10 October 2025
Dr Jessica Dixon, DofE Manager, Head of Classics
With students having just enrolled on this year’s Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award scheme, it seems a good moment to look back at our fantastic 2024-2025 programme, in which we supported 72 Year 9 girls through Bronze, 17 Year 10s through Silver and 9 Lower Sixth Formers through Gold.
The girls undertook a wide variety of activities in the Volunteering, Skill, and Physical sections over the year - I think this is the first time we’ve ever had someone volunteering on an alpaca farm! Preparations for the Expedition section, which is designed to help participants develop skills including teamwork, leadership, problem-solving and resilience, began with training days in February and March, followed a couple of months later by practice expeditions. The qualifying expeditions were held at the end of the summer term – all of them in good weather this year. Bronze and Silver participants navigated their way through the North and South Downs, respectively, while our Gold expeditioners traversed the Brecon Beacons. The teams worked hard to complete their expeditions with minimal navigation errors, and, despite sore feet, all our students passed the expedition section with a smile. Zoe and Millie tells us more about their personal experiences of the expedition below.
Zoe M
During my Bronze DofE qualifying weekend, I definitely made mistakes, but I learnt from them. I learnt not to use stir in soup as pasta sauce as it can make you feel terribly ill! I also learnt more practical skills, such as that the sun isn't always in the south, how to read maps and how to navigate through sticky situations. I feel fulfilled after taking part in DofE. It's an experience I will always remember, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to others.
Millie B
Having undertaken all three DofE levels, I definitely had both my best experience and my worst experience at Gold level. Although Gold takes a lot more physical and mental resilience than Silver and Bronze, it is certainly the most rewarding and memorable experience of the three. I did an open practice expedition in the Black Mountains with my school friend Georgie and participants from other schools, who we quickly made friends with, bonding over our drenched shoes and how good Candy Kittens taste at the top of a 900m mountain. I then did the qualifying expedition in the Brecon Beacons (also in South Wales) with school and had a much better experience, as the weather was a lot warmer and drier. Through the expedition, I gained an appreciation for chatting with friends and taking time away from social media, but the moment we saw Mrs Woolaway at the final meeting point next to an ice cream van was probably the happiest I’ve ever felt.