Last week, our first ever cohort of Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award participants completed their practice expedition, an experience that has created memories for life.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is an internationally recognised youth programme that encourages young people to develop independence, resilience, teamwork, and leadership through a series of challenges. Students work towards their award by completing four sections: Volunteering, Physical, Skills, and Expedition. The expedition section requires students to plan, navigate, and complete a multi-day journey while camping overnight and working together as a team. 

Over two days, our students faced a genuinely challenging expedition, from L'Escarène to Blausasc, that tested both their physical endurance and their teamwork. What we witnessed throughout the journey was incredibly inspiring. Students demonstrated determination, resilience, and maturity as they navigated unfamiliar routes with just a map and a compass, carried heavy backpacks with all of their supplies, and worked together to overcome various obstacles.

There were many moments that perfectly captured the spirit of the award. Students supported one another constantly, carrying a friend’s bag when someone was struggling, motivating each other up steep hills, helping with map reading and compass navigation, showing one another how to cook using camping stoves, putting up tents, and even lighting a campfire for everyone to enjoy. These acts of teamwork and kindness were happening throughout the expedition and were wonderful to see.

It was also fantastic to see students spending time together in nature without phones, simply enjoying the outdoors and each other’s company. The sense of achievement when they reached the campsite and completed the journey was clear on every face.

The practice expedition is an important step in preparing students for their qualifying expedition, which will take place on 10th and 11th June. After this practice experience, the students are far better prepared and have gained valuable skills that will help them succeed.

Most importantly, they returned tired but smiling, with a real sense of pride in what they had accomplished - something that embodies exactly what the Duke of Edinburgh Award is all about.

We are incredibly proud of all the students who took part and are very much looking forward to seeing them rise to the challenge again in June.

For information, the Duke of Edinburgh award currently runs for students from Year 9 to Year 11. Next year, students will be able to join the Thrive in order to commence their Bronze award, if they are interested. We will also be running Silver for our students who qualify this year, with the hope of eventually running Gold here at school!

Zoe Jones.
Head of Key Stage 4