12 October 2026
Mr Alex Kendall, Outdoor Education Centre & DofE Manager
It has been an exciting start to the academic year for me, having taken over the running of Woldingham’s Outdoor Education Centre as well as our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) programme. While my focus at this time of year is on introducing new groups of students to the three levels of the DofE Award, and starting them on their journey, it is also crucial to support those students who started the DofE last year or the year before to get ‘over the line’, so they complete the award and gain their certificates.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is 70 years old and, in my opinion, it is still the best way to encourage young people of all backgrounds to develop themselves in such a wide arena outside their academic studies. In bringing together personal skills, physical recreation, volunteering and the challenge of an expedition, it manages to encompass those parts of life that do not fall easily into examinable subjects. It also provides a badge and pride to those not at the forefront of co-curricular life - those musicians who are not the main soloists, and to those sportswomen who are not always top scorer for the first team. The award remains about commitment and persistence, which is why I think it is more relevant now than it has ever been.
I am very pleased to share the achievements of students who have recently completed one of the sections for their Bronze Award:
Mariella W volunteered at parkrun for six months, taking on a variety of tasks including managing barcode scanning, checking tokens, and being a timekeeper, learning communication and organisation along the way. Her assessor noted, “Mariella always came appropriately dressed, well prepared and with a smile on her face! We hope that her time with us has shown her the value of community events and the reward this brings to individuals in a variety of ways.”
Olympia T volunteered in a Royal Trinity Hospice shop for six months. She took on organisational tasks in the back of the shop as well as dealing with customers in the shop and on the till. Her assessor is full of praise for her responsibility and initiative.
Amelia K took up yoga for the physical section. Her assessor notes, “It has been an absolute pleasure to teach Amelia. Her commitment, positive spirit and openness to learning have truly stood out, and I feel very proud of the progress and confidence she has cultivated.”
Cleo H took up trampolining for her physical section. Her assessor says, “Cleo excelled in trampolining; her determination and focus is admirable. It was an absolute pleasure to help Cleo achieve this goal. She didn’t only achieve her goal, but she went above and beyond to do so.”
Many congratulations to all four students. I look forward to sharing further achievements, as well as updates on the progress of students taking up DofE for the first time this year or moving up to a new level.