23 May 2025
Sixty seven Year 9 students camped in the school grounds last weekend as they undertook their practice expedition for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award. On a tiring but rewarding weekend, our expeditioners navigated their way through the local countryside, showing great determination and teamwork. Elodie and Nithali tell us more.
Elodie
I was in a group with six other girls and put into practice skills I've learned in my DofE experience, such as the art of good communication. I also realised that it's helped me develop better core strength for the walking segments. My group worked together to cook dinner and breakfast and prepare a lunch for the next morning, which was more time consuming than we expected. One thing that might seem intimidating on DofE expeditions is that you might lose your way – however, that’s one of the best ways to help you learn. My group got lost a few times but, because we had built such a strong bond from walking together, we made it back to our campsite. It was a peaceful and enjoyable trip, and the memories I made during that weekend will stay with me and the rest of my group for a long time.
Nithali
Our day was filled with walking through the countryside, navigating routes, and working together in teams. Spirits stayed high, and there were plenty of laughs along the way. My favourite part was stopping for lunch in a sunny field, where we could relax, enjoy the view, chat with our friends, and give our feet a break! Throughout the day, we developed valuable skills like map reading, plotting a route, and what to do when we get lost. Although we got lost a couple of times, we hope we are now well equipped for dealing with situations like that. It was a fun and rewarding experience that gave us a taste of what to expect on the real expedition.