Autumn Highlights
Duke of Edinburgh by Mr Tom King, DofE Manager
Our silver DofE students overcame incredibly complicated circumstances caused by the pandemic to complete their expedition in the Autumn Term. After months of being stuck inside, our participants were eager to hit the trail and put some miles under their hiking boots. Maps in hand, they headed to the Surrey Hills and navigated beautiful countryside in their groups, passing through wooded forests and tranquil fields. With government restrictions not allowing overnight stays, the boys had to be adaptable and demonstrate their abilities during the day. They all constructed a camp, erected their tents, and cooked meals over their Trangia stoves before packing up again to head home for the evening. All students rose to the challenge and showed great resourcefulness, enjoying the freedom of the woods and the calm of the trail. Many congratulations to these students for a successful expedition under trying circumstances. Our other cohorts for DofE have been adapting their activities to meet the ‘DofE with a Difference’ flexibilities, many working on their Skills, Physical and Volunteering sections of the award whilst at home. Students were encouraged to learn skills such
as cooking, photography or bushcraft. Many volunteered to help siblings or their local community, and all enjoyed making use of their hour’s allocated physical activity to hone their sporting prowess. It was great to see those students who really embraced this award and made the most of their time in lockdown. I look forward to seeing our students continue working on their award and completing the ‘Certificate of Achievement’, a new award granted to those completing their Skills, Volunteering and Physical sections during such difficult times.
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