This year, we have worked exceptionally hard to increase our capacity for DofE and facilitate more Year 10 students than ever before to earn their Bronze award. Sixty-three students (a gigantic leap from twenty-one) have been working towards the award that requires them to develop a practical skill, show physical development in a sport, and volunteer in the local community.

The students are still working on these three elements and many are concluding their 3-month and 6-month commitments to a variety of organisations, sports and clubs to which our local and school community have benefited greatly. Some examples of the students work include completing cookery courses, volunteering to help younger students in the school with their reading proficiency, coaching at sports clubs across Baddow and Galleywood, supporting the homeless, running sessions with Beavers/Cubs/Guides and completing high-level First Aid courses.

The students have also completed their training in Outdoor First Aid, Campcraft and Navigation and completed two successful expeditions within Essex. They have independently navigated the Essex countryside covering 12km each day whilst carrying their kit for cooking, camping and the next days provisions. The photos give a little insight to the challenge the students have faced but also the level of fun they have had through the experience. At the core of it all was teamwork and every student proved themselves to be worthy of passing the Expedition element of the award. Their final awards will be completed once they upload all the evidence to back up their 3-month/6-month projects.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the fifteen strong team of staff who volunteered over the two weekends to make the expeditions possible. Particular thanks go to Mr Bentley, our Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator, and Mr Jackson for completing the training course to facilitate larger cohorts of students going forward and Mr Davis and Mr Wells for assessing the teams on expedition.

We are all looking forward to next years Duke of Edinburgh season with the current Year 9’s and information will be coming to Year 9 students about the Duke of Edinburgh award soon. We will continue offering the larger cohort size and there are even plans underway to increase capacity further or offer the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award at Year 12.

For now though, the boots are being hung up on a fantastic bumper Duke of Edinburgh season and we send massive congratulations to the Year 10 students who have been involved in this journey.