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DET Public Speaking Competition 2026 Posted on: 25/06/2026

DET Public Speaking Competition 2026

The third DET public speaking competition, open to all secondary schools in the Trust, was hosted by Onslow St Audrey’s on Wednesday 17 June. Teams from St Clement Danes, Croxley Danes and The John Warner School, travelled to join teams from Onslow St Audrey’s for a highly enjoyable and competitive evening of public speaking as well as a generous tea provided by OSA. Huge thanks goes to our three visiting judges who gave up their time and praised the pupils for the exceptionally high standard of speaking.  Previous judges Ameeta Sabharwal and Rachel Gauke were joined by former St Clement Danes colleague Shand George. In the Junior competition, Amelia C, Sachin V and Anushka M (SCD) were chosen by the judges for the overall junior prize, debating the topic ‘AI will never take over’.  They were praised for their confidence, team work and engagement with the audience.  Sachin also won the individual award for best overall junior proposer for his confident well-paced delivery.  Jonathan W (OSA) won the individual award for best opposer for his passionate and knowledgeable argument on the ethics of war.  Millie F (CDS) won the award for best junior chairperson for her sensitive and good-humoured role chairing the debate ‘Are females better than males?’ In the senior competition, Onslow St Audrey’s team took away the Senior prize for their brilliant discussion of the topic ‘Digital ID: The Uk’s Panacea or Poison?’ which challenged the audience to think deeply about both sides of the argument. Tanvi P impressed everyone with her confident control of the debate and took the prize for best overall senior chairperson, despite being the youngest person in the whole competition -  a Year 7 competing in a team with Year 10s.  The prize for best senior opposer went to Natalia G (TJWS) arguing against the proposal that paper books are better than ebooks - a difficult argument which she presented with authority and conviction.  The final prize, for best senior proposer, went to Malik K (OSA) for one of the most memorable speeches of the night on the topic ‘Is Freedom of Speech Dying?’ - superb content and delivery of an exceptionally high standard.  Congratulations to all of the participants and thanks to Claire Weetman for hosting, as well as all of the teachers involved in preparing their teams.  In adjudicator Ameeta’s words: “The standard of the competition was exceptionally high, and I believe it provided invaluable experience for all participants. It was a delight to listen to their well-prepared and thoroughly researched speeches, and it was evident that a great deal of effort, thought, and commitment had gone into their presentations. The competition created a wonderful platform for participants to develop and showcase their communication skills, and I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the experience” The competition will return next year to be hosted at Croxley Danes in the summer term.    
Strengthening our professional culture: Primary Director Sarah King featured in Schools Week Posted on: 10/06/2026

Strengthening our professional culture: Primary Director Sarah King featured in Schools Week

We are delighted to announce that Sarah King, our Primary Director, has recently authored a compelling piece for Schools Week, the UK’s leading education news publication. In her article, "Why education needs a shared, definitive vocabulary," Sarah explores a strategic challenge that is central to school improvement: the need for a common, precise language across the education sector. At the heart of Sarah’s argument is the belief that professional clarity is the foundation of excellence. Drawing a comparison between high-stakes industries like aviation and the classroom, Sarah argues that just as pilots rely on standardised procedures to ensure safety, teachers require a shared "meta-language" to ensure consistency and effective practice. Within our Trust, we are committed to providing the highest quality education for all our pupils. Sarah’s work highlights that when we move beyond ambiguous terminology, such as varying interpretations of "adaptive practice" or "curriculum delivery", we reduce professional anxiety and allow our teachers to focus their expertise where it matters most: the classroom. Having our leaders contribute to national discourse is a testament to the talent and strategic thinking within our central team. Sarah’s call for a "shared, definitive vocabulary" aligns perfectly with our Trust’s mission to collaborate effectively and drive improvement across all our schools. We congratulate Sarah on this thought-provoking publication and are proud to have her leadership guiding our primary provision. Read Schools Week Article >>
Keep Reading, Keep Rapping! Literacy icons Michael Rosen and MC Grammar shout out to our Trust Posted on: 10/06/2026

Keep Reading, Keep Rapping! Literacy icons Michael Rosen and MC Grammar shout out to our Trust

Our Trust schools have received a massive boost of inspiration following a special video shout-out from two of the UK’s biggest literacy champions: children’s poetry legend Michael Rosen and viral book-rapping sensation MC Grammar! The dynamic duo sent a high-energy message directly to our pupils and staff, urging everyone across our Trust network to "keep reading and keep rapping!" You can view it on our Instagram page here "Turn those pages, drop those beats, and keep finding the magic in words!" MC Grammar & Michael Rosen This special recognition aligns perfectly with our Trust's mission to foster a vibrant, creative reading culture. By making literacy active and engaging, we unlock potential and instill a lifelong love of learning across all our classrooms. A massive thank you to Michael and MC Grammar for the inspiration. To all our pupils across the Trust: keep reading, and keep rapping! To see the energy MC Grammar brings to literacy, you can check out this interview on his mission to bring books to life.
Croxley Danes School ranks in top 20% nationally following rigorous new Ofsted inspection Posted on: 24/04/2026

Croxley Danes School ranks in top 20% nationally following rigorous new Ofsted inspection

Croxley Danes School, a member of Danes Educational Trust, is celebrating a landmark achievement following its first full inspection under Ofsted’s new, more rigorous, evaluation framework. The report, following the inspection on 24 February 2026, places the school within the top 20% of schools nationally. The updated Ofsted framework has moved away from reductive one-word judgements, opting instead for a nuanced assessment of school performance led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs). Under these heightened standards, Croxley Danes has secured high marks across all categories, reflecting a deep-rooted culture of excellence. The inspection evaluated the school against the new grading system, where "Strong" represents performance at an upper-Good or Outstanding level when compared with the old framework. Croxley Danes achieved the following: Strong Standards: Awarded in Attendance and Behaviour, Inclusion, and Leadership and Governance, indicating that the school is performing significantly above expectations in these areas. These are considered the hardest areas to achieve a Strong grading in, and so to obtain a Strong in all 3 really sets the school apart from others.  Expected Standards: Given in Achievement, Curriculum and Teaching, Personal Development, and Post-16 Provision. Safeguarding: Formally graded as "Met," with inspectors praising an "open culture" where the safety of students is a shared responsibility. The report highlighted the positive environment fostered at the school, with inspectors noting "The school fosters a highly inclusive environment where all pupils feel welcomed and valued... Behaviour across the school is extremely positive [and] pupils enjoy positive relationships with staff and each other." Andy Harris, Headteacher of Croxley Danes School, commented: "I am immensely proud of our pupils for the polite, considerate, and respectful way they conduct themselves every day. This report is a testament to the hard work of our staff and the invaluable support of our parents. Being ranked in the top 20% of schools nationally is a significant milestone, particularly for a newer school, and it validates our commitment to an evidence-informed culture of excellence." While celebrating this success, the school remains committed to further development. Future initiatives will focus on increasing consistency in student feedback and further refining the personal development programme to ensure all students are fully equipped for the challenges of the wider world.