Duke of Edinburgh 2024

On Friday 20^th September, 25 students from Year 10 embarked on their Bronze Award Expedition. This year students navigated their way around Hartfield and Forest Row in Sussex and stayed at the Scout Camp, Broadstone Warren. Students showed excellent grit and determination throughout the expedition, especially as they were caught up in the middle of a huge rainstorm!  

As part of the award, students are expected to complete three months of volunteering, a physical activity, and a skill, with one of those sections having an additional three months to complete. Students are then expected to be trained in navigational skills such as map reading and compass work, the country code, first aid and hygiene, camp craft and meal preparation. Students also have the opportunity to make new friends within their year group and learn to work as part of a team within their groups.  Students are expected to plan a route for two consecutive days, with an overnight stay involving cooking two meals on a Trangia stove.  At Silver level, the three sections time doubles to six months, with one section adding an additional six months. The Silver expedition consists of three consecutive days of travel and two overnight stays, with all other expectations remaining the same. Students can complete the Gold Award when they are 16 years old and at a 6^th Form or College.

One of our students who took part in this expedition shared her experience below:

"Duke of Edinburgh was a great experience for not only me but my entire group and everyone who took part. It had its ups and downs like when we had to walk through muddy fields and narrow footpaths which we all turned into a joke which made the tough times enjoyable. Carrying our huge bags (mine weighed 14kg) was a struggle at times but getting to the campsite and being able to rest was a huge reward! Overall, the Duke of Edinburgh Award was fun and I would absolutely recommend other people to take part."

Thank you to Imogen D for sharing this update on the Year 10 students' Bronze Award Expedition! It's wonderful to hear about their achievements and how they persevered through the challenges, especially the storm.

This experience offers so much more than just outdoor skills. It’s clear from the student's feedback that the Duke of Edinburgh Award not only helps to develop important life skills, such as resilience, teamwork, and leadership, but also provides opportunities for making lasting memories and friendships.

The commitment required to complete the volunteering, physical, and skill sections shows the determination and responsibility of our students. We are very proud of their efforts and look forward to seeing more students take on the challenge in the future!