staff from across Danes Educational Trust, fostering collaboration and leadership.
Students rotated through a dynamic workshop carousel, building crucial skills for their LVC journey. The sessions were expertly led by excellent practitioners. Claire Weetman (Onslow St Audrey’s School Oracy Lead) guided the students through a session on oracy, while Helen Cox (Assistant Headteacher at Croxley Danes School) led the teaching and learning session. Crucially, because of Helen's extensive involvement in the LVC, this session was acutely relevant and highly beneficial to the students.
The day also featured two practical, high-energy sessions: a teamwork workshop delivered by Onslow St Audreys School’s Sixth Form Team, and a workshop on research skills/top tips from St Clement Danes’ LVC Team (supported by Emma Smart). These essential tools, focusing on negotiation, communication, teamwork, research and successful learning missions, were delivered to equip our young leaders for success.
The Learner Voice Council is now celebrating its fifth year. It continues to serve as a vital platform for students to directly influence teaching and learning across their schools. The LVC empowers students to drive meaningful and lasting change by following a rigorous research cycle: planning, auditing, implementing, and evaluating. This year, we are especially pleased to report that two separate school groups are focusing their efforts on implementing adaptive practice methods to support students, directly aligning with DET and school priorities.
Miles Conway, shared:
"I am immensely proud to be in my second year as Trust Learning Lead for Learner Leadership and to witness the significant progress we’ve achieved. Over the last two years, the Learner Voice Council (LVC) has seen substantial growth, with all 13 schools now having an active LVC. It is particularly gratifying that The Cranbourne School, Roselands School, The John Warner School, and The Beaconsfield School have all successfully established their LVCs in such a short timeframe.
A major highlight for me is that the LVC was recently recognised in two different Ofsted reports:
Ascot Road School (November 2024): "The pupils in the 'learning voice council' are passionate about making the school even better."
The Cranbourne School (April 2025): "The school council ensures that pupils participate in competitions and can develop confidence in public speaking."
The DET LVC Secondary Induction Day remains a very special occasion where all our schools come together. I am incredibly grateful for the dedication shown by our workshop leaders and facilitators. Special thanks go to Claire, Helen, Emma and the St Clement Danes LVC team, and Malik, Vinuya, and Tomisin from Onslow St Audrey’s School for leading such valuable sessions at the event, Shannon Anthony for supporting the event, and also to the amazing LVC Facilitator team for their continuous support."
The LVC would not run successfully without the support of our dedicated team of in-school facilitators: Emma Smart, Helen Ansell, Helen Cox, Jody Waters, Juliet Ford, Justin Reece, Liz Black, Matt Clarke, Paul Maddock, Rachana Shah, Rosamund Barnes, Sarah Edwards, and Shannon Anthony. The Trust extends its sincere appreciation to all current and previous facilitators for their commitment and time devoted to making the LVC successful in their respective schools.
Posted on: 17/11/2025Leaders from the Trust attended a celebration of schools championing pupil engagement at the House of Lords
Leaders from the Trust attended a celebration of schools championing pupil engagement that took place at the House of Lords on Monday, Hosted by the Rt Hon. Baroness Nicky Morgan, former Secretary of State for Education, the event organised by The Engagement Platform (TEP) and ImpactEd Group highlighted how engagement data is driving real change nationally.
Toby Sutherland, headteacher of St Clement Danes School presented on the work taking place within our Trust to improve engagement. Toby shared that TEP has provided our trust with “the most powerful behaviour insights and evidence-based research tool in the last three years.”
Danes Educational Trust has been a significant contributor on the importance of student engagement acting as a predictive tool for teachers and leaders to tackle attendance, wellbeing and attainment gaps with our CEO, Dr Josephine Valentine acting as a commissioner on the national RCELI (Research Commission on Engagement and Lead Indicators).
We are extremely pleased that the work and research of RCELI and TEP is gaining national momentum and recognition. Our continued partnership with TEP is a testament to our commitment to listening to and responding to our pupils and staff, ultimately improving outcomes, retention, and pupils’ life choices. This event shows what’s possible when research, leadership, and community come together.
Posted on: 6/03/2025Croxley Danes School featured on BBC One's The One Show
Croxley Danes School was visited by presenter Angellica Bell and a camera crew from the BBC show to interview staff and students about their involvement in a Europe-wide study.
The study, called the BootStRaP project, is led by the University of Hertfordshire and aims to reduce the harmful impact of internet use on mental health.
The research intends to recruit up to 10,000 young people from across Europe over five years to explore internet use, identify harmful behaviours, and find ways to address these.
Andy Harris, headteacher of Croxley Danes School, said: "While we don’t have issues with phone and internet use at Croxley Danes due to us having very clear rules and systems in place, it is a significant issue outside of school that is impacting our young people’s mental health and peer relationships.
"We decided to get involved with the BootStRaP project because we think it’s a really fantastic opportunity to gather the data needed to better understand and address issues around problematic internet use, that will inform effective strategies for improving our students’ well-being, their online safety in and outside of school and ultimately their academic success."
The BootStRaP project stands for Boosting Societal Adaptation and Mental Health in a Rapidly Digitalising, Post-Pandemic Europe.
Read the full story in the Watford Observer
Posted on: 4/03/2025ESA stands out with 'outstanding' Ofsted report
Demonstrating its commitment to improvement and success, Elstree Screen Arts Academy (ESA) has been honoured with top rankings in a recently published report by The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). This recognition underscores ESA's unwavering dedication to providing an outstanding education that not only meets but exceeds national standards.
The recent report published in February 2025 lauded the quality of education at ESA, a part of Danes Educational Trust, celebrating the academy's innovative approach to teaching and learning. Students at ESA were commended for their exemplary behavior and positive attitudes, contributing to a vibrant and respectful learning environment. The academy's commitment to the personal growth and development of each student was a highlight of the report, showcasing the holistic approach to education that ESA champions.
The robust leadership and management at ESA were recognized as pivotal in driving the academy's success and fostering a culture based on a ‘character curriculum’.
"We have been proudly advocating for our unique approach to education and keenly telling all who will listen that we are up to something here," said Chris Mitchell, Principal of Elstree Screen Arts Academy. "We are seeing young people engage, connect and find their creative voice."
Special mention was made of the inclusive and supportive sixth-form provision, which plays a crucial role in preparing students for their future endeavors.
ESA Academy scored ‘Outstanding’ in all five categories of the report. This prestigious recognition from Ofsted is a reflection of the collective efforts of the dedicated staff, enthusiastic students, and supportive parents who together make Elstree Screen Arts Academy a paragon of educational excellence.
“Receiving Outstanding in all five categories of the report is a testament to the exceptional creativity, innovation , and dedication of the entire Elstree Screen Arts Academy community. Moving from ‘Good’ to ‘Outstanding’ is a remarkable achievement, especially in today’s ever-evolving educational landscape,” said Dr Josephine Valentine OBE, CEO Danes Educational Trust.
The report not only celebrates the academy's current achievements but also highlights its ongoing commitment to improvement and innovation in education. ESA continues to lead the way with outstanding outcomes for students in specialist training and creative courses for the film, TV and Theatre industries.
Posted on: 6/02/2025Learner Voice Council (LVC) Primary Induction Day
On 21 January, we held our third Learner Voice Council (LVC) Primary Induction Day, hosted at De Havilland Primary School. "We were delighted to welcome all six primary schools, including The Cranbourne Primary School and Roselands Primary School, which has recently established its own LVC. The day brought together students and staff from across Danes Educational Trust, fostering collaboration and leadership."
Attendees participated in a dynamic workshop carousel, featuring sessions on oracy (led by Nicola Spencer, DET English Lead) and self-confidence (led by Anna-Maria van Der Spoel, Assistant Headteacher at OSA), both outstanding practitioners.
A highlight of the day was two of the sessions that were led by secondary school students. Students from Chancellor’s School delivered a session on LVC Top Tips. Many of their members have been part of the LVC for years, and they shared their knowledge and experience with the primary school students. Onslow St Audrey’s Sixth Form Leadership Team delivered a session on teamwork. These sessions provided essential tools for young leaders as they embark on their LVC journey.
Now in its fourth year, the Learner Voice Council serves as a platform for students to influence teaching and learning across their schools. The LVC empowers students to make meaningful changes by conducting research through planning, auditing, implementing, and evaluating.
Miles Conway, Trust Learning Lead for Learner Leadership, shared:
"It was truly wonderful to see all of our primary schools come together in collaboration. The LVC students showed incredible dedication and enthusiasm, and I look forward to the meaningful impact they will have across all levels of the Trust. A second passion of mine is transition, so it was great to see the primary and secondary schools working together. Special thanks go to the dedicated workshop leaders, facilitators, and student leaders who made the day a resounding success. Thank you to the staff at De Havilland Primary School for being so accommodating and allowing me to host this event at their school."
The LVC would not run successfully without the support of our dedicated team of in-school facilitators: Alii Hewitt, Emma Smart, Henry Arkill, Liz Black, Liz Shipp, Matt Clarke, Steve Cove Juliet Ford, Mitchell Sanderson, Rachana Shah, Sarah Edwards, and Shannon Anthony.
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