Students in Years 9 and 10 have achieved the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award by logging hours volunteering, doing physical activities, developing a new skill and completing a two day expedition.

The Duke of Edinburgh Awards programme was launched as a pilot scheme in 1956 by HRH Prince Philip as a way for young people to explore new interests, acquire self-confidence and gain a sense of purpose that would support them into their future. Following the sad loss of Prince Philip in 2021, the Dukedom of Edinburgh was conferred upon Prince Edward who, as the new Duke, also took on the patronage held by his father.

To achieve the Bronze Award, participants had to complete a minimum of three months of work for the volunteering, physical and new skill elements, followed by a two day expedition, which involved an orienteering challenge with overnight camping. In preparation for this, students took part in an 8.5 mile practice walk and an intensive session to learn emergency first aid, which included CPR.

Students completed a wide variety of volunteering projects, including gardening and painting in our on-site Forest School and sensory gardens. They also worked hard on school site maintenance, litter picking, and a range of animal and bird conservation projects. Some students incorporated their existing passion for football and reading by volunteering to help younger students as sports coaches and reading support mentors in our library, and there were a number of fundraising activities organised to benefit local charities.

For the physical element, some students opted to further develop an existing hobby, with hours logged taking part in football, martial arts, team sports, swimming and boxing, whilst others decided to try out a brand new physical activity including ice skating and gym fitness. New skills included learning to cook, horticulture and garden construction projects, independently learning to speak Spanish and German with Duo Lingo, developing skills in creative arts, crafts and pottery, playing guitar and working on an allotment.

The DofE Awards programme has proved to be extremely popular, so this academic year, we will not only be offering the opportunity to a second group of students, but we will also be working towards offering the Silver Award. This will give existing Bronze Award holders the chance to progress even further and gain an even more prestigious award.